Kids Camp, Clear Spring MD
camp
AWAKEN Kids Camp
This will be Camp Wannahockalugie’s 10th year of bringing the message of Jesus’s love and forgiveness to the more than 900 elementary age kids since it’s beginning in 2011. After a disheartening year of COVID restrictions, Camp Wannahockalugie is opening its doors to campers again this summer the week of June 21-25. It’s a year of new and fresh beginnings, a year that has AWAKENED us to God’s possibilities in our lives and we are excited to be bringing a message of hope and love to a fresh group of campers. This year’s theme is AWAKEN and is set in the heart of farm country so campers can expect a farmer, a talking chicken, farms animals and all types of farm equipment, that will contribute to the farm atmosphere. Through song, instruction, prayer time, recreation and crafts, campers will be taught about God’s plan and purpose for their lives as they step into God’s possibilities. If you live in or around the Clear Spring MD area and would like to join us for a week full of fun, excitement and biblical teaching you can register online by clicking the REGISTER button below. We would love to have you.
Virtual Camp Behind the Scenes
We’ve been making preparations to be part of the team conducting a virtual camp for special needs adults. This would have been our fifth year working alongside Ability Tree as we gathered in Pennsylvania at Refreshing Mountain Camp but this year is going to look a bit different. We are taking camp to the cloud and transform the experience to reach even more campers. Our team has been creating the raw video for various segments of the camp week and then sending them to Ability Tree staff to edit. We are typically responsible for building the campfire and you can’t beat this team as they get ready for S’MORE night.
We visited Inglish Homesteaders and captured some video of their farm animals for the virtual petting zoo. My favorite was the Jake Turkey strut.
Rooster Ready
Summers are typically filled with several camps spanning from Pennsylvania to Arizona but this year we are limited to the borders of Maryland. COVID19 has changed the landscape of our summer activities and we have adapted to a new and interesting way of engaging campers and giving them a quality camp experience, even in the midst of change.
We are going Virtual
As unprecedented as virtual camp sounds there are some exciting things being developed to allow campers to feel connected and loved as they have fun, build relationships and most importantly draw closer to Jesus.
Our camp team, for the fifth year will be leading organized recreation and special activities for the campers. You’re kidding, right! How can you have organized recreation and special activities virtually? That was my exact question when this opportunity was presented to me. Three weeks and three zoom conferences later, with an amazing team spanning from New York to Arkansas, I’m beginning to see how this is going to work and we are only limited by the creativity that God has given to us as a team. I’m not a fan of videotaping so this has stretched my ability to communicate beyond face to face interaction but thankfully God brought along Jake and EmmaLeigh to lead the charge and come up with our team’s introduction video to the campers. Here is the raw clip before any editing. We will keep you posted as things develop.
The First College Team
Summer of 2015 our ministry had two amazing additions to the team. We were joined by Caleb and Tanner, both from Harrisonburg Virginia. Within two weeks following high school graduation, Tanner joined us with his guitar, bike, and a suitcase in tow. As we adjusted to an additional person in the house we were reminded of the energy a teenager brings. Peace and quiet were no more although having the house filled with guitar music and conversations navigating life’s emotional and social challenges provided insight to the issues our young people are facing every day. Caleb joined us a week later. Perhaps a bit more reserved he also found his guitar to be a source of comfort and reflection as he too navigated thoughts of the future as he ended his junior year of college and joined us. Two different personalities yet they balanced each other.
After identifying the gifts and talents that each student brought to the summer ministry they were immediately thrust into the summer camp mode. I was impressed at their focus and ability to reach into the hearts of the kids and live out their faith walk as an example of Jesus’s love. The value they brought to the kingdom work can not be measured. They have changed me, our ministry and have set into motion plans for expanding summer team member opportunities for more students in the upcoming years. Caleb has since completed his Theological Studies degree from Regent University and Tanner has completed his degree in Biomedical Science from Liberty University. Both still love the Lord and continually look for ways that they can impact lives for eternity.
