When Diego came running up to me during his first time at camp and gave me a big high five, and then said: “Thanks, Pastor George, for making sure I got to camp. This is the best!” It almost made me cry.
Once Diego returned home he was excited to go to church and share what he had learned about Jesus.
When, after Experiencing the love of Christ at camp for the first time, Samantha offered to sell her hair to earn money to help other children get to camp. I realized just how God had touched her life.
Camp Changes Lives… it changes the life of the child who attends, and many times changes the lives of the adults surrounding that child at home, because of the living difference the child makes once back with the family.
When I hear these stories from campers and camper families, my heart is strangely warmed, as I realize how God is working through our camping (and retreat) ministries.
My life journey has been an ongoing growth process with Christ. I grew up in the Methodist Church, and was one of those teenagers who experienced the life changing power of Christ through the youth group at church… retreats where we were able to see God at work.
I went on to work in the business world, and then to teach school, until I felt the call to ordained ministry and went to seminary. While serving a local congregation in the city of Philadelphia, I saw how God worked when we responded with Christ’s love to a family who was traumatized through the actions of a few when they awakened to find a cross burning in their front lawn.
I was called into camping ministries in Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, because the leadership of the ministries felt that with my background I could help revitalize the camp ministry. I have had an ongoing love of camping ministries ever since.
Yes, Camp Changes Lives, for Christ! I feel called to this ministry. Not only because I see and feel the power of Christ in the results of time at camp, but because I feel the only way to reach children, youth and adults for Christ is to be responsible stewards of these precious gifts we have been given. The saints who have walked before us, and sat in the pews prior to our time, felt the call to provide special places for God to work miracles. We have our camps thanks to their willingness to follow God’s lead. Lives have been changed because of their faithfulness. Lives will be changed because of our faithfulness.
In the 18 months I have worked as Executive Director of Camping Ministries in West Michigan, we have seen many wonderful changes, which have helped in our stewardship of this life-changing ministry.
- We have made improvements at each of the camps, which have helped make our facilities more welcoming and efficient. Everything from new underground systems (water, electricity) to new cabins… from new hot water heaters to improved registrations systems.
- We made it possible for early registration for summer camp. We have published the summer camp brochure much earlier (Fall) so parents and grandparents can consider giving the gift of camp for Christmas.
- We have improved our accounting systems, and policies for expenditures, which resulted in 2014 being the first year in many when camping ministries closed the year in the black financially.
- We have managed a successful campaign to build an expansion of the Dining facility at Wesley Woods, and we are moving ahead to make sure that is accomplished for the 2016 camping season.
- We have seen new cabins go up at Wesley Woods, Lake Michigan and Lakeview Family Campground as a result of the generous donations of those who know how camp Changes Lives!
- We have begun the process of building a new combined ministry with the Detroit Conference Camps, through the building of a new board, with a common mission to “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ” through camping ministries.
- We have developed a new, user friendly web site for Michigan Area UM Camping and Retreat ministries.
- West Michigan has launched “Changing Lives: A Fund for Christian Camping” and developed a step by step plan churches can follow to raise funds to support camping ministries.
Please join me in supporting Changing Lives: The Fund for Camping Ministries.
As one who was changed…
Rev. George H. Ayoub
Last Updated on December 8, 2023