As a youth growing up in the United Church of God, I have attended many camps as both a camper and a staffer. My camp life began at the age of eight with pre-teen camp in Cincinnati, OH. By eleven they were using me as staff to help out with some of the younger campers.

Pre-teen camp provided wonderful experiences, but when I made the transition to teen camp at the age of twelve it became life changing for me. At Camp Pinecrest, I was taught many values and morals that a youth in the church should have and should be striving for so that we may be given God’s promises.

Fundamental to each year at there was always the “ZONE.” The “ZONE” game me a small insight into how the Kingdom of God will be. My counselors emphasized this concept to me as a camper from ages twelve to eighteen.  Even now as staff at the age of twenty-two, I am still learning and seeing how the “Zone” can and does affect me every year. What I became a part of as a camper I have wanted to give back to those younger people in the church who are following in my footsteps as campers.  As a co-counselor, I have been able to pass along to our young ladies a sense of what the Kingdom of God will be like. Just as I was taught the life-changing values and truths of the Bible, I have been give the opportunity to exemplify and teach those same values and truths to the campers I have been given the opportunity to serve. As a member of the staff, no matter where I am serving, I love being able to help the youth and share with them the wonderful insight that we are all given by going to camp and getting into that Kingdom of God atmosphere. 

My experience as a co-counselor is always amazing and every year you are faced with many challenges. Serving God’s youth is a pleasure for me.  It is my hope that I will be able to continue to serve at the United Youth Camps for many years to come.

Anna Helterbrand

Portsmouth, OH Congregation

As a young camper, I didn’t make lots of friends easily. Reflecting on my shy youth, I thank my parents for encouraging me to push past the first few awkward years because camp allowed me to expand my comfort zone by facing and overcoming challenging activities in a safe environment. I became more confident in myself and learned tools to build a stronger relationship with God while making friends that I've kept for over 10 years. I'm also thankful to the counselors who volunteered their time and made camp fun and memorable. 

As a counselor, I've been able to share the Zone—a fun, safe and God-centered environment—with new generations of campers. Camp has been an integral part of my development as a person and led me to believe God’s way of life really works, especially in today’s society. I have been tremendously blessed, which further inspires me to make choices in my life that are pleasing to Him. I feel this type of personal exhibition encourages the next generation of leaders to also choose God’s way as well. 

In loco parentis is the legal term that describes the role of the counselor—in the place of the parent. For one week we are the energetic jump-starters, dispute solvers, mentors, attitude adjusters, champion encouragers and servant leaders. It is hardly the “vacation” we take to leave work as we are typically the last to sleep and the first awake. Although not immediately apparent, there are compelling reasons we choose to serve, two of which I find the most rewarding. First, it brings me great joy to see a young man graduate from the oldest dorm and then join the staffing ranks after having been my camper years earlier as a 12-year-old boy. I see myself in them as they grow year after year with God’s guidance. Second, I enjoy hearing how much fun a past camper had and how anxious they are to return to camp as relayed through the words of a mother, father, brother or sister.

The impact of these seven days on the lives of the youth always amazes me. Our contribution to this phenomenon is modest, but I’m thankful to have played a role nonetheless. God blesses our imperfect efforts and allows us to see a glimpse of the Kingdom through the Zone. 

Mark Mirigian, Camp Hye Sierra

In August 2010 on the beautiful Oregon coast at Rockaway Beach, 18 girls and two counselors settled into dorm G-4 at Northwest Camp. Coming from eight different U.S. states and Canada, we were a diverse group of young ladies who were about to spend one week of their lives together becoming sisters. 

It wasn’t that we all had the same likes and interests that made us so close, but it was the fact that we shared the same faith and, over the course of the week, got to share experiences and make memories. Some of us had known each other from previous camp experiences together and some were brand new to camp at Northwest, but we pulled together to make a strong team of young women. We ate, slept, played and laughed together. Through victories and defeats, we were a team of sisters. Most importantly, we strengthened our faith together. Christian living classes every morning made us start our day by focusing on God and lessons in practical Christianity.

One lesson that stood out to me was the lesson of “10 and 2.” When learning how to drive, we are told to keep our hands on the wheel at the clock positions of 10 and 2. This helps the driver maintain control of the car and keep moving in the right direction. However, this principle not only applies to driving, but as we learned at camp, it applies to life. Ten and 2 are the positions on the figurative steering wheel of life. The “10” stands for the Ten Commandments and “2” represents the two great commandments. 

As with driving, we can keep our life on the straight and narrow path if we follow the rule of “10 and 2.” God places the Ten Commandments in our life to keep us on track and the two great summary commandments help make sure our priorities are right. We will be on the straight path if we follow the instructions in Matthew 22:37-39: “Love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When we make God a priority in our lives, He gives us clear directions. When we make sure we don’t put ourselves above others, it keeps us off Satan’s path of self-righteousness and pride. So the two great commandments are like the general instructions God gives us for our lives, and the Ten Commandments are the specific laws of the road that make sure we get to our final destination safely. 

This is only one of the many lessons learned at camp this past summer, and I will always recall it as I get behind the wheel.

Amy Bates

Eaglerock, California, congregation

When I was first coerced into going to camp, I was a 13-year-old kid who was absolutely terrified by the idea of leaving my parents and facing the challenges of camp. The first person I met at camp was my counselor. As soon as he spotted me, he came right over and made me feel welcome. The help he gave me when settling in the dorm and his excitement to see me really made an impact on me. It amazed me how dedicated my counselor was—ever supportive and ready to help.

Through my many years as a camper, I realized that this trait was not unique to my first camp friend. Every counselor I interacted with was dedicated to the job. The sacrifices the staff made to make campers comfortable—to put them first—impressed me. Not only did they display genuine love, but they were also confident in their faith, setting such a powerful example. Suddenly, honoring God wasn’t an oddity among the world; it was cool.

Eventually, my time as a camper was up, and I wasn’t about to let the fun stop. However, it was a big decision to graduate from camper to staff (if my application was accepted). Mindful of the examples of all the staff I had observed in the past several years, I applied and was accepted as an assistant counselor. That acceptance letter filled me with excitement and dread. 

I was to continue my camp experience; however, that also meant I needed to transform myself from a little camper to a godly leader. The weight of their examples pressed down on me. If I was going to be a counselor, I would need to emulate the fabulous examples of previous staff. 

Eventually camp started, and as it turns out, self-sacrifice is hard work! That week was one of the longest weeks of my life! But being there, passing on the example shown to me, was a tremendous growth experience for the campers and also for me. With God’s help, I was able to put my campers first, and to enjoy doing so. Counseling taught me the beauty of serving!

Aaron Meidinger

Phoenix, Arizona, East congregation