The Power of Camp
How one week can Change a Child’s Life
Take a look at the picture to the side. “It’s too early…”, “I never want to leave”, “this is the best week of my life”, “GOD IS HERE.” These are just a few common responses we get to hear from kids (and staff) camp is a very powerful place where kids unplug and enjoy the nature around them. Camp is a place where kids get to experience God in a brand new way. Think back to when you were a child attending you’re first week of summer camp. What is the best memory you made during that week. Who was your counselor? How did they make camp a positive experience for you? I remember my counselor was name Chip. And he was extremely patient, goofy, and was very intentional with connected with each of his campers. The best memory I made was that night when he took time to pray for each of us.
This summer will mark my 6th year serving at Summer Camp in one capacity or another. One of the main reasons I went into camp ministry was because of Chip. Altogether I had the opportunity to walk side-by-side with 75+ kids and see them grow throughout the week. For many of campers I got to see their lives transformed in just one week. Throughout this post I will show you how camp has the power to change lives and why every child should have the opportunity to go to camp.
Here are three different areas children will grow in during their time spent at a Christian Summer Camp…
- Independence — children will have the opportunity to cook, clean, and take care of themselves during the week spent at camp. They will also have the chance to make their own decisions.
- Self-Esteem — children will be paired with a counselor who will encourage them all throughout the week. They will be able to make new friends and meet new people.
- Confidence — children will attempt fun and challenging activities throughout the week. They will stretch far outside their comfort zones to reach their goals.
Some of you may be wondering why kids need to go to camp to grow in their confidence, self-esteem, and independence. Couldn’t kids just go elsewhere (probably somewhere a little cheaper) to grow in those attributes? You are asking… Why Camp? To answer the question here are 5 reasons on how camp has the power to change lives…
Transformed Lives: At camp, young people have the mental room to consider some of the most important issues of life. This break from the craziness of their regular routine allows campers to think about their future, to evaluate unhealthy patterns, and to discover the truth that God loves them and has an amazing plan for their lives.
Nature and Adventure: CCCA member camps are set in some of the most beautiful spots on the continent. Campers explore nature, participate in new adventures and test their limits in a healthy environment surrounded by the grandeur of God’s creation.
Temporary Community: In a setting separate from their daily routine, with an opportunity to shed the expectations and pressures of others, campers are freed up to truly be themselves, to live above artificial limitations and blossom into who they were created to be.
Lifelong Friendships: Good friends who exert positive peer pressure can make all the difference in a kid’s life. Friendships with caring adults and other campers, forged through shared experience and the compressed time at camp, can last a lifetime and provide a connection that helps young people navigate the challenges of life.
Adult Mentors: According to researchers, kids spend on average 40 minutes in meaningful conversation with their parents each week. At camp, caring adults, counselors and mentors come alongside campers, helping them think through decisions and experiences in a way that will prepare them for their future. Many campers point back to a positive role model they met at camp as one who helped shape the direction of their lives.
Along with the 5 benefits of Christian Summer Camp listed above, we can find several more essential elements. Camp allows kids to unplug from media and spend time in God’s creation. In one of my last posts, Connected but not Engaged, I talked about how the overuse of technology is taking away from valuable face-to-face interactions. When children go to camp they will be able to unplug from technology, they will make new friends, and they will be encouraged by their counselor and staff. When we give kids the chance to go to camp we give them the opportunity to gain more independence, gain a higher self-esteem, and build confidence. Lara Clydesdale, a writer for the Washington Post, states this about the impact camp had on her kids…
Most importantly, my kids have such intensely packed schedules full of sports, music, art classes, community service and technological stimulation throughout the school year that it makes finding these all-important quiet mental spaces more difficult.Summers provide a much-needed opportunity for my children to unplug, achieve focus and develop those creative thought processes and connections.
You look at the benefits and you truly have the desire to send your child to camp; however it’s just too expensive. You have already planned to big family vacation or you simply can’t afford camp. Many factors lead into your decision of whether or not to send your child to camp. Which leads to me my second point — Every child, who wants to go, should have the opportunity to go to camp.
- If it is finances holding you back… many camps will offer you financial assistance. They will help cover the cost of the registration and help get your child in. Also many churches offer camper scholarship programs to help assist in the financial aid.
- If it is fears which are holding you back… please know that most camps will give their counselors extensive training. You will be able to write your child throughout the week and keep them up to date. It can be scary to drop you child off in the hands over 20 year old’s (or lower) but they will come home with increased independence, self-esteem, and confidence.
- If it is lack of time holding you back… Summer Camps will always be around. So if you don’t have time this summer, plan to send them next summer.
Whatever is holding you back from sending your child to summer camp is legitimate; however camps will work with and your child will leave with lasting memories. Christian Summer Camp is more than silly games, crazy skits, and weird songs; it provides a place where kids can come to experience God and state “GOD IS HERE.” Take a look at Colossians 1:16…
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
What better place to fully experience God’s presence and His creation than in the beauty camps provide. Summer Camp’s, typically, are located in the woods and all you see is trees and mountains. You see the splendor of his creation. And you will be able to encounter God is a deep and meaningful way.
~Scott Silva
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