Reflections on Christian Camping

 Christian camping remains a powerful tool for the church. But it’s not without challenges—especially in a missions context. How do you adapt what is often seen as an American concept to resonate with a different culture? How do you find staff and counselors willing to serve sacrificially? And how do you create year-round programs that draw people in and meet diverse needs? These questions weighed on my heart this past Christmas as we revisited the camp in Pennsylvania, where my journey with Christian camping began twenty-four years ago. 

I served the Lord in the summer of 2000 at this Christian camp. From day one, I was pushed far outside my comfort zone - training involved climbing a tower with nothing but a rope for support, ziplining across a lake, and being launched up in the air by something called The Blob! The environment demanded you to be outgoing, energetic, and loud—all day, every day! My internship lasted three intense months, during which I rotated through various roles—camp counselor, kitchen helper, observer in the secretarial office, an attendee in director meetings, and even janitor. It was a whirlwind, providing a broad perspective on Christian camping but leaving me with even more questions than answers.  

If you know me well, you might wonder why I would embark on such an adventure. While I had prior experience directing church camps in South Africa, those camps were vastly different. They were held at rented sites once a year and resembled an extended youth night spanning five days. However, with plans to establish a permanent camping site, attending a year-round Christian camp in the United States was recommended as a valuable learning experience. The vision of the church-planting missionaries in South Africa was clear: Christian camping could serve as a tool to reach communities with the Gospel. Once churches were established and led by South African pastors, they could utilize this camp to minister to their congregations and reach out to their communities.

After completing my summer internship in the United States, I returned to South Africa as a short-term missionary. I focused on assisting church planters and their wives, teaching in missionary-run Christian schools, and serving at the newly established Christian camp. The American missionaries who initiated the camp and the South Africans who assisted and attended it taught me invaluable lessons. Witnessing the profound impact of Christian camping on young lives deepened my appreciation for this ministry. I’m still not the adventurous, outgoing personality most camp directors dream of hiring. But God had a plan—I married someone who is! Through Deon’s enthusiasm and energy, I’ve come to enjoy that side of camping. In addition to our church-planting efforts, we served the Lord together at Paardeberg Mountain Retreat. Deon was the program director, and I provided quiet support in the background for the winter youth camps. We cherished seeing kids and teenagers come to know Christ as their Savior and, in later years, return as camp counselors themselves.  

Christian camping is an incredible gift to the church, and I am grateful to have played a small part in its story. As I look to the future, I trust God will continue to teach, guide, and inspire all who serve Him through this unique and impactful ministry, including our family, as we make our way to our new country of service, Australia. 

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things,
that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might,
 for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." Isaiah 40:26