Camps with Meaning Sponsorship Update

Camps with Meaning Sponsorship Update

I can tell you firsthand how important summer camp is for personal growth. The personal growth, nature adventures, interactions with cabin mates, and the independence of being away from home, all combine into a unique experience that challenges campers  to ask questions about themselves and dares them to answer them, leading to a stronger sense of self and relationship to others and to God. Being a part of summer camp allows them to discover who they are and can also help them in their faith journey as they see God in a different light. Often, this is thought to be true only for the campers; however, it impacts the staff as well.

In addition to nine summers as a camper, I had the privilege of working at a summer camp for six years and the impact it had on me was profound. It certainly helped me on my faith journey, even though I didn’t know it at the time, and I grew leaps and bounds in confidence and discovering who I am and my relationship with God. It is because of experiences like this that Bethel Mennonite Church sponsors both children and staff to attend Camps with Meaning.

This year Bethel supported three children and one staff person at Camps with Meaning. The staff person we supported was Carlynn Davidson. Carlynn has the following to say about her time at Camps with Meaning this past summer and the impact it had on her:

Hi, my name is Carlynn Davidson. I am a student at McGill University during the school year and a camp staff in the summer. This summer I worked at Camps with Meaning for my fifth year, where I was a senior counselor and ropes instructor. Working at camp is one of the most life-giving and inspiring experiences, and I would not wish to spend my summer any other way. This summer was super exciting as I got to spend time with campers of all ages and other staff members. Camp is a place that fosters connections, spiritual growth, and fun, and it was an absolute joy bonding with campers and staff, having many good conversations with individuals, helping others grow, and having lots of fun together doing many activities in nature. It was a pleasure to have the campers in my life and be a part of theirs. Camps with Meaning holds Adults with Disabilities weeks, which I find to be the most rewarding. One of my fondest memories from the summer is having the opportunity to work at the ropes course. As a ropes instructor, I got to assist in hoisting a few individuals who use wheelchairs, to the top of the zipline so that they had the opportunity to go down it. I loved this moment as it was extremely fulfilling to see the excitement it brought these few individuals as they got to experience an activity, they do not have many opportunities to do. I am overall super grateful for the camp experience I had this summer, for the community and connections that are formed there, and the spiritual growth that comes from this place. As all of the camp staff, campers, and volunteers have headed on their own ways for the school year, I am asking for prayers for everyone who was with us this summer that they are able to make it through whatever the year holds for them.

Thank you for continued support in helping children and staff grow and discover their relationship with God in this unique setting.

-  Chris Carther-Krone, Witness Committee Chair