“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”
Matthew 6:33
As I have finished up my first year as director I find myself meditating on these words from the Lord Jesus more and more. God has miraculously provided for Camp Good News for many years and it has been a joy to see all that he has done. I think back to when I was just beginning as a counselor at camp over 10 years ago. It was around that time that the previous director, Dennis Bailey, decided to have camp free of charge for all campers. Things were much different then compared to today with regard to numbers. I remember my first year as a counselor having 4 boys on my team and probably about 50 campers for the summer. Since then God has blessed us with incredible growth as we now expect around 330-360 each summer over 6 weeks. God has also blessed us with the necessary staff each year. In fact, 2 of those 4 boys I had my first year have continued to come back and have both served as counselors. It truly is amazing to see God at work.
In the words of the previous director “CEF’s main ministry is to unchurched children and I believe our camp should be too. We can easily fill each week of camp with inner city children who, because of no fault of their own, will never be able to come to camp if they have to pay. Many of the parents of these children never attend church and the only Spiritual food is when they attend camp.” I believe this statement is true and the stories from the kids who come from these situations are heartbreaking. For us to be able to provide a safe place away from all of their problems and give them a week where they can play, make new friends, have fun, and experience the love of God is an incredible opportunity.
As the numbers have increased so too have the costs for having camp. It costs about $325 for just one camper to come for a week of camp. God has continued to provide for our needs over the years and has allowed us to keep camp tuition free. How can we bring these children to camp without charging? By Faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It can be hard at times, but we know that God is in control of all things and he has promised to take care of us when we seek him. We need you to help us evangelize the children. Join the vision. The greatest evangelistic work in the world is reaching children for Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:14). All gifts, small and large, could change a child’s life for eternity. Jesus calls. We must follow.
For the lost children,
Jonathan Peck
Thank you for considering Camp Good News, Where children are special and treated that way