WHEN WE HEAR the words “Bible Camp,” our minds naturally go to summer. After all, summer is a great time for it! School is out, there’s perfect weather for outdoor activities … and what better place to be on a hot day than in the lake? More significantly, it’s at Bible camp that youngsters and families take time to consider the One who made all these things for us to enjoy, and Who desires to be our Saviour, Lord and Friend.
But Bible camp usually only lasts one week and, sadly, for many campers it may be their only opportunity to experience God’s love through His Word and His people. That is why our NCEM camps make efforts to stay connected with campers throughout the year. There’s challenges and limitations to this, of course. We do what we can.
For example, at Arrowhead Native Bible Center in New Brunswick, staff reach out through weekly Bible clubs in nearby First Nations communities. At Big River Bible Camp, staff hold AWANA clubs in the area, and teens are transported to weekly youth group gatherings. At Pine Ridge Bible Camp (also in northwestern Saskatchewan), staff have travelled 100 kms to Buffalo Narrows to lead “Kids’ Zone.” PRBC also hosts seasonal weekend teen retreats, weekly Friday “Youth Night” events, and occasional “Family Days.”
WINTER & SPRING
Timothy & Laura Block serve in Prince Albert, and have been spending their entire summers at Steeprock Bay Bible Camp in Manitoba. This spring they took time from their Printshop and Office work on two occasions to reconnect with campers.
In March Timothy helped transport a group of teens to a weekend youth retreat at Nipawin Bible College. All seven were Steeprock campers who had stayed on for all or part of the summer as “Waymakers” (sometimes called “LITs – Leaders in Training” at other camps).
“These teens had never before experienced a high energy Christian gathering like the NBC weekend,” says Timothy. “At the end of the retreat they asked, ‘Do they do this every year? Can we do this again?’
“Some of these teens have made their decisions for Christ in past summers at Camp,” he says, “and it was worth all the miles driven. They have questions about how to stay strong in their faith. A couple of them have Christian influence at home, but one of them has told me that it wasn’t until he went to Bible camp that he knew anything at all about Jesus.
“For him, Bible camp was like drinking from a fire hose,” Timothy says. “He attended daily chapels and ‘Waymaker’ devotions every evening all summer.”
Some of these teens will soon be too old for Teen Camp, and the Blocks hope to see them return as volunteer staff.
In early April the Blocks spent a week at Moose Lake, Manitoba, with Steeprock campers. Along with their own four children, Timothy & Laura helped lead “Day Camp” in this community that regularly sends summer campers. Steep-
rock directors, Logan & Alicia Bueckert, had arranged use of a local school, and a group of 15 from Faith Academy in Winnipeg assisted.
“We have seen God working in Moose Lake the last number of years,” say the Bueckerts. Bible camp has been the connecting point, and Day Camp provides encouragement not just to youngsters, but to adult believers in the community, as well as an outreach to unsaved families. “There is a family of believers there with a desire to see their community come to know Jesus,” say Logan & Alicia. “They need encouragement and prayer.”
Pray for NCEM’s Bible camp outreaches year-round. We believe it is a worthwhile ministry: planting God’s Word, and working to see the Seed grow and mature. It’s part of our Mission’s vision – it’s our hope and desire to see strong and healthy church fellowships in each of the Indigenous communities to which campers go home.
The Blocks serve at Prince Albert – Timothy in the NCEM Printshop, and Laura part-time in our Personnel Office. Along with their four children, Steeprock Bay Bible Camp is where they have been serving during the past summers.
(from Northern Lights issue #569)