Lantern and Compass Project

Clarity and Direction

What’s Up Blog

Virtual Camp Awakens

To say that 2020 brought change is perhaps an understatement but what didn’t change was the excitement of coming together for a week of camp. For the past 4 years we have taken a team as part of the staff for Ability Camp, a physical camp for individuals with special needs, 18 years and up. This year was the first online camp, launching AT Station, an online gathering space for Ability Tree events geared for individuals with and without special needs. 

Despite transitioning from a physical to virtual experience this year, campers were still able to interact with one another, take part in art classes, play bingo, exercise, participate in all camp activities and hear God’s word through dynamic speakers and it was all done online through video. Sure, it looked different but it didn’t change the fact that relationships grew between campers, chaperones and most importantly with Christ.

If I could use one word to describe the Ability tree camp experience I would say, ‘Heaven’. What a joy to be part of a camp where everyone is so encouraging, accepting, gracious, excited and full of love. I would encourage anyone to take advantage of the opportunity and serve at Ability Camp or be part of AT Station events. If you’d like to be part of the next camp experience, complete our Volunteer form and a real person will get back with you. In the meantime a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at just a few.

  • BINGO!!
  • Art Class
  • Art Class
  • Photo scavenger hunt
  • Art class
  • Abilities Got Talent Night
  • Photo scavenger hunt
  • Theme Night Party
  • Official AWAKEN t-shirt
  • Photo Scavenger Hunt
  • Theme Night Party
  • Organized exercise
  • s’more night
  • BINGO!!
  • Photo Scavenger Hunt
  • Photo Scavenger Hunt

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.

First virtual camp video for the season. Unedited

Best Summer

This past summer, I had the privilege of working with Lantern and Compass Project.  Although only getting the opportunity to do 2 camps, my life was definitely changed for the better.  The first, Camp Wannahockalugie, was an absolutely awesome experience.  Working with Terry and our team to help teach the kids about Christ while having fun doing it was so cool to be a part of.  Getting to do skits and lead lesson-themed recreation activities amounted in so much laughter and excitement the campers were thrilled, as anyone with ears could tell.

And as much fun and impacting as this camp was, the second camp I helped with, the ability tree camp, was life changing.  Going into this one, I really had no experience with people with special needs.  I would loosely throw around the r-word as if it wasn’t a big deal, and truly didn’t understand what interacting with these people was like.  I was timid at first among the campers, sort of treating them as one would treat a kid, oversimplifying everything and talking to them differently. However, as the week went on, I started to personally connect with some of the campers, through music, sports, and Christ especially.  As I was building new relationships, I was beginning to realize that there is no us and there is no them.  We are all human regardless of our differences.  This epiphany changed my life for good.  I haven’t said the r-word since and now have a newfound desire to hang out with people with special needs, especially because of them being so commonly made fun of and left out.  A camp like that is one I will never forget, and was definitely God’s purpose for me this summer.  Working with Lantern and Compass was one of the best parts of my summer, and I’m looking forward to doing so next year!

By Keller Knode – Summer Student Team Member

Transformed

We can’t underestimate the power of sharing the gospel with our children. Our transformational  relationship with Jesus Christ has changed us forever, and we as believers need to allow our children to experience that same transformational relationship with Jesus, and that’s what Lantern and Compass does. Pastor Terry Williams is a dynamic leader when it comes to Children’s Ministry. Pastor Terry’s heart is to intentionally reach the heart of our children as she shares the love of Jesus Christ. I’ve had the privilege of working beside Pastor Terry and her team for the past two years as they conducted our VBS and how she and her team engage our children is phenomenal. To see children come to Christ is so amazing. If your church is looking for someone to come and do a VBS, this is the team you want. Love you guys, I’m looking forward to another incredible VBS this coming year!

By Pastor Rick Snyder – Faith Assembly of God, Brunswick MD