Since we last wrote, we have lived a young adult English camp, a youth English camp, a kids English camp, and two family camps. Each of these sessions had it’s own unique atmosphere as we welcomed both old and new campers. Each session was refreshing in ways and exhausting in others, but our prayer is that every camper walked away renewed, knowing more of who God is, and better prepared to live out their faith in a country where only 1.2% of the population follows Jesus.

As always, Trenton and I had several different roles throughout the summer in addition to being general camp counselors. We both helped plan night events such as a Tour de France themed scavenger hunt or an American themed carnival night. Trenton kept up with the grounds work, and I continued to process all of the invoices and payments from the summer. Trenton belayed kids on the camp rock-climbing wall, and even co-led our two overnight hikes with 25 young adults and 45 teenagers when our other long-time camp staff members unexpectedly had to stay home. I led a water color art workshop and co-led the message times for the youth during one of the family camps. Each summer grows and stretches us, and this one was no different! Please click through the pictures and keep reading to learn just a few of the ways that God is working in the lives of our campers.

testimonies

Last year I wrote about a teenage camper who had been having a hard time finding community. I first met him in 2019 when he attended our kids camp. Then we reconnected in 2021 when he was a teenager at youth camp. That year he opened up to me about his complete lack of Christian peers or community at home. His mom, who brought him to Christ, had passed away, leaving him in a family without any true believers. I prayed for him throughout the year from summer 2021 to summer 2022. When he came back last year, he told me that his dad had remarried a Christian woman and that he gained two older step brothers who were believers. Things were looking up, but he still didn’t have many close Christian peers. This past year, I prayed again. I was so happy to see that he traveled several hours one weekend to have a mini-reunion with other campers from Camp des Cimes. He had found real community with people he met here! When he came to camp this summer, he told me that he and his family had found a new church with a big youth group! Our goodbye this year was a tearful one, but one of the joys of working here full time is the hope that we will see each other again next year and that I will be able to witness once again how God is working in his life.

Another teenage boy came to Camp des Cimes for the first time this summer to attend our youth English camp. His father is Muslim, his mother is Catholic, his grandparents are Protestant, but he is not yet a believer. Everyday during our camps, we have a message time and/or discussion groups on biblical topics. This camper was active in the discussion groups and not afraid to give his thoughts or ask questions! He is still not a believer, but in France, a profession of faith and salvation is usually a slow, thought-out process. To see this camper begin to engage with the Word and in our discussions is really encouraging! The seed has been planted, and we trust that God will nurture that seed. Even after the Youth camp was over, this camper came back twice (!!) to drop off and pick up his little brother who attended our younger kids camp. He chose to come back just to hang out a little bit more on those two days. Please join us in praying that this camper comes back to future camps and that God continues to reveal himself to him.

Camp des Cimes is a special place for so many of the people who come here, whether they are believers or non-believers, first-timers or returners. It is such a blessing for Trenton and I to be able to take part in stories like the ones above year after year, and we are so happy to be able to share them with you!

camp video

Watch the video below of our Young Adult English Camp to get a feel for the day-to-day life at camp and the fun we have!