Cost:

• Budget     R1 610
• Garden    R1 835
• Seaview  R2060

Carmel Program Calendar 2012 (Feb-May) Carmel Program Calendar 2012 (Jun-Dec)

About Carmel Program Events

WHY COME TO CARMEL?

Our location in the heart of the Garden Route assures you of all that this magnificent part of South Africa provides for all its guests:

- towering Outeniqua mountains and its rolling foothills,

- endless white sandy beaches and rhythmic pounding waves,

- fascinating old passes and meandering streams flowing below lovely old bridges.

Our mission statement “sharing the restoring love of Christ” is constantly in our minds, and we strive to do this in every way possible; from our tranquil gardens and well-kept rooms to our popular home style menus.

Whether you come as a family, with a friend, or alone, Carmel is ready to surround you with a sense of well-being and an awareness of God’s presence.

WHY COME TO A CARMEL PROGRAM EVENT?

Our programs have been put together to make an easy, ready-made, value for money holiday experience that suits the needs of a wide variety of people. Whether your interest is physical and recreational, romantic or relational, family value content, good company, great scenic memories, the wonder of creation, clear bible teaching or fun & laughter, we have tried to include them all. Please peruse our program calendar!

Other benefits from coming to one of Carmel’s programs include:

Friendship and communication.

Many long-standing friendships have started around our communal meal times, providing easy opportunities to chat meaningfully with other guests and the Carmel team.

Prayer and reflection.

Our programs recognize the need for a personal retreat, communion with God and reflection on their spiritual lives. Our programs provide suitable input and time for this with several quiet places that assure you of that possibility.

Speakers and leaders.

Easy to talk with and fun to be around as they have been carefully chosen with a view to being people who have a good understanding of God’s Word and enjoy people!

Fun and laughter

You can be assured that you will find reason for a good few laughs!

It was sun, glorious sun, day in and day out. And there was just sufficient cloud to make some of the days bearable and to give the sun burned skin a break.  The guests all reported their best holiday weather ever. Three holiday teams, each with its own flavour, organized a program of activities for each day of the Western Cape holiday period.  Mark and Heike Moore and their young team led the first 10 days, followed by “Pirate Pete” and Rene Meissner and a team from Pinelands Baptist. Ron and Bev Mallory from His People with their team took us the end of the holiday period.

Each team brought their experience and their passion to organizing a creative program of activities, all with the purpose of sharing God’s love and his word with all who stayed at Carmel, from the youngest to the grandparents. Each day there was a Bible centered time for each age group: sharing and application being the goal of each session. There was the fun of creativity in art for the little ones, robust activity using intellect and energy for the tweens and for the teens, sporting fun and some  “hanging out together” especially in the evening hours. Many events drew the families together to enjoy the fun and laughter of water sports,  a talent Show, “a Minute to Win It”, a “Sherlock Holmes” mystery evening, “Who wants to be a Chocolatier?”, “a Choc Dice and Beetle Drive” to name a few.

Christmas Day was great celebration.  Nearly 200 of us met in the Carmel barn and celebrated with carols and scripture and an encouragement and challenge led by Gary Almeida, our new Ministry Coordinator. “Old Year’s Night”, “the Last Time”, ended around a fire on the park lands, with tea, coffee and hot chocolate, some fun items and family activities and finally with praise and worship, and a short challenge for the New Year. The evening came to a close as most enjoyed American “smors” together!

The two celebratory meals on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve were once again outstanding. You should click here to enjoy the menus, even if it is vicariously!

Although this was a very short holiday period we were delighted that our caravan park and guest house was very busy and virtually full most of the time.  There was a lovely festive atmosphere at Carmel. Along with the participation of most of the children in the team events, many families enjoyed a scrumptious lunch and cups of coffee and Lynnie’s delicious cakes in “Coffee @ Kaye’s”, our new coffee shop in the hall area.

The outworking of this is indicated in the mission statement:

• Carmel’s community is committed to glorify God, by striving to serve Him with excellence and integrity as we minister and witness together, surrounded by the beauty of His creation.
• Carmel is a Godly haven of safety and healing, welcoming all who need spiritual, emotional and physical re-creation, desiring to restore the whole person to be effective for God.
• Carmel is a meeting place where dividing walls are broken down between denominations, cultures, and economic groups, through the experienced presence and love of Christ.