Are you looking for a great affordable Mission Experience for your youth?

We offer very high quality weeklong mission camps for youth and young adults that serve people in need and build leadership skills in young people.

Basics About Our Program

Participants sleep, eat, worship and enjoy fellowship at a local church beginning on Sunday evening and ending on Saturday afternoon of camp week. Each weekday small teams consisting of one adult and 3-5 youth set out to a worksite in the local area. Additional adults act as support to the teams. Bringing needed tools, supplies, technical expertise and safety checks to the site each day (We also bring popsicles, watermelon, and other cooling treats)

The Clients and Projects

We believe our relationship to those being served is the top priority and central to our work. Our clients are referred by local social service agencies and churches. Generally they are elderly but some are families who are unable to do the work for themselves due to financial concerns or disabilities. The work is anything from simple projects such as yard work or painting to small home repairs on doors, windows, stairs, porches and construction of handicap access ramps. The teams bring a lunch to share with their client each day and are encouraged to interact as much as possible. Often the idea that someone cares is much more important than the actual work!

The Activities

Throughout the week, fun evening activities are planned. They often include swimming, dancing and/or games. One evening during the week is reserved as "Client Night". We invite those whom we have served to a dinner at our host facility and they are given the opportunity to speak to the young people about what their service has meant. (Definitely a highlight of the week!). We begin each day with a 15 min devotional service and end each evening with a contemporary worship service that is uplifting to youth.

Participants

All denominations are welcome but our primary participation is from United Methodist Youth Groups. Church groups of all sizes attend. Some churches will send groups as small as 2 others will have 50 or more. We really make an effort to help smaller groups feel comfortable right away. Each participating church is asked to bring 2 adults for every 5 youth. Our camp staff is completely volunteer but most of the key camp leaders have several years of experience and extensive training. While most participating adults will be assigned to work with a team, there are also opportunities in camp for adults who would prefer to help with kitchens, tool organization, administration, worship and activities.

Registration Fees

The cost for the program includes all activities, work materials and meals (except for one dinner out at a family restaurant during the week). We are able to offer lower fees then other youth mission programs for a variety of reasons: First, we are housed in United Methodist Churches. Our gracious hosts see us as an extension of their own outreach to their local community and do not charge us for their hospitality. We do not hire camp staff. Instead we train and empower devoted and passionate volunteers as leaders in the program. We do not spend larges sum of money on fancy advertisements. Our mailings aren't glossy and glitzy arriving in your box several times per month. Instead, we believe that like the Gospel, word of mouth and heart to heart are the best ways to spread our message. Good stewardship allows us to commit a large portion of each participant fee toward building materials and the actual mission projects.

Preparation

There are training workshops for adult participants and also each church is asked to do a pre-camp tool and safety training with the youth. If a new church is too far from our training locations we can arrange to send someone to work with the adults directly. We ask churches to bring tools to camp. The camp director at each location would send a list of the necessary items.

Planning For You!

We love feedback, ideas and suggestions! The organization is run by a volunteer Board of Directors who carefully evaluate after every season. Our organization has been in existence for over 30 years yet the program is constantly being refined and improved based on regional and contemporary needs. My role is to act as a resource to churches considering and preparing for camp. I'm here to help every step of the way.