“There was this one kid. I guess he was really shy growing up and used to get picked on. For him camp was an avenue to break out of that fear of people; to break out of his shell and really connect with people. Camp was perfect for that.”

“This other kid, all the father figures in his life were really abusive. It was a growing experience at camp, having his cabin counselor as someone really committed to caring for him for a week. It was a cool opportunity for him to understand God as his father who won’t forsake him and hold true to his promises.”

These are some of the stories we heard after our kids returned from camp. Because of your gift, 21 boys and girls spent a week of swimming, climbing ropes courses, eating delicious meals – and experiencing real love and trust, perhaps for the first time in a long time. For many of the kids, this experience allowed them to talk about fears in their lives, or to forgive those who had hurt them, or just have joy in being a kid.

Verne Hemphill, one of our Oasis Center Supervisors, said, “Over all it’s a different walk of life