While at Camp Fircroft this year, I met an intriguing fellow named Rousseaux Brasseur, or otherwise known as The Quester. He was the speaker for the Elementary Camp, which was also my very first experience as a Camp Counselor at Fircroft, which I must say was quite an “experience” (more on that later).
But, as camp wound down, I jumped at the opportunity of interviewing Rousseaux early one morning (about 6am) for our church website. And, I was VERY curious and excited to talk to this guy that I had been listening to all week who seemed like some kind of bizarre mix of Blippi and a Seminary Professor.
So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee (or whatever it is you drink), and watch this interview. Then read on for my own perspective:
A Camp Newbie’s Perspective
On the very first day, we were introduced to the speaker, Rousseaux, a children’s and family pastor from Jacksonville, Oregon, who walked up to the podium during our first Chapel and started talking about questions. Right off the bat, I was intrigued. Questions are my bread and butter. It is what I do and what I’ve dedicated my life to pursuing. Questions about God. Questions about us. Questions about why we are here? Where did we come from? Where are we going? And what is the purpose of all of it?
The Quester asked these kinds of questions as well. He had five questions throughout the week that he asked these young campers to consider, but he was able to ask them in ways that engaged the kids, made them think, and left them talking about the answers long after they left the chapel service. His five questions were:
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
What’s the meaning of my life?
How do I know right from wrong?
What is my future beyond this lifetime?
I remember, as I sat there watching him animatedly and excitedly interacting with the kids, I realized that this was no ordinary camp where kids were being indoctrinated to simply accept what their parents or their church community believed. Instead, they were being challenged to think for themselves. To ask questions. To go on a quest. An adventure. The adventure of life.
The chapel service became something different for me after that first session. I heard kids sing louder than I think I’ve ever heard anyone sing before. They would shout at the top of their lungs, stomp their feet, and clap their hands to the beat of the music, and were always excited and often jumping out of their seats to go up and get a prize or a reward for getting a question right or to try and win a dance contest.
At one moment, I realized that I was surrounded by innocent creatures whose voices were like the sounds of angels. This was not the ordinary worship that I was accustomed to. It was different. It was simple yet profound. In the lyrics, I saw these kids crying out to God, trying to wrestle with big questions that were in front of them, and not just the questions Rousseaux posed to them, but really serious questions about life.
I discovered throughout camp that many of these kids are wrestling with a difficult home life. Often broken homes. From homes where there is some kind of abuse happening. Environments where they don’t know if they are going to get enough to eat or if they are even going to have a home for more than a day at a time. And this guy, clad in overalls and Converse sneakers, was able to rally these kids to ask questions that many people – many adults – never think to even consider.
Over the week, with his Quest Bible in hand, the Quester talked about the two greatest commandments, how the trinity was awkward math, how God made man in the beginning, and how he made woman. He took them on a journey through forests and over oceans and across mountain ranges, all in hopes that these kids might discover for themselves the answer to these important questions. After all, society will demand they have an answer when they are all grown up, maybe even before.
By the end of camp, the Quester and his community of campers had reached the end of their long journey. They finally made it to the Dominion of Destiny, where the kids explored the future they have beyond this life and what will happen to them after they die.
They talked about Jesus being the only way out of the predicament we find ourselves in and how we need to surrender to him as Lord of our life and believe that God raised him from the dead. He talked about our responsibility to make disciples and to be baptized and how we are reborn as children of God.
As a fellow philosopher and theologian, I found his curriculum quite effective. He was able to reach the kids in ways that I don’t think I could ever reach them, regardless of how many books I might assign for reading. Regardless of how many tests the kids take. It was comforting to know my ten year old son was getting to hear the same kinds of questions that I frequently talk about as we go about our day, but from someone that he can relate more to.
One day I hope to be able to sit down with my son and have a serious conversation about these questions the Quester asked. But, until then, I’m glad he’s able to start wrestling with those questions now even if it is without me.
You can check out or book The Quester at his website, the Quester Community, I would highly recommend him for your own church’s upcoming camp next year.
To donate to the Quester Cause and play a part in reaching children throughout Oregon, across the United States, and throughout the World for Christ, please consider partnering with Rousseaux.
Click HERE to find out how you can help.
Harbor Baptist Church 
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