Camp Conquest, a Charis Fellowship cooperating organization in Denver, Pa., presents the opportunity for children to hear and believe the good news of the gospel.
Laura Sauder, a 16-year-old junior counselor at Camp Conquest, was blessed to receive a surprising letter from a girl who had been her camper for a week.
“I’ve been at camp for several years,” Sauder says. “I came as a camper for three years when I was younger, and I’ve been on staff for two years. Camp is my home away from home.”
This year, Sauder was a counselor for four weeks. During one of those weeks, she befriended a young girl who she did not believe had accepted Christ. Little did she know, this would lead to a small glimpse of God’s glory and power.
“I couldn’t figure out where she stood in her faith. During devotions in the morning, small group after chapel, and campfire debrief at night, I knew that she was hearing some good things. She gave good input in some of the discussions, but I still didn’t know for sure where she stood in her walk with Christ,” Sauder shares.
Sauder shared the gospel with this young girl many times, but once the end of the week came, the girl still hadn’t decided to follow Jesus. A few weeks later, Sauder received a letter from this same young girl. “I did it! I accepted Jesus as my Savior in my life!” she wrote.
“When I got the letter from her, I almost started crying,” Sauder shares. “I helped several campers accept Christ over the course of the four weeks, but to hear her say that she did it after she got home from camp was amazing. I know that I not only impacted on her the week she was at camp, but I had a lasting impact on her life outside of camp.”
“As we serve at camp, we really have no idea what the impact is of that week in the life of a young person,” says Michael Gehlert, executive director of Camp Conquest. “I believe this happens far more often than we know. Participants spend a week at camp where God works on their heart. While they go through life over the next several weeks and months, God continues that good work that He began at camp. We may never hear the story, but a life has been changed.”
“I had a blast serving God and reaching out to these kids,” says Sauder. “I prayed for all my campers then, and I still pray for them now.”
[Connect:] To send a note of encouragement to Laura, click here. To find out more about getting involved with Camp Conquest, click here.