You may have spotted Encounter Camps or Team Encounter at the motocross tracks recently and been wondering what this is all about.

These are youth development programmes and run under the umbrella of a charitable trust called Youth Encounter Ministries, using dirt bike riding as a tool. This was all started with Encounter Camps by ‘Scary’ Mary Perkins (now Mary Wanhill), internationally renowned world record holder for her achievements in the sport of motocross and freestyle motocross.

Mary was forced into retirement after a career-ending injury in 2009, breaking both her legs, which are now held together with a lot of metal. This lead to a major career change for Mary as she decided to follow in her passion of empowering youth. She has gained a Diploma and some valuable work experience to further her skills in the area and together with her husband Joel, the couple now focus on Youth Encounter.

Youth Encounter believes young New Zealanders are looking for coherence in life to form identity and find their role in society. Sadly, statics show New Zealand holds the second highest suicide death rate in the world, with youth males being more at risk.

To impact this problem, Youth Encounter creates a community where young people feel secure to journey in encountering purpose for their life, giving them hope for the future and a reason for living. Their motto is ‘strength for today, purpose for life’, this from a Christian perspective.

“I see a real poverty of spirit within our youth culture, a lack of purpose and identity. It is a true honour to have this opportunity to share with young people what I have found to help me through my journey.”  Mary Wanhill

The recent Encounter Spring Fest camp brought together a small community of 45 passionate dirt bike riders from all over the North Island. Six days of dirt bikes festivities was on the schedule, along with a trip to the local pools. Rotorua’s Tui Ridge Park provided an accommodation base and a motocross track on site to use along with travelling to a few other riding facilities.

Morning wakeups were preparing bodies for the days riding ahead, taking chairs for a difficult climb up the hill and then tumble down the other side soon woke everyone up. Rain was on the radar for the first days ride and it made for a messy clean up but everyone got amongst the carnage. Tokoroa was on the agenda and is always a favourite track with safe jumps for all to attempt and some to really fly. The sun was beaming on the final days riding at Pirini’s Motobike Park. The track was well prepped for a supreme day’s riding on the selection of trail tracks along with a very impressive motocross track that some would say was the highlight of camps riding.

Goodbyes are always the sad part but with a smart phone and Facebook on hand our community still remains.

Dirt bikes are the tool that brings us all together but deep down it’s about the people that we care most. And that’s why our next camp is already in the planning, January 13th – 18th 2013 Encounter Summer Blast will come together on the banks on of Lake Karapiro.

You can also find us at Summercross and the Taupo Supercross over the summer months. Check out our facebook ‘Encounter Camps’ and our website www.encountercamps.org.nz for more details on all these events.

Encounter Camps is partnered with Suzuki, FOX, Shift, Smith Optics, Motul Oils, Michelin Tyres, Split Graphics, Uni Airfilters.

Words: Youth Encounter Ministries

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