SHAKING UP THE YOUNG LIFE CAMPING MODEL!
I have the privilege of hearing incredible stories from around the globe of leaders and staff using camping activities with friends of every age. There have been some amazing sightings of innovation in action, as we all strive to maximize every opportunity to share the Good News! Let me share with you just a few…
Did you hear the one about…?
217 young men and 40 of their leaders attended Young Life’s Basketball Camp in Erie, PA.
“Fowling” became a new free time activity at Timber Wolf Lake. It was a big hit!
Escape Rooms have been a great cabin unity game at Cairn Brae.
Kids of all ages and abilities went Adventure Camping this summer with their leaders! Of note,
WyldLife kids went backcountry hut camping, a brand new trip option with Adventures RMR Backcountry this summer.
Capernaum kids went Adventure Camping at Pioneer Plunge, Adventures Northbound, and Adventures Wild Ridge.
Young Life College students helped 17 camps prepare for summer by serving at “Work Week.” All combined, they performed over 50,000 hours of labor to help prepare an extraordinary environment for kids to encounter Jesus!
360 families experienced camp and heard the Good News together at Trail West this summer. They came from 26 states and 79 of those families have a spouse serving in the military!
202 kids came to camp in the U.S. from overseas this summer. And, 1,321 Americans have traveled to 28 countries so far this year with YL Expeditions. YL kids, leaders, adults and families are connecting around the world!
Macedonia hosted its first summer Young Life camp ever! There were 63 campers and over half chose to receive a Bible.
58 Capernaum friends and 23 YoungLives teen moms served on either Work Crew, Summer Staff, or Assignment Team this summer. That is the most ever in one summer!
Over 9,500 volunteers and staff shared a common daily devotional this summer – Rooted, by Crystal Kirgiss.
This school season, our camps are planning to serve around 230 YL weekends. All combined, at our camps and through the other creative ways you are camping with kids, we will exceed 103,000 Young Life guests in the U.S. this school year!
What a privilege it is to work together to extend appealing and meaningful invitations to kids to encounter Jesus and grow in their faith. Thank you for striving after the best ways to reach kids in your community. I can’t wait to see what we say yes to next, as we continue to serve Christ together and set leaders free to minister to every kind of kid!
With Gratitude,
Chad Sievert
VP of Camping
csievert@sc.younglife.org