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Summer. There is no way to truly describe what a summer at Big Sandy Camp is like. It is busy, exhausting, fun, captivating, heartbreaking, awe-inspiring, exhilarating,
and sacred.
BUSY: In 11.5 weeks, we host about 1,800 campers across
15 camps. That means approximately 190 meals prepared and 15 times that we turn over and clean camp.
EXHAUSTING: All of that requires, on average, 878 hours
of work from each staff member over 11.5 weeks!
FUN: We get to experience some pretty special moments
with campers—late-night worship, water fun, new field games, overcoming fears while doing the zipline, Skit Show night (a tradition that has continued for decades), and Team Challenge at Pathfinders Camp. Go, Aurora Borealis, the 2026 winners!
Wilderness Camp, Craft Camp, and Wakeboard Camp are always highlights as our specialty camps. We also got to meet new friends at Next Gen Camp, where we hosted
our first-ever camp with our immigrant, refugee, and multicultural C&MA churches. Playing bucket soccer with them was a highlight for our staff!
CAPTIVATING: The amazing sunsets! The worship in chapel—the
heartfelt nature of it all. How campers are tentative and unsure at the beginning of the week but all-in by the end. It is beautiful! The diversity of our campers’ stories is captivating. So is seeing how each summer staff team comes together. Each year is
totally unique and different from any other year, yet we have just the right people, with the right skills, to make camp happen each week!
HEARTBREAKING: Many of our campers come from challenging
home situations. They share their hearts, ask questions, and have “Why, God?” moments.
One camper I was talking with was having a hard time at camp and refused to join in any activities. Finally, he shared his reason with me. He did not want to
have a good time at camp because if he did, it would make going home that much more depressing.
One-third of our campers come from homes that are far from Jesus. Hearing their stories breaks our hearts. We are grateful for a week to love on them and show
them the love of Jesus!
AWE-INSPIRING:
Weather is always a part of Minnesota summers. Frankly, it is not something I enjoy anymore. Watching the radar and weather reports and seeing warnings get issued can be nerve-racking.
On one hand, we wonder when to call off programming or bring campers to safety. Then we survey the property to see where damage may have occurred. On the other hand, it is a great time to pray and trust God for protection.
During one storm this summer, which hit at 12:05 a.m., we were watching to see how it would play out. I prayed specifically that the trees would stay standing,
our buildings would be safe, the windows and doors would be okay, and the campers would be able to sleep through it.
As I was praying, a canoe flew past the dining hall. The waves on the lake were five-foot swells, and the wind was clocked at 88 mph. Ninety minutes later, when
the storm finally passed, members of my leadership team joined me to check out camp. We found only a couple of branches down, a displaced canoe, and some decking missing from the dock.
It wasn’t until I tried to drive home that I realized just how clearly God had protected us and answered my prayers. There were trees down all around camp. I
could not even make it home—four trees were down on our road alone, blocking the road, and another three were down on Lake Avenue as I tried to find a way in or around them.
God kept our trees standing, our buildings safe, and our windows and doors intact through the beating. Most of the campers even slept through it!
EXHILARATING: Campfire night is when we get to hear testimonies
of what God has done in the lives of many campers throughout the week. One such testimony came from a young lady who had been coming to BSC for the last three summers. Three years! And THIS summer was the summer it clicked, and she finally said YES to Jesus!
She shared her testimony at campfire. She said that we had “worn her down” with the love of Jesus and consistently shown her Jesus year after year. She was skeptical, but after three years, she knew it was real! We were surprised and thrilled! You never know
the seeds you are planting or how many times you will share the truth before it produces new life!
SACRED: These are the moments when you see God break through
a soul. There is nothing like it! Remember the young man who didn’t want to engage at camp? Not only did he begin to engage at camp, but we also saw him reading his Bible before chapel. On the last night, he said yes to Jesus! We were able to rejoice with
him, pray with him, and remind him that Jesus goes with him into his hard places. Please pray for R—that he would be encouraged in his faith and have many moments when he knows that he is not alone in his difficult life.
We had 65 souls, that we know of, make a first-time commitment to follow Jesus. Another 143 told us they want to follow Jesus again, and another 227 told us a
next step they want to take in their faith, including some who want to follow Jesus into vocational ministry!
Pray for them—that they continue to follow Jesus WHEREVER He leads!
Rhonda Wynegar
Camp Director
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