Forged by Fire

This spring when we planned our Kidder Creek summer theme, “Forged by Fire,” we had no idea what awaited us a few months ahead. Our theme verse, 1 Peter 1:7 reads, “...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Little did we know the practical life application the Lord had planned for us.

The first few weeks of camp were everything and more that we had hoped for and expected. Camps were fuller than they had ever been. Counselors poured into students helping them understand God’s great love for them. Kids and teens trusted in Jesus, and a number of them got baptized.

On Wednesday, July 3rd everything changed as a small plume of smoke began to emerge just over the mountain. The Klamath National Forest is no stranger to fires, but the Shelly Fire was different: only four miles from camp. Uncertainty loomed after an evacuation warning was issued, followed soon by an evacuation order. We were forced to cancel camp for Week 5 and send our summer staff on an indefinite break.

Many of you know the story from there. The fire inched closer and closer to camp as Cal Fire prepared for battle on the Kidder Creek property. Thousands of fire-fighting personnel flooded the area, and bulldozers cut a 50 foot wide fire-break just above the Timberline cabins at camp. All that was left to do was pray and wait.

In the subsequent days we saw two miracles, and we don’t use that
word lightly.

Firefighters back burned the area between camp and the fire. The window of favorable winds was incredibly small, and we’re still not sure how this was able to be successful, but it was!

Rain! Despite a forecast of severe dry-lightning strikes on Monday with NO precipitation we got just the opposite: the skies opened and poured rain onto camp and the surrounding area.

The rain was the game-changer we had all been praying for, extinguishing much of the fire and halting almost all growth in the direction of camp.

We were able to pivot and run some of our camps from the river (about 30 miles away) during Week 6, and now that the evacuation order and warning have been lifted, we plan to serve a number of guest groups here at camp in the coming weeks. The financial loss is significant, but we’re not slowing down, doing what we are able.

We want to thank you all for your love for Kidder Creek and for your prayers during the Shelly Fire. We felt them, and God heard them!

Indeed our faith has been tested in the fire, and now we can give all the praise, glory, and honor to Jesus Christ! Amen!

If you would like to give to help cover the financial loss of closing our doors this summer, please visit kiddercreek.org/give