Youth Camp Updates

• A Dozen Young Adults Rise to Challenge of the Wind Rivers Wilderness Expedition
• Camp Pinecrest—Striving to Rise Above the World
• Rising Above the World Today at Camp Heritage 2008

A Dozen Young Adults Rise to Challenge of the Wind Rivers Wilderness Expedition

On Sunday, July 20, a dozen young adults converged in Dubois, Wyoming, to begin the Wind Rivers Wilderness Expedition. This latest Challenger II program, directed by Paul Luecke and staffed by Mark Mickelson and Mr. and Mrs. Jon Pinelli, provided focused, individual mentoring of young adults in leadership and serving principles and created an incredible venue for lessons, friends and memories.

Monday morning began a full day of training, covering backpacking essentials, wilderness first aid, orienteering and topo-map skills, and team dynamics.

On Tuesday morning the group divided into two teams and we began our hike into the Wind Rivers, a vast mountainous region in northwestern Wyoming. Due to its extremely rugged terrain and intense elevation changes, it is untouched by roads and settlements. Each team had to find the destination on its own using maps and the skills learned.

Bonds strengthened under hardship, as altitude affected some and the weight of backpacks took a toll. It took longer than planned, but finally both teams made it to the rendezvous point, at an elevation of about 10,400 feet. We decided to establish camp at this point, which turned out to be an improvement over the original plan. Over the course of the program God's hand became visible in guiding several circumstances like this.

The next two days featured rock climbing at two spectacular locations with snow-covered vistas in the background. Teammates on the ground shouted encouragement to those climbing, which benefited even the experienced climbers. Our entire Challenger II expedition can be paralleled to the way we should live our Christian lives. We should be encouraging each other when trials come along.

Friday we hiked to Hidden Lake, a truly hidden, little-known angler's gem jumping with trout. The team returned to camp Friday evening with a few sunburned spots, and over two-dozen fresh trout—a gourmet Sabbath meal!

Each morning we had a Compass Check, which provided a perspective through which to view our experiences, or a spiritual parallel of some aspect of our journey up to that point. Each evening we had a discussion around the campfire, focusing on living our faith in the real world. We concluded each day singing a hymn together. The Sabbath was a wonderfully restful day, with services, men's and women's Bible studies and personal time.

We cooked dinner each evening mostly by reconstituting tasty, dehydrated foods with hot water. Water for cooking, drinking and bathing came out of cold streams of snowmelt. On the hike down Sunday morning, all were motivated by thoughts of hot water, indoor plumbing and a farewell dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wil Berg (Dubois congregation pastor).

For some participants this was their first major challenge adventure, yet apprehension soon turned into excitement. The program certainly lives up to its reputation, as all participants found themselves challenged and learning lessons every day. Everyone left with new, close friendships and stories of overcoming obstacles. As one participant said, it was "the most difficult and wonderful thing I've ever done."

Aaron Henderson and JoAnna Porter, Challenger II participants

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Camp Pinecrest—Striving to Rise Above the World

Every UCG camp was given the assignment to teach our teens to "Rise Above the World." Our staff and ministry at Pinecrest succeeded in accomplishing that goal. Every Compass Check each morning covered a segment of this theme. We were told what to rise above and how to rise above it. Virtually every survey we received back from our campers told us they remembered the theme very well.

Sometimes our expectations of our children are so high that we forget what marvelous kids we really have. A conversation I had during camp drove that point home to me.

A key staff member who works for the Nazarene church responsible for running this site approached me. He told me we had the nicest group of campers he had seen all summer. "They are respectful and speak when spoken to," he stated. Then he pointed at the table near the ice cream machine and said, "The normal camp here would have that table a total mess. Your campers are clean!"

Two days later, I was speaking with a retired minister of the same church who had been coming to this camp since he was 13 years old. Now in his late 60s or early 70s, he certainly knows good behavior at camp when he sees it. He remarked to me, "Your campers inspire me" and again a few moments later, "I am really inspired by your campers and your group."

And God certainly did His part in blessing our camp. Normally Pinecrest is held in the beginning of June. Since that date was not available, we expected hot, muggy weather and a canoe-dragging riverbed. Quite to the contrary, the weather was unseasonably mild and water levels were just about right to make canoeing for our campers a fun-filled experience. We had rain, but no venues were cancelled.

The 142 campers and 59 staff members were privileged to hear two split sermons, two seminars and six Compass Checks to keep us spiritually well fed. Examples of a couple messages that stuck with the campers were "Don't Feed the Sumo" and "Staying in the Middle of the Herd." Not feeding our passions and keeping safe by being totally involved in the middle of God's way of life were the lessons driven home in these two messages.

We were also blessed to have David Johnson from the home office visit us and present information about Ambassador Bible Center. More than half a dozen of our staff had already graduated from ABC. All were enthusiastic; some discussed their experiences hoping to see many of our young people apply in the future.

Our ministry and wives and staff thank all of you for your prayers and support that makes our camps so successful. Keep up the good work in training your children in God's way. They have certainly already risen above this world!

—Greg Sargent

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Rising Above the World Today at Camp Heritage 2008

Season number 13 is "in the books" for the United Youth Camp at Camp Heritage, near Farmington, Pennsylvania. This year's attendance of 140 campers and 65 staff was very close to last year's levels, but we had quite an increase in our Challenge program, with 69 Challenge campers (ages 16 to 18), compared to only 54 last year. And we had 25 campers who were 15 this year! So next year we could be "bursting at the seams" with Challenge-level campers! Bring it on— Camp Heritage is ready!

The weather challenged us with an unusual facet on Monday, Aug. 11, the first full day of camp—it was downright chilly. At 10:30 a.m. the temperature still stood at a brisk 59 degrees Fahrenheit—water polo was not exactly the "activity of choice" that day! But by Tuesday, the temperatures settled into mid- to high-70s for daytime highs, and low 60s for overnight lows—perfect weather for camping in the Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania.

There was no rain all week, in contrast to the season as a whole in the area. Heritage Reservation's head ranger told us on check-in day, "Now that you're here, the weather will be fine!" He was right!

Christian Living classes daily and Life Skills class (once in the week for each dorm) focused on the theme of "rising above the world today," with presenters approaching the topic from different angles.

The media class, introduced last year by Chris Moen (pastor in Canton and Mansfield, Ohio), was another resounding success. He was ably assisted by Teresa Haney and Ashley Moen. The class produced the annual slide show (with video clips) for the Saturday night dance and Volume 2 of The Heritage Herald, the camp newspaper. Campers and staff were able to take copies home with them when they checked out Aug. 17, as well as copies of the DVD slide show.

Our Adventure campers (ages 12 to 15) returned to the Laurel Caverns for a spelunking expedition for the first time since 2005. They came back dirty but happy, having descended 464 feet deep into the cave…and they all came back! Challenge campers once again successfully took on the Lower Youghiogheny River for an 8-mile white-water rafting trip.

Once more we were grateful for God's protection and guidance. Thankfully, injuries were mostly of the sprains, bumps, bruises and scratches variety. The overall atmosphere was great—a testament to both staff and campers for their participation and desire to make camp the success we all seek.

We're already planning our 14th year at Camp Heritage, scheduled for Aug. 9-16, 2009. See you then!

—Doug Johnson

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