We Aren’t Preachers

At 16, Ellee loves hiking, running, music, and helping children. “I love kids,” she shared. “I also love making friendship bracelets.”

Ellee and her friend Lily were campers in Asheville Adventures at Lutheridge in 2021 and 2022. “We noticed that they changed the program this year to Asheville Servant Adventures,” she said. “I didn’t really know what I was getting into. For the last two years, I was hoping to make new friends and grow closer to God. This year, I started looking forward to the newer interactive service projects and experiencing Asheville in this different way.”

The campers spent one of their servant days making dog treats for the local shelter. “It was so cool. We partnered with the younger first campers,” she shared. “It was a great way to connect with other groups on camp.” The campers also visited the Cherokee Reservation to learn more about their culture, language, and customs directly from them. “I have never really experienced anything like it,” she said. “We also spent time at a women’s shelter helping with a little fundraiser and playing with their children. I didn’t realize there were so many women going through domestic violence issues. These women need their own shelters, especially somewhere close to home. It made me want to go out and do good. It was inspiring to see so many people trying to help.”

Ellee feels motivated now to try and serve when she gets home. “Even if it is something little,” she said. “We were doing little things at camp like helping children in the fair and scooping rice, and those things mattered. We can show our love for God by caring for other people even if we aren’t preachers. We can show it with our kindness. I am going to try and do that when I get home from camp. I am going to volunteer at our local soup kitchen and donate old clothes. I am thankful this is a program at camp now because, on my own, I don’t know if I could get these types of opportunities.”

While Ellee knows she has a couple more years as a camper, she is also looking forward to showing God’s love by serving on summer staff as soon as she is old enough. Your generosity to NovusWay makes it possible for us to provide comprehensive programs like Asheville Servant Adventure designed to introduce our youth to the deeper areas of our community to nurture a disciple’s servant heart in them. Thank you for your generosity.