Adventure Camps Bring Spiritual Development

Adventure Camps Bring Spiritual Development
Thursday, January 11, 2024 by Amber Schafer

Categories: Adventure Camps

“Hello! My name is Konstantin. I am 14 years old and in 6th grade at school. This past summer, I took part in the Adventure Camp Summer Rafting Trip.”

Most teens seek adventure and new experiences. Adventure Camp is full of extreme activities like ropes courses, rafting, wall climbing, zip lines, riverbank slip-n-slides, hiking, biking, and other sports. “One of my favorite parts of the experience,” said Konstantin, “was when we went on a tour of the limestone mines; the long labyrinths underground were dark and very scary.” Sergey, our Mission Partner and Director of the program combines physically challenging activities with spiritual development to encourage teens to contemplate the cross and their need for a Savior, inspiring them to place their faith in Jesus.

The summer adventures include a week of river rafting, camping, and cooking over an open fire. Konstantin told us he “learned how to pitch a tent, search for wood, and cut it to build and light a fire. We played games and sports and solved difficult tasks in adventure quests. I also enjoyed learning how to cook and bake apples from Sergey. I can now live in nature.” Like most growing teen boys, Konstantin added, “I also liked eating the baked apples and fish.”

Each week of the camp is focused on sharing the Gospel, discipling youth, and character-building activities and community service projects that teach the importance of loving and serving others. Sergey desires to see young people in Transnistria come to faith in Christ and grow in maturity.

“The highlight and best part about Adventure Camp was gathering around the fire, singing, and listening to Sergey tell stories from the Bible about Jesus Christ,” Konstantin told us. Sergey uses daily campfire sessions to focus on spiritual teaching and discipleship. “I learned that Jesus loves me even more than my dad and mom do. And I now know that the Bible was written by people, but God dictated it to them.” In a region where less than 1% of the population are evangelical believers, most individuals have not read the Bible for themselves or heard the hope found in a relationship with Jesus. Sergey uses the concentrated time at the camps to meaningfully teach them the truth of the Bible. “I would go to an Adventure Camp with Sergey again--It was interesting,” Konstantin says.

According to Sergey, “The joy of ministry is to see young people who do not know God join Him, change their character, learn to care for others, and become part of a team of disciples.”

About Adventure Camps

The Adventure Camp program focuses on sharing the Gospel and discipling youth in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova. It consists of three parts: Leadership School, Extreme Prayer Trips, and Summer Rafting Trips. Through the Leadership School and Extreme Prayer Trips, teens learn practical outdoor skills while reading and applying God’s Word to life circumstances. During the 5-day Summer Rafting Trips, teens recognize the importance of placing faith in Jesus.

Summit Missions International provides funding, camping, and sports equipment.

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