Summer camp ministry is one of the most exciting areas of ministry I have been involved with. I am so grateful for the ministry and training opportunities the camps gave me that I worked for during my high school and college years. I am also fortunate that in my journey as a youth pastor God gave me opportunities to work with camp ministry as an associate director.

This past summer I was a director for the first time. In addition to all the activities, staff needs, and the many details of running a summer camp program, I re-learned the value and reason for camps on a Sunday morning while one group was preparing to leave.

It was Junior Camp II, and I was standing outside the lodge glancing at my watch trying to make sure the schedule stayed in tact. I shifted from foot to foot, waiting for the kids to be ushered out and on their way home so the staff could scurry with activity to make the camp ready for a new group of campers to arrive. I tried very hard not to look impatient or hurry the kids too much.

The tractors and hay wagons were ready to take the campers to the front gate to their waiting parents. The staff formed the last “hug line” outside the lodge to say good-bye to the campers. Everything was ready, and all that ran through my mind was, “We have to be more efficient in our times and we have to get things moving.”

Then the moment happened—the vision statement of camp ministry played out right before my eyes. Justin and Martin walked out of the lodge. As they came to the first staff members in the “hug line,” tears welled up in the eyes of those two campers. Justin and Martin were with us for two weeks, and over the course of that span they became family—firmly placed in our hearts.

My thoughts went back to the evening before when Justin took our guys' director's name badge and sunglasses and walked around, acting the part of the guys’ director. He did a great job mimicking him and had all the director's actions and mannerisms down perfectly. During this charade, Justin walked up to me and informed me that in a few years he would come back to be our guys’ director. I smiled.

Now the process of saying good-bye was almost complete. I watched each staff member hug those two boys and all the remaining campers. As they got closer to the hay wagons, I saw the hugs become tighter and longer. In that moment, I was humbly reminded of what the true importance of summer camp is—the connection of love and value that staff can give to campers as they take the time to listen and learn from the campers. I was filled with awe and admiration as I saw our staff be more concerned not with time and schedules, but with being "the hands and feet of Jesus” to His kids as they hugged them.

I can hardly wait until the campers arrive once again this summer and fill our camps and hearts with their enthusiasm, laughter, and smiles. We will be ready and waiting with open arms!

Please register online at: www.campakita.com. Link to our summer camp page to register and receive a ten dollar discount. Brochures were sent to campers who previously attended summer camp, as well as the young people in the Illinois Conference.

If you would like a brochure, please contact the youth department by phone, e-mail, or fax.

Illinois Conference

619 Plainfield Rd.

Willowbrook, IL 60527

Phone: (630) 856-2857

Fax: (630) 734-0929

E-mail: youth@illinoisadventist.org

Jeff Deming is the Illinois Conference youth director.

Akita Camp Meeting: June 18–24

(children with their family only)

Adventure Camp: June 25–July 2 (Ages 7–9)

River Expedition Canoe Trip: June 25–July 2 (Ages 13–17)

Junior Camp I: July 2–9 (Ages 10–12)

Waterski/Wakeboard Expedition: July 2–9 (Ages 13–17)

Junior Camp II: July 9–16 (Ages 10–12)

Rock Climbing Expedition: July 9–16 (Ages 13–17)

Teen Camp: July 16–23 (Ages 13–15)

Hispanic Junior/Youth Camp: July 23–30 (Ages 7–12/13+)

Teen Extreme: July 30–Aug. 6 (Ages 13–16)

Wilderness Adventure to Colorado: Aug. 3–14 (Ages 14+)