The Impact of Camping Ministry:
Enjoy these encouraging testimonies, written by 2012 Summer Staff, about how God is working through the ministry of Luther Park.
Why should I send my child to camp?
“Camp has the ability to reach a child unlike any other program. It is different from any program at a church and the outdoor setting is extremely beneficial when a child is developing his/her faith.”
“It’s great to see campers stepping into leadership roles (in Closing Worship) and to see how they have grown so much during the week…”
“Camp is a great place to get to know people in a Christ filled environment. Also, it is experiences that can help kids get to know who they are and how they can get to know God in a closer relationship.”
“It’s an opportunity of a life time to get exposed to so many different things, grow in your faith, make new relationships and have fun.”
“Camp is a great place to show the kids how fun believing in Christ can be.”
“Time spent and relationships with campers were most definitely the highlights of my summer; not only did I form bonds that I will never forget, but for a lot of my campers, I feel like they will never forget them either. The relationships that I was able to have with my campers are honestly what make me want to be at camp every day of the summer… and year if I could.”
“Your child will have a blast. There are many great opportunities for your child to grow in his/her faith and enjoy many activities.”
“I was very happy with the vast variety of programs. I thoroughly enjoyed the Night Owls week. It seemed that the kids really enjoyed being there and that they took part in all activities. I felt that this week was well led and that the schedule could not have been better put together. Honestly, if I was to be a camper again, I would definitely want to go to camp for that week. All the weeks that I was in camp I felt that everything was well planned and worked through.”
“Camp is a great time to learn and play with other children of God, to see His love and beauty in life and be inspired to move mountains.”
“Camp is an extremely influential experience in the faith lives for people of all ages because it is a place where everyone is surrounded by a positive Christian community.”
“You should definitely send your child to camp! Luther Park is one of the best places for your child to grow in faith and confidence! So many children arrive at Luther Park shy and scared, then leave with confidence and the ability to do the things they thought they would never do! Then you have those children that arrive at Luther Park wishing they could go home because they don’t want to be at camp thinking that it is stupid, but they get up Friday morning and don’t want to leave! And finally, some children arrive at Luther Park and become homesick. By the end of the week, these children leave Luther Park with friends and knowing that Luther Park is like a second home to them. Send your child to Luther Park! I promise you, you won’t regret it, and your child won’t regret going.”
“Camp is an experience that you will look back at years and years from now and think, ‘I wish I could have done it again or even more.’ It’s an experience that will change your life making you a better person. And you will be so thankful you went.”
How has camp impacted the lives of Luther Park’s counselors?
“The impact it has had on my faith has been extreme. It has helped me to learn and grow in my faith as well as nurture others in their faith. The relationships that have been formed through this faith process are unbelievable and as a college student, we only have this tiny window of time that we can do ‘crazy jobs’ before we have to go into the real world and settle down. I am taking full advantage of this little window and the opportunities available at this point in my life.”
“Being a camp counselor changed my life; there are very few other jobs that will both challenge your faith and cause you to grow immensely in it.”
“Being at Luther Park was the best thing that could have happened this past summer…Being a camp counselor is a way to understand our relationship with God at an entirely new level, and it also gives one the opportunity to help others find a relationship with God.”
“Will I be back next summer? Most likely because I loved it this summer! Also I can’t really see myself doing something other than being a camp counselor.”
“At camp your faith will grow, you will mature and grow as a person; you find a second family, make memories, and you get to have fun doing it!”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to grow in your faith and make lifelong friends.”
“Throughout this summer, I have grown so much spiritually. I honestly would never really pray before, but now I find myself praying all the time. I also never thought I would really like the middle school aged kids, but they are now one of my favorite ages after this summer working with them. I have also made so many close friends that I’m positive will be there ‘till the end. Along with all those ways that I’ve grown this summer, I’ve also become not as shy of a person (which I’ve been trying to do for years).”
“I’ve learned how to communicate with people better, how to speak up more when I have something to share, that I can be a leader, that I can make a difference in someone’s life, and that God is always in my heart.”
“Camp is an experience that you will look back at years and years from now and think, ‘I wish I could have done it again or even more.’ It’s an experience that will change your life making you a better person. And you will be so thankful you went.”
“I definitely feel like I grew closer to God this summer and learned a lot more about Him.”
“This summer I have grown a lot in faith and relying on God and the Holy Spirit.”
“There is so much that I’ve grown in this summer it’s hard to put it into words. My faith has certainly grown, as has my ability to work with children and groups; my confidence of being up in front of people has certainly taken a turn for the better, and the confidence to be myself. Camp is one of the few places that I can be myself.”
“I learned autonomy and leadership. I grew a lot as a leader this summer and felt it was a great time to take responsibility and be a role-model for other counselors. My faith grew and I needed to rely heavily on my peers for support in times of trouble. I learned more that asking questions is the best action to make sometimes. I learned that it is very hard to remove yourself form gossip but it’s the best thing to do when conversation is not uplifting anyone. I learned patience while dealing with certain staff members/counselors and I was able to again see the positive ministry that is held at Luther Park.”
“There is this magic when you see something click in your camper that brings them closer to God.”
“I will take the leadership I’ve learned at camp and apply it to future jobs/careers. I will take away a lot of love and support I have felt and apply it to new relationships, and use it to strengthen current relationships.”
“I especially enjoyed doing Bible study with the campers, because they were actively engaged and had lots of questions for me. I learned so much from my campers.”
“I feel my ability to instruct grew throughout the summer as did the rest of the summer staff. My confidence in this grew 100% and I can see the differences already.”
“My knowledge about the Bible has grown, and I am less afraid now to express my opinion. My leadership skills have increased, and I’m truly amazed at how much camp has improved that. I’m an Education major so everything that I did at camp this summer is going to help me prepare for that.”
“Of course I plan on coming back. I love it here. It feels like another home for me.”
“You shouldn’t work at a camp for the money … it is so much more rewarding than money when you see a child learn about the Lord.”
“Being a counselor is an opportunity to learn and grow as a community of believers, learn to play guitar, be outside, have fun, learn about Christ and mentor youth.”
“I feel that this summer I grew extremely in my faith and comfort levels. I do not think I would have been able to go in-front of people that I did not know very well and tell my personal story except for the fact that I had such wonderful staff members there to support me. In my faith, I feel that I have deepened my relationship with God as well as others in that I now feel more at ease talking to others about what it is I believe.”
“After the summer that I had, I have tried to apply my love of working with kids, enjoyment of Bible studies, and my deepened faith to my life here at college. I have joined a Bible study that meets each week … If not for camp, I probably would not have joined the Bible study … My faith took a large step this summer and now that I am back at college, I pray and do devotionals regularly with my roommate and by myself because it is so wonderful to know God and just have that time with Him.”
“This was by far the most organized I have been in my life in any sort of job that I have had. It has now carried over into school, and I am now ridiculously organized with classes and schedules and homework.”
“I learned that I can’t do it all myself. Delegation is key. I also need to take time away from work to rest both physically and spiritually.”
“Thank you for another amazing summer. I really hope to be back again; the impact that Luther Park has had on my life and the life of many others is extreme and I enjoy nothing more than being a part of the ministry Luther Park provides.”
“Although I tend to be hesitant when I am instructing my peers, I definitely grew in this area this summer and was very comfortable asking for assistance and delegating tasks. I also believe that as the past summers have progressed I have gotten better at leading Bible studies and instructing campers in different activities.”
“I have learned that we are not in this alone and my fellow staff members showed this to me each and every day when they were so very willing to do what needed to get done.”
“I felt my strengths this summer were to teach the children about God and help them grow in their own faith, help them answer questions, etc. …I also felt as if my energy was a bit contagious at times, especially when my campers and fellow staff members needed it.”
“I have learned that the bonds between people can really assist in creating a positive environment for everyone. Furthermore, I have recognized the extreme impact campers can have on me. The campers that I worked with this summer affected me more than any other summer and they truly helped me realize my purpose at camp and in the world–to share God’s love and kindness regardless of anything.”
“I plan to re-apply for the 2013 summer camp season because this is a wonderful opportunity to share my faith, grow in it and get experience teaching kids of different age groups and working with them.”
