20 Years and Counting

My journey to Mount Hermon started where lots of great stories start: at summer camp. I remember it so clearly. I was 17 years old and hiding out by the van that my group had come to camp in. I was not yet a believer, but I didn’t want my Young Life leaders to know that! This was the moment I gave my life to Jesus.

Looking back, I firmly believe that if I hadn’t been invited to camp with my Young Life club, my entire trajectory would have been different. Instead, I would have headed off to my freshman year of college and pursued any number of other things the world had to offer. This was my first experience at camp and it changed my life. For the first time, I felt like I mattered.

The new life God had for me was filled with sharing the hope and joy that I now had with other kids, not much younger than myself! Ironically, I eventually drove that same van that was the site of my surrender to the Lord! It was filled to the brim with kids on their way to camp and to mission trips in Mexico. I finished college and my summers of volunteering at camp were over. Secretly, I wished there was such a thing as working full time in
Christian camping.

A friend I met through Young Life helped me find a job in her hometown of Santa Cruz and I got an apartment with some other young women. That’s when I first heard about Mount Hermon. At the time, I was working as a travel agent and I heard that there was a Christian camp nearby, hiring a position in registration. The idea of working for a Christian camp was so appealing, since I had watched my own life and the lives of so many others be changed by their experience. That was in April 2004.

And now, 20 years later, I am still here, living out my calling at camp. I love leading my team and infusing life into our lives at the office. For me, it’s never been about the work, necessarily. It’s always been first about the people. That was modeled so well to me by Bill Fernald, who I reported to for 18 years.

I try to take advantage of every opportunity I have to uplift and encourage my staff, including spirit days during our busiest week of the year, celebrating birthdays in a big way, and decorating our space for the holidays. It is such a delight to have people drop by our department and say “hi” throughout the week.

The guests here at Mount Hermon are also a joy to serve. I cannot tell you how thankful I am to the people who have kept our campership funds stocked for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford camp. It’s such a highlight of the day for me or my staff when we share with someone that they actually will be able to come to camp, thanks to a generous campership. Our eyes fill up with tears along with theirs as they receive that gift.

The Lord has given me a beautiful life here at Mount Hermon, filled with friendships both on and off “the mountain.” For example, what would I do without hosting my weekly “Survivor” watch party with 8–14 of my friends? The people that I serve alongside here at Mount Hermon are more than friends, they really have become my family.

Speaking of family, I actually do have a family too! They hail from the East Bay and, even though they don’t live close by, they have made an effort to enter into my world here and come to various Mount Hermon events over the years. One of my favorite things that has come from me working at Mount Hermon is that all my nieces and nephews have attended Redwood Camp and Ponderosa Lodge over the years. A few of them have even graduated to work on summer staff! As a Super Aunt, I can’t express the joy it has given me to watch each one of them hear the gospel and be poured into by the team that I
serve alongside.

There have been so many changes at Mount Hermon over the past 20 years. New ideas and leaders. Many people coming and going. Due to the nature of the roles in my department, I keep in mind that my team may only be with me for a season. They will stay a few years and then move on to the next thing. My role, as their supervisor, is to help them grow and discover what they love. No matter how long they’re with me, I love having them come back and say “hi,” as they always do.

Although I’ve seen changes in my 20 years here, the mission and vision of Mount Hermon has stayed the same. We create a place away from distractions, where people can meet God. I think of this all the time, when I am checking people in. My team and I do everything in our power to make the check in process smooth. We hand them a key and a nametag and let them step into what God has for them.

Reflecting back on all these years and the many more to come, I am so grateful for the part I have been able to play in this ministry. Before I found Jesus, I never felt like I belonged to anything. Through that experience at camp, so long ago, I know Who I belong to and where I belong.