During the last week of July, about 35 volunteers from Faith Bible Church went to work at UGM Camp, where our church has been serving for more than 20 years. This is an opportunity to reach mostly unchurched kids in our area and give them a fun summer camp experience that ultimately teaches them the gospel and their need for Christ.
Tyler Viehouser and Sofia Pustovit shared with me about their experiences and how they saw the Lord working, both in the kids’ lives and in their own lives while serving there. They said that while a few of the kids had some exposure to church or knowledge about God, most of them came from unchurched backgrounds. Of about 55 campers, there were quite a few refugees from several different countries and some from schools in this area.
Tyler had served on the camp’s work crew in the past, but this year was his first time as a cabin leader. He said it was sweet to see the growth in his group of third-grade boys throughout the week. Through an outdoor challenge course, the boys learned teamwork, although they did not enjoy it at first. One boy felt like he was the reason they were failing, but eventually the other boys noticed and encouraged him to be included.
Some boys also were saying mean things at the beginning of the week, but throughout the week they built friendships through cabin time and activities. It was good to be a part of teaching them social skills and model how to be Christlike, Tyler said.
This year was Sofia’s first serving at UGM Camp. She said her fifth-grade girls were excited about learning about the Bible, and they were even amazed to learn that the Bible verses they were given could actually be found in the Bible! She said they were constantly singing their memory verse songs and taking their own time to write out the verses in their journals over and over.
Sofia also had the opportunity to weave in the gospel when talking to one girl who said the world wasn’t fair. Sofia connected this to how Jesus died on the cross for sins he didn’t commit, which also wasn’t fair. Later, Sofia heard that girl sharing that message with another student, showing how quickly she was learning.
Another point of connection that Tyler made was during cabin time when one boy couldn’t fall asleep because he
was afraid of God’s wrath. Tyler said he was able to talk about God’s love from Romans 8, and then he held the boy’s hand and read him Psalm 23, which the boy fell asleep to.
Sofia said one girl was struck by the fact that the leaders cared so much for kids they didn’t know very well. Her comment to Sofia was, “You care more for us than you care for yourself!” Sofia pointed her back to how Christ also came to earth to care more for us than He did for Himself.
Both Sofia and Tyler said UGM Camp was one of the best weeks of the summer. While getting up early and sacrificing time and sleep and work is not easy, it was immensely rewarding to pour into these kids in this way.
Tyler said it was sanctifying to learn how to give up control and lean on the Lord’s strength when his energy went below zero. But as the week went on, he could see God working more and more in the kids’ lives, making it all worth it.
Sofia said she would remember this week forever. She said these kids don’t have a lot of opportunities to see sacrificial love lived out to them, and the impact on them is encouraging. Some of their stories might break your heart, but she’s grateful that our church has the opportunity to do something about it. She loved seeing the way so many volunteers (including high school students) gave up part of their summer to give back and love in this way.
“When you serve others,” Sofia said, “it’s a spiritual experience.”
Tyler said, “If anyone is interested in joining UGM camp, it’s one of the sweetest weeks of the summer for your own growth and learning to show God’s love to kids in the area.”
Even if we never get to see the fruit that this week bears in these kids’ lives, we know that God has used it in powerful ways. The gospel message shared, the love shown, the Bible verses sung and recited, the skills in loving each other—all of these things are powerful seeds planted that God can use in years to come.
Thanks to everyone who volunteered at UGM camp this year, and we pray God continues to use it in a great way for years to come.
Lydia is a teacher, poet, and blogger, who serves various ministries here at Faith. You can read more of her writing and subscribe to her blog at lydiakinne.substack.com.
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