We received this report from a military family attending one of Mount Hermon’s Family Camps. Many donors and churches have made it possible for Mount Hermon to offer an ‘all expenses paid’ week of family camp to several military families. Here is this family’s grateful response:

Dave,

L. and I are back at home now, and want to say how sincerely thankful we are for our week at Mount Hermon. It was a tremendous blessing to our family, as the Lord fed our souls as well as our bodies, and we bonded as a family. The week of family camp is precisely what I believe redeployers and their families need, in order to reconnect following our extended separation. Our current deployment cycles really place unbelievable strains on our military families. Although the military acknowledges this strain and does what it can to support deployed personnel and their families, they can’t do it alone. I really appreciate all that Mount Hermon is doing to facilitate that.

The staff there at Mount Hermon were excellent. No matter where they worked – the Fountain, Dining Hall or Book Shop – they were all very friendly and eager to serve. Your Day Camp staff stole the hearts of my two younger kids, and even my 14 year-old made positive comments about those leading in the HS group (it’s hard to get him to comment at all at times!).

The scholarship was a tremendous blessing to us, Dave. L. commented that when we get “free” offers, usually that means we get the “economy” version of whatever’s offered. Not so at Mount Hermon! The accommodations were excellent! We were overwhelmed with gratefulness!

If we could write a personal, handwritten note to those who contributed on behalf of military families, we’d do it. They have given sacrificially to support the families of our men and women in service to our country, and should know what a blessing they are to us. I know they don’t give to be thanked (we don’t serve our country SO THAT we get thanked, either), but they are priceless.

Thanks again, brother!

In Him,

J.

Testimonies compiled by Scotty Gullick

Campers:

Stacy
A fifth-year “super senior” camper at Ponderosa Lodge, Stacy shared during the regular Friday night sharing time about how God met her during her week of camp. In tears she recalled her years here, and described Ponderosa as a “true home.”

Mia
Coming from Japan for a week at Ponderosa Lodge, Mia loved sharing a cabin with students she could relate with, who understood her hurts (some even spoke her same language). During camp, Mia realized Jesus wants “all of me; that God doesn’t want me to go home unchanged,” and she surrendered her life to God.

Steven
Steven lost his mom to cancer two years ago and stopped going to church because he was mad at God. Wanting to be strong for his family, he hadn’t yet cried about it. But the tears came during Thursday night’s worship, as he was convinced of the presence of God. Steven is now back in his church, pursing his relationship with the Lord.”

Alissa
At Ponderosa Lodge, Alissa sought out and really grasped what a relationship with Jesus means, and gratefully gave her life to Christ. Talking with Brooke, her counselor, Alissa realized that back at home she’d have no help to grow, and asked Brooke to purposely check in with her!

Youth Groups:

Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
Walnut Creek Pres. youth leaders Brendan, Risa and Brian block-registered their students and joined them in cabins for the first time for a Ponderosa Lodge week. Giving camp a shot, Brendan, the Sr. High pastor, was surprised at “how well Pondy did summer camp!” His time with his students has encouraged Brendan to sign up even more next summer. Brian, their summer intern, said being at camp with his guys built strong relational foundations for reaching out to them the rest of the summer.

Santa Rosa Bible Church
Doug and Sandy Cavalier came as youth pastors for Ponderosa Lodge’s week three. They both had good times with their students, and Sandy had nine girls in her cabin! Many of the girls didn’t know each other well before the week, and Pondy was a great place to see the smaller groups bond into a larger church community.