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It started and ended the first week of January. We had decided on how many kids we thought we could handle at the 6th edition of the HOH Summer Day Camp and 300 was our number. We generally have around 80 at the HOH at any given time so that left 220 spots open to kids in our neighborhood. It didn't even take a week for all the spots to be filled. We kept up a "waiting list" for the next couple of days, but soon had to start turning kids away.
We love opening our doors and sharing the Hope of Jesus with those around us. Many of these kids are friends and schoolmates of our kids. Often the relationships built during this week of camp continue throughout the year as some of the kids make the HOH a second home.
Plans are already well under way for Summer Camp 2019. We have spent the past couple of years building on the Good News of Jesus and our identity as believers. This year, after some input from last years' campers, we came up with the theme of, "Dress with Jesus, He's always in style". Our theme verse is Romans 13:14 and we are going to look at various places in the Bible that talk about "Putting off" and "Putting on" various actions and attitudes as Christians.
Last year we started feeding the kids one big meal in the middle of the day. The camp was originally set up just for the HOH kids, but each year we expanded it to share with our friends as well. We previously would send everyone home halfway through the day to eat, but it was soon apparent that most weren't getting fed when they went home and came back for the afternoon and evening sessions hungry. This made us decide to go full out and provide them with a full day experience complete with Bible Studies, games, lessons, homework, times of worship and a large meal to help them through the day.
The thing is, we really need some help with this. It costs us $20 per camper to run this full program. In the past when we weren't providing food, we just covered the minimal costs of camp with HOH funds, but we cannot do that anymore. We are asking if you would be willing to sponsor a camper this year. For just $20 you could give a child the chance to come to camp at the HOH and with that have the chance to change a life.
The tools they learn for living life in the harsh environment around them are invaluable. And it doesn't stop with them. Each of these children represent a family, at least one other contact that is also touched with the truths they learn. Each camper goes home with a Bible study book that they can then share with their families and pass on the lessons to others. And the change and hope just keeps flowing.
Can you help us? The details are on the card above. Feel free to pass it along and share it with friends and family, maybe even a Sunday School class or small group. This is a chance to change a life by sharing hope past the walls of the HOH and into our neighborhood. We are excited to see what God is going to do in HOH Camp 2019!