“Marty looks forward to her week at Lutheridge more than Christmas!” says Marty’s mom Cary.
Marty has been coming to Lutheridge as a summer camper since she was in elementary school, just like her mom did. Over the years, Lutheridge has made a big impact on both of them.
Cary grew up in a small congregation in South Carolina. There weren’t a lot of children in her church, so she appreciated the chance to go to Lutheridge and be part of a large community. “Going to camp and meeting so many people who have faith in common was really cool,” Cary shares. “Camp still impacts me all these years later. The way counselors taught us to think about others,
how to be kind, and how much good you can do with little things was really important for me.”
When she was old enough, Cary knew she wanted Marty to have those kinds of experiences too. This summer Marty participated in the Hammock Hangout program. Early in the week she got to climb the challenge tower. After reaching the top of the tower, a photo caught Marty’s reaction. “People were cheering me on,” recalls Marty, “and I remember thinking, ‘Yes! I am back at Lutheridge!’”
Marty loved the outdoor adventures she had this summer. But she also loved the way camp shaped her faith life. “Camp helps me feel so much closer to God, and so much more grounded,” Marty says. “Our CARE (Bible learning) time helped me feel more connected to God and with evening vespers we ended the night in such a great way.” Cary says when Marty came home from Lutheridge she wanted to continue some of her camp habits. “She said she liked the way they were very mindful in the evening and went to bed early,” Cary recalls. “So, she started going to bed earlier.”
A more intentional bedtime routine wasn’t the only habit Marty wanted to bring home with her. “After her week at camp Marty announced, ‘I want to do family style suppers like at Lutheridge!’” Cary says. “She really wanted to make home life as much like Lutheridge as possible.”
Cary appreciates the way camp provides a space for Marty and so many others to be themselves. “It hits me more now that I have teenage daughters,” Cary says. “Being able to go to a place that’s such a safe space is a gift. You don’t have to compete or impress. You are there to practice love and kindness.”
Marty is learning that lesson too. “Lutheridge is such a comforting place,” she says. “I feel so welcome, so stress free, and so in the moment. Camp makes me cherish every memory.”
Thank you for your gifts to NovusWay Ministries, which give campers like Marty unique opportunities to grow in faith at camp and walk in faith at home.
