A Life Transformed at Kidder Creek
by Andy Warken, Director of Kidder Creek
Almost 1,500 campers joined one of our camps or came as part of a guest group in 2018 and another 1,200 visited and volunteered during Fall Festival. Campers came to raft, ride, and hike, and God used these outdoor adventures to help them grow personally, in community and in their faith. Nearly 200 said they made a first time decisions to follow Jesus!
When asked how they grew closer to Jesus campers said:
“By learning how much God loves me”
“That God knows me and made me and that He has given me purpose.”
“By praying, reading the Bible, through worship, hearing the counselor testimonies and through campfire talks.”
The following is a story that was given to me, by a camper after summer, about a Thursday night Chapel Hill Campfire during Week Two Ranch Camp last summer.
A Campfire Miracle
“Around a campfire on the top of Chapel Hill a miracle happened. Maddie, a spunky hilarious Ranch Camper, sang the words of Reckless Love. Her heart was beating faster than usual and for some reason tears were rising in her eyes. As the last words of ‘Reckless Love’ were sung, Christina, the Ranch Camp lead, got up and shared her testimony of how God had changed her life. Maddie listened intently as Christina told her story. Something was different about tonight. As Christina finished her story Maddie blinked away tears. A cabin mate sitting beside her, asked, ‘Are you okay, Maddie?’ ‘I don’t know, I feel something in here,” Maddie muttered and pointed to her chest. ‘Hmm, I don’t know what that means. I think you should go talk to a counselor,’ the other girl whispered. Maddie agreed, got up, and went to speak with her counselor who was able to help her understand the gospel and lead her to Jesus.”
Maddie was one of eight girls that gave their lives to Jesus that night. Under the stars and amidst the smoke the Lord touched their hearts. The Lord performs miraculous things like this all the time at Kidder.
We saw many miracles, large and small, happen in 2018, we look forward to many more stories of lives transformed in 2019!
Andy Warken, Director of Kidder Creek