Covenant Youth of Alaska Special Edition: Covenant Bible Camp Update
Volume 18, Issue 3 August 2022
Welcome Back to Camp 2022!
Welcome Back! After two years without in-person camp in Unalakleet, we are finally on the North River again, “Where campers encounter a supernatural God in a very natural place.” We are so glad to be back experiencing the things Christ has for us as staff and our campers. Camp does not happen without the support of countless people, and for those who support camp financially, in prayer, in service, and by sending your kids and grandkids we say a gigantic Quyana (thank you). The camp season has been a whirlwind. We started the camp season behind, but as we reached out we got to see God’s people respond. We went from understaffed to overstaffed in a matter of weeks and got to meet old friends and new ones from all over–not just the country, but the world. Friends came from Anchorage, Mekoryuk, Bethel, Nome, California, Florida, and Sweden to name a few! The impact of camp this season was as deep as it was wide. Throughout the summer we had roughly 250 campers and over 100 staff. The theme this year was “Welcome back!” We encouraged students who have been largely “away” in the time of covid: away from the church, away from family, away from each other, and away from camp, and had the opportunity to welcome them back. We welcome them into a relationship with God and into a community that cares deeply about them, not just at camp but at home, across the state, and around the world. In CYAK we believe strongly in our continuum of care, where we walk alongside students from childhood all the way through to adulthood, and camp has historically been the convergence of that continuum of care.
We are beginning to see multiple generations of campers within single families who have come to camp, and it is a joy to see this place being woven into people’s family stories, not just individual stories. Many of you who have been to camp know that we have shirts hanging in the dining hall rafters for every year of camp, and it was fun to sit with staff and students alike as they discussed which shirt was their first, and in some cases which was their parents’ first. The past two years have been steeped in challenge and difficulty and so, for many, camp was a chance to come and reconnect differently. Allowing campers to get out of their local village contexts for a moment and to give all kids a place where they can be kids. So often camp is full throttle: high-energy games, silly antics in the evenings, high-energy singing at chapel. But camp can also be a place of quiet contemplation where students encounter themselves and encounter Christ in new ways. To watch that encounter happen in real-time is truly a blessed gift. Words cannot capture all that this summer was, but in short, it was Good. Indeed very good. God has done work in the hearts and lives of our campers this year, and we believe that that work will continue as they rejoin the things Christ is doing in their home communities. It has been a true joy to serve in this way. Let’s do it again next year!
Drew Williams Program Director 2022
For those of you who prefer to see rather than read here is a youtube video made by one of our Pathfinders counselors who traveled from California to be with us. Thanks Daniel. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNbzwG037c
INTERNS SHARES
CAMP THEME: “Camp made me see the more small acts help a lot, or that one small act of something can be a big positive move on someone else’s life.” “I changed because of camp. I became more patient and loving for kids. It’s a good thing I changed!” “Bible Camp changed how I see God! It made me realize how great of a God He really is, that He will forever and ever love us! We can say anything to Him and he will still have open arms. My time at Bible Camp taught me how much He truly cares.”
COVENANT YOUTH OF ALASKA PO Box 203356 Anchorage, AK 99520
Thank you for investing in the life of youth and young adults here in Alaska!
Visit covenantbiblecamp.org/give to give.
PRAYER PRAISES & REQUESTS
JOIN WITH US
Praise: For the ability to be back in-person this camp season where God’s presence was felt and known by hundreds of campers and staff For the Lord’s faithfulness in the lives of youth. For all the volunteers that made camp happen.
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Prayer Request: That all who attended camp this summer would feel seen and loved. That they would continue to grow closer our Creator.
Thank you for your faithful support of CYAK’s ministry through prayer.
Covenant Youth of Alaska
A relational outreach, discipleship and leadership ministry for Alaska youth and young adults A ministry of the Alaska Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church
Covenant Bible Camp serves over 300 youth from across Alaska each summer. Our registration fee is less than what it costs to run the camp. Many communities we serve have high rates of unemployment and some families struggle to pay for their children to attend camp. We want to see as many kids attend camp as possible in 2023! Help make camp a reality for more kids!
Website Email Phone Address
www.cyak.org info@cyak.org 907-222-1432 PO Box 203356 Anchorage, AK 99520