The Gift of Camps Like Black Lake for Students - Leesha Vaden

When I was a kid, I looked forward to summer camp every year. I went as a camper every year that I could. When I was old enough to spend more weeks at camp by washing dishes, or being a camp counselor, I was there! After my freshman year of college, I traveled with a team to different camps for a summer across the Northwest.

I loved camp because I experienced God and saw others have those experiences as well. I made the decision to love and follow Jesus for the first time as an 8-year-old on an old tree stump at Camp Maranatha by Warm Lake, ID. Many of my friends and even my now husband made decisions to follow Jesus at camp.

Part of why camp can be so impactful is because it gets students out of their normal routine and out in God’s creation. It is a time that brings a different pace, schedule, focus, and priority. While the focus is on having lots of fun and building relationships and community; the primary focus is on creating space for students to connect with God.

Jesus modeled in his life the importance of getting away to pray: Jesus spent 40 days praying in the wilderness (Mark 1:12).

Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Mark 6: 45-46 “Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray.”

We see in just three examples not only does Jesus pray but he gets away to pray. He prioritizes solitude. When we prioritize getting away to be with God, He meets us.

Our middle school students will be at Black Lake camp from August 14-18th. Our Hope City campus currently has 14 students registered for camp!

Will you partner with us in praying for each of these students as they go to camp? Please pray specifically that these students will connect with God, whether that’s in a renewed way or for the very first time.

We also have a few students still in need of some financial assistance to get to camp. Would you consider financially sponsoring a scholarship so that a student can afford to go to camp? You can do this by going to our giving page and make a donation to the “HCC Student Scholarships.” Here is the link, https://my.hopecitypdx.com/giv...

Thank you for your prayers and support over our Hope City Middle School Students.

Leesha Vaden
Volunteer | Hope City Church