“It’s hard to find a quiet place when you live in the suburbs,” says Turner, a 5th grader from South Carolina.
Last summer, Turner went to Lutherock for the first time. A self-described ‘outdoors girl,’ Turner enjoyed all the activities and adventures she got to have at camp. “We went on a big hike to Cross Rock and it was amazing,” Turner remembers. “We also did a creek walk. One of the leaders found some mud and put a mud cross on our heads. We all started drawing all over ourselves and it was really funny.”
While Turner really liked the active parts of her camp experience, she says the quiet time made the biggest impact on her. “After every meal we would go to the nearby creek and sit on the rocks,” Turner says. “Sometimes we’d talk about how our day went or our counselor would read the bible or read a book. And sometimes we would just sit in silence and listen to nature. It gave us time to think about God’s creation more.”
Turner’s mom Page appreciates the way a week at camp includes time to slow down. “I feel camp is a reflection time for Turner,” Page says. “It’s something that’s not present as much in our day-to-day activities. The immersion in that kind of camp environment is priceless.”
One way that the week at Lutherock impacted Turner was in her prayer life. When she got home, Turner noticed that she prayed more. “Now, I pray more by myself at school or at home, or even at the grocery store. My talks with God have gotten longer, and I feel like God responds.”
Turner is thankful to her counselor Nora for creating an environment where campers could be at ease and be themselves. “During devotions and cabin time we made lots of connections with each other and with Nora, and during the day Nora would give all of us lots of encouragement. She really believed in us,” Turner says. “I’m glad that she took time to work at camp and make a difference. She made a difference in my world.”
Thank you for your gifts to NovusWay which help provide opportunities for campers to experience time away from the noise of the world so they can more deeply connect with God and with each other.
