“God has given us an incredible opportunity to build relationships with many children.”

Every camp worker knows the moment only too well: it is the end of the week, the campers are played-out, the staff members are tired and cranky, and in an atmosphere of exhaustion, it is far too easy to miss the moments of God at work. Two campers on the last day are coloring while waiting to be picked up, and I am preparing for the next day. When I sit down, one of them hands me a drawing of three crosses, explaining: “because Hampton Bible Camp is about Jesus!”

This is the story that comes to mind most often when I talk about the ministry of day camp at Hampton Bible Camp. God has given us an incredible opportunity to build relationships with many children over eight weeks, some of whom have attended every week of day camp for the past three years. In the course of a week, two weeks, a month, or two months, they encounter Jesus in a transformative way. In turn, I encounter Jesus through them. I see Jesus at work when they remark during craft time that the happiness they see in me is “because she has the Holy Spirit!” or “because Jesus gave her new life!” I see Jesus at work when they hear the story of Christ crucified and can’t help but interject “but He didn’t do anything wrong!”

These are children from my community. I meet their families in the lineup at Tim Hortons and in the aisles of the grocery store; I wave to them at the playground while walking to work. Every day God creates encounters to make Himself known around town; He has allowed us to join in this work “because Hampton Bible Camp is about Jesus!”

Sandi Hicks

Day Camp and Program Manager