August 2005

“Bundescamp” Means Friendship

Gotha, Germany

What an historical event!

Hello, friends! Kerry and I are just back from the German Bundescamp. It is an event held every eight years and is similar to our USA Royal Rangers Camporama. Here are some of the highlights:

• The Bundescamp was the largest Royal Rangers event held anywhere in the world in this ministries 43-year-history.

• 10,600 registered campers attended, plus some 2,000 guests visited including pastors, parents, friends, and governmental leaders

• 360 flag polls adorned the roadway inside the camp. Each represented one of the active Royal Rangers outposts in Germany.

• Small delegations from 13 nations attended (from the USA, Latin America, Africa, Eurasia, and, of course, Europe). These accounted for less than 100 of the campers.

While one international scouting events held in Germany was more numerous, the Bundescamp was the largest nationally organized camping-type activity ever held in Germany. The previous record was set in 1935 when 9,000 German Scouts gathered for a Jamboree. But on the second day of the camp, Adolf Hitler recognized the event as a threat to his agenda and sent all the disappointed campers home.

• Favorable news articles and color photos were splashed all over the local newspapers.

• The campers broke a world record! The Rangers in attendance at the Bundescamp set a new record in the Genis Book of World Records by writing the entire Bible by hand on strips of parchment paper in less than 15 minutes. (The previous record was 50 minutes.)

• An impressive 10,000-seat amphitheater was erected to represent the Roman coliseum. With an awesome set and appointed with a beautiful Royal Rangers emblem in the center arena, it was the camps focal point.

My hat goes off to Gert Ersfeld, the National Royal Rangers Commander in Germany, for his outstanding vision and leadership. The land of the reformer, Martin Luther, is being renewed.

Archived News - Main Page