Now an annual event, we went on our first
Workcamp mission trip in June of 2002.
A total of 9 people participated in that
first camp; we now usually plan 2
trips a year, averaging well over 40
participants in total for the past several
years.
Faith-Building
Group Workcamps build teenagers’ faith.
That’s why Workcamps are the premier summer
missions experience for church youth groups.
Since their inception in 1977, Workcamps
have brought more than 100,000 teenagers and
their adult sponsors to hundreds of
communities across North America to help
needy families rebuild their homes—and
lives. Workcamps are the ultimate expression
of Christian service, offering teens a fun,
challenging, and faith-growing adventure
they’ll never forget.
Rebuilding homes—and lives.
Over the years, Group has developed a unique
program that helps kids mature in their
faith through volunteer community service.
We have discovered that through service,
real spiritual growth happens. Through the
experience, our devotions and special
activities, young people leave with a deeper
faith. Participants stay at a local school,
sleeping in classrooms on the floor and
eating at the cafeteria. They are teamed
with around 5 other people whom they have
never met, and assigned to a resident’s
home, who has been pre-screened and the work
planned out. Workdays at the homes of
residents go from 8-3. Supper is at 6 and
high-energy worship, drama, and news of the
day takes place at 7. Each participating
group then meets by themselves for evening
devotions around 9:30, and lights are out by
11.
About
Group
Group ministries out of
Loveland Co is the sponsor of these
workcamps, this year holding more than 50
such camps throughout the US and Canada this
summer.
Group’s Statement of Faith :
We believe the Bible is the inspired,
authoritative Word of God. We believe there
is one God, eternally existent in three
persons: Father Son and Holy Spirit. We
believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His
virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His
shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in
His ascension to the right hand of the
Father and in His personal return.
A day in
the life of a workcamper
By Christin Mickow
The day begins bright
and early at 6:45 am with the sound of
“wakey, wakey workcamperrrrrrrrrs”, followed
by an annoying song from the muppets or
maybe veggie-tales. Since it lasts five or
more minutes, no one can sleep through it
(except maybe Alex Sjoberg). Then everyone
has time to get dressed and eat breakfast.
After breakfast,
everyone scrambles to get their tools, fill
water jugs, brush their teeth if there is
time, and other stuff. The breakmakers on
each crew lug their coolers down to the
kitchen area to fill with lunch and drinks
for the day.
By 7:45, each crew
loads up into their assigned van and leaves
for their worksites, where they greet the
resident and get down to work. We work
throughout the morning, taking water breaks
as needed. The breakmaker decides when its
time for lunch, which is usually around
noon. After a nutritious meal, we have our
devotions. We ask the resident to join us
if they wish. We read and discuss the
devotion (which follows the theme of the
camp), which can take anywhere from 20 mins
to a couple of hours depending on the crew.
After the devotion, its
back to work. At about 3 we start cleaning
up so that we are back to the school
somewhere around 3:30. The progress
reporters, work directors, and devotion
leaders of each crew check in with the camp
staff to let them know how the day went, and
what the needs are at the worksite.
Then we have free time,
which is usually spent taking an often cold
shower, or relaxing. Supper is served from
5:00-6:30 in the school cafeteria, followed
by more free time until one of my favorite
parts of workcamp, the evening program.
There we singe fun songs, watch a skit, and
see slideshows of pictures that were taken
at the worksites throughout the day. There
is also usually a time to reflect on your
life and your faith, and see what you could
be doing differently. It’s a great time to
renew your faith and grow closer to God.
At 9:30, each youth
group meets for its nightly devotion, where
we share about our day and study God’s
word.
Lights out is 11:00 PM,
no exceptions. Everyone sleeps soundly
until morning comes, and its time to do the
whole thing all over again!
