Winter camp 2020 was an absolute success! God showered us with blessings all week as we constantly saw prayers being answered. The week started with mild outdoor temperatures and no snow, allowing everyone to arrive on site safely. Then the weather turned into a wonderful winter scene with an eight inch snowfall on Tuesday. This allowed for snow tubing. A snowstorm later contributed fresh snow all week. We kept all of our traditional winter camp activities including Bible class, broomball, dance, basketball, volleyball, escape room, field sports, arts & crafts and offsite snowboarding for the oldest dorms. 

The arts & crafts staff provided an excellent class where the campers designed notebook covers using watercolor paints, so everyone would have a handmade Sabbath notebook with the camp theme for notetaking. The theme this year, Remember Your Creator, was taken from Ecclesiastes 12:1, with an emphasis on now being the time for youth to focus on God. This was incorporated into daily Christian Living and Compass Check sessions, as well as throughout the day by the activity staff and dorm discussions. The sermon on the Sabbath titled, “You Are Called to be a Godly Leader Now” wrapped up the weekly focus.

The nursing staff commented that they had to find things to do to keep busy without the need to attend to sick campers or staff. This was a blessing from God, as we didn’t have any sickness or even the slightest signs of colds, which is unusual for winter camp. With the lack of sickness, the campers and staff were able to fully enjoy the fun Zone environment with great discussions. Staff commented on the great attitudes and engagement from the campers. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet together face to face amidst such challenging times to develop friendships and fellowship. The phrase “best camp ever” was overhead numerous times from campers and staff. 

We are thankful for everyone’s prayers before and during camp. We credit God for the abundance of blessings and success all week. The connections and interactions we experienced were deeply needed after such challenging times, and we thank God for providing a wonderful opportunity for everyone who attended.