when the pool manager quoted his church group price. When Johnny’s dad found out what civic, community, and private day camps charge ($10 per week and up), he hardly grumbled at all about giving his son five dollars. And his mother was positively cheerful about sending a sack lunch every day when she heard that church families were donating beverages and treats! Long before Johnny’s parents had agreed to let camp come to Johnny, the director was working out a pro gram. He felt that it should be dif ferent from Sunday school and even more relaxed in procedure than D.V.B.S. “ But we should not approach it aimlessly,” he told the staff. “ We want a definite program pattern on a definite time schedule. Then as we work it out through the camp week, we can be flexible. To carry out the camp idea, we should mix in lots of fun and nature ideas. And there should be room for spontaneous proj ects too!” The pastor reminded him that he was trying, after all, to reach Johnny for the Lord. “When children are happy in God’s world and its wonders,” he said, “ then they are especially re sponsive to God’s Word. Provide lots of camp fun, yes, but make your pro gram Bible-centered.” Together then, the pastor and camp leaders began listing Bible sto ries with nature references — Elijah and the ravens, Balaam and the don key, Daniel and the lions — dozens of others. They searched for nature illustrations of Bible truths. They practiced nature object lessons. They memorized nature Bible verses. They rehearsed nature-related hymns and choruses until they were hoarse. Then they planned hikes and hunts, nature projects and nature games. Throughout all their plans and prep arations, they prayed without ceas ing. At last they were ready. So was Johnny. So was God’s Spirit. And that is how camp came to Johnny, and Johnny came to Christ. 'For details on insurance and day camp standards, see PLANNING A CHRISTIAN DAY CAMP by Valerie Seger (Moody Press, 1960).
camp, arranging by letter for its use. Camp leaders felt that the park provided good play; space in a natural setting, safe drinking fountains and restrooms, and an excellent swim ming pool with a qualified life-guard already on duty. Best of all, it was within walking distance of the church. However, many camp groups de cide that a park does not sufficiently challenge the very children they are trying to reach. It is too familiar to be exciting, they say; it does not offer enough variety of terrain and wild life, or it restricts campers too much in the use of trees and plants for nature projects. Arranging for daily transporta tion, these leaders search for a wood ed lot, a ranch, or a farm close to town. Some day camp leaders even use school grounds or a large yard for home-base, enspiriting the pro gram with short hikes to more rug ged areas. Not only is the day camp plan adaptable to many settings; it ad justs to the church calendar also. Most churches plan a one or two- week program, but there are groups conducting a one-day-a-week camp throughout the summer months with impressive success. Johnny found the Lord through this evangelistic approach of a small church. His Christian leaders had heard how completely challenging large churches found this project. Would it prove a feasible venture for them with their dearth of per sonnel and equipment? Wisely they limited registration, thus reducing staff needs to a director, an assistant, a secretary-treasurer, -and three counselors (one for every eight or ten campers). Funds threatened to be an insurmountable problem. Of course, they could plan all kinds of outdoor projects and activities with free nature materials (found in or near the camp site) and scrap items (solicited from church families). But what about insurance, and lunches, and swimming fees? Local insurance rates horrified them. Then they discovered a com pany issuing special day camp poli cies at surprisingly low rates.* Swimming cost was not bad either
Johnny. Not to his mother. “ Go that far away for a whole week? At your age? No, and I mean no!” His father objected too. “ Can’t afford it, son. Sorry.” So. It was settled. Johnny could not go to camp. One Sunday school teacher refused to give up. He prayed. He pondered. And then came that inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Johnny could not go to camp? Well, then camp could come to Johnny! And when camp came to Johnny, Johnny came to Christ! “ Day camp — a new evangelistic approach,” church leaders later re ported their experiment with Johnny and his twenty-nine friends. “We have discovered a program to which unreached children respond.” Actually the day camp movement as such is not new. Civic organiza tions, community groups, and alert individuals have conducted amazing ly successful day camps for years. Every summer the number steadily increases. Recognizing that this proj ect is on the march, the American Camping Association has issued a special bulletin outlining national standards for day camps. Two factors loom large in the life of the average child: he loves the outdoor world; he wants to be part of a group — “ the gang.” Keenly aware of these desires, Christian leaders have wisely set up splendid resident camps across the country, providing group activities in an out door setting. Thousands of boys and girls have found the Lord Jesus Christ as a result of this thrilling experience. However, there a r e thousands more who will never reach camp — the Johnnies whose parents frown upon the distance or expense. It is to win these boys and girls to Christ that enterprising leaders embrace the day camp plan. Camping by the day satisfies ap prehensive mothers. Their children spend only daytimes at a camp site right in the community or close to it, returning to their homes each night. The church in Johnny’s neighbor hood chose a public park, for its day
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JUNE, 1964
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