My son went to Adventure Camp last week, Sunday-Friday. It is the second year we have sent him to this camp in Georgia, three hours away from home. Cohutta Springs Youth Camp is operated by our denomination and, as such, we trust their hiring process and the staff they employ. In fact, we know from people we trust that the hiring process is highly selective.

The staff is a very energetic group of 18-22-year-old youth who choose to spend the summer making minimum wage while ministering to children ages 7-15. Sure, they have fun in the sun (and lake water) while they are at it, getting to socialize with people their age etc. But you know they are not there for the money. They want to make a difference in the lives of these kids.

Adventure Camp is for ages 7-9. They have four activities each day and each cabin rotates according to a pre-set schedule. For ages 10-13, the camp specializes in several different camps with a focus: horsemanship, photography, wakeboarding etc.

My son (second from the left) and his 11 cabin mates plus their counselor.

The cabins are nestled on a peninsula around a lake at Cohutta Springs Conference Center near Crandall, GA and the setting could not be more picturesque. Twelve kids to a cabin, plus one counselor. They have assistant directors, one for the girls, one for the boys. Then, there is a pastor who oversees the whole operation as Camp Director.

The meals are all vegetarian, with vegan options. The children are expected to clean their own cabin daily and to memorize Scripture every day. They have camp fires every night, and chapel every morning. My son loved it last year and he wanted to go back. Our daughter, who is only six this year, cannot wait for next year, when she is seven and can participate with her brother at the same time.