Camp Joy Returns to Serving and Changing Lives
By Becki Wessinger
For more than 30 years, youth groups from the Baltimore-Washington Conference have been serving in the Appalachian region of Maryland and West Virginia by providing home repair to those who do not have the means to take on the repairs themselves.
This year on July 11-17, youth and leaders from Hollywood UMC in Hollywood, Md. and Hiss UMC in Parkville fielded five work teams that served on 14 different worksites, repairing steps, ramps, decks, and railings, painting, replacing windows and doors, and repairing leaking roofs.
More than just repairing homes, this ministry provided transformational service experiences for youth and their leaders. Relationships were formed among the youth and with the homeowners as the teams served, stories were shared and the love of God was experienced.
The groups camped in tents at Camp Harmison. The days began with the sun rising over the mountains and breakfast was cooked and served by Hancock UMC youth.
The teams gathered and prayed before heading out to their worksites. Each evening the work teams were fed by different churches in the region. Vespers services were held each evening at God’s Open Window, a beautiful outdoor chapel. Worship included the youth leading spirit-filled singing, a time of prayer and devotion as well as reflection on the day and sharing of where they saw God present and working.
Vespers on Friday was held around a bonfire and all who participated in Camp Joy were invited to share what this experience meant to them. We heard testimonies of God’s transformative power and love. People shared testimony of being humbled, of growing in grace, and of being overwhelmed by the support and fellowship of those on this discipleship journey. They shared about the teams praying with the homeowners and gifting them with prayer shawls when the work on the homes was done. They saw the smiles on the tired faces of the work teams and on the faces of the homeowners when a project was complete knowing that they would be a little safer, a little warmer, or perhaps a little dryer.
“Camp Joy gave me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. I connected with my youth group, my youth leaders and friends old and new, said Gabby of Hollywood UMC. I" have been struggling so I am so grateful for Camp Joy and everyone involved for giving me an outlet to be myself an experience I will never forget."
Camp Joy is a ministry of the Hancock UMC. For more information on how you, your youth, and/or your church can participate in Camp Joy 2022, contact Pastor Becki Wessinger at .