Winter camp season has officially come to a close. This year, we took 116 students to two incredible camps – Hume Lake for high school and Camp Pondo for junior high – and it was a wild, worship-filled, and life-changing experience.
Hume: No Snow, No Problem
Our 64 high schoolers hit Hume Lake for a weekend of fierce competitions, deep conversations, and powerful worship. Even though the usual blanket of snow was MIA, that didn’t stop us from having an absolute blast.
- Broom Hockey Battles: While we didn’t sweep the competition, a boys’ and girls’ team each made it to the finals and put up a serious fight.
- Box Sled Blitz: Our Perry the Platypus-themed sled didn’t bring home the golden mailbox, but it did bring down several of our own sophomore boys when it hilariously veered off course. No injuries – just lots of laughter.
- The Theme – “Agapolis”: The weekend was centered on God’s love, and
our speaker, the one and only Chris Hilken, led an apologetics conference that had students wrestling with deep questions and coming away with solid, faith-building answers. - Student Highlights:
- Audrey said that hearing Chris Hilken talk about apologetics was amazing. She loved hearing from someone who really understands (and is gifted with explaining in incredible detail yet easy to digest concepts) the evidence behind our faith.
- Emily mentioned that she had deep conversations with people about God (even new friends) and that they wanted to keep talking even after camp, which really encouraged her in her walk with Jesus.
Most importantly, students were challenged, encouraged, and reminded that their faith isn’t just something they do on Sundays.
Pondo: Snowballs and Salvation
Our junior high crew rolled into Camp Pondo with 52 students, ready for a weekend of adventure, worship, and quality time face-first in the snow.
- Snowball Warfare and Zipline Thrills: Unlike Hume, Pondo had plenty of
snow on the ground, which meant snowball fights, tubing wipeouts, and a few unfortunate face-plants. The zipline and giant swing were huge hits, and Chef Rob (as always) kept everyone fueled with legendary camp meals. (Let him cook!) - The Best Highlight? Three of our students made the life-changing decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That’s what it’s all about.
- Student Highlights:
- Silas shared that he grew closer to God with his friends in a way that he wouldn’t have alone. Just hanging out was a blast, but worshiping together made it even more special. Plus, he bought a fire shirt.
The Big Picture
In total, 116 students got to hit pause on their busy lives, step away from the noise, and experience the power of community and the presence of God. They had fun, made new friendships, asked tough questions, and – most importantly – encountered Jesus in a 
real way.
To everyone who prayed, donated, or supported these camps in any way – THANK YOU!
Your generosity and faithfulness made a direct impact on these students’ lives.
Winter camps might be over, but the conversations, commitments, and spiritual growth that happened over those weekends? That’s just beginning.
Alli Elder
Junior High Lead
