What is Girls Missions Camp?
Girls Missions Camp, formerly known as GA/Acteen Camp, has been around almost 60 years. This camp takes place one or two weeks each year, meeting at Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center, and has been faithful to the girls and women of our state. Girls who have finished 3rd through 12th grade come together to make new friends, have fun, learn about missions, and learn about God. Girls are assigned to a family (cabin) group with a coach assigned to every 6-7 girls who live together for the week.
Our camp has a yearly theme, and our schedule of activities compliments that theme. Girls participate in daily worship time in which they learn a theme song and listen to God’s word being shared by our missionary. The girls have time to connect with the theme through daily devotion books, bible studies, and missionary studies. They also have the opportunity to interact with God’s nature through activities that interest them with friends like fishing, hiking, crafts, sports, cooking, and drama. Girls love coming together on Thursday night, and having the opportunity to share what they have learned with each other in their own way.
Preparation for Camp
God provides camp coaches from all over our state who are committed to our campers and love our Lord. Our coaches are active members of our Michigan SBC churches who attend mandatory training every year giving our coaches an understanding of our mission and guidelines used for camp. The training ensures that our camp coaches are trained to mentor the girls through teaching the Bible, educating them about missionaries, sharing the gospel, and encouraging them to see that God has a plan for their lives. Our coaches provide references, go through background checks, and many have committed to serve at camp from 2-25 years, or longer.
Much time and prayer is put into camp with some of our camp staff starting the afternoon the girls leave camp to meet, plan and prepare for the next camp. We reflect on how the camp went, and what we can improve next year to stay in the knowledge of what is going on in the world in order to provide training for our coaches in that subject matter. Coaches are trained to recognize abuse, and to be aware of how to handle situations that may come up. There is a nurse/health officer on site 24/7 to distribute medications, and take care of any medical needs and emergencies.
Missions Experience
Every year we have a missionary representative that comes to camp with us, shares real life experiences, and provides activities and testimonies to help the girls learn about missions, and how they can live out the Great Commission. They challenge girls to listen for God’s plan for their lives. Missionaries range from single missionaries, couple missionaries, and family missionaries, and have served in various places like Yemen, Africa, America and Russia. Girls also have the opportunity to participate in hands on mission projects that allows them to have the opportunity to do something for someone in need.
Mom and Me Camp
Mom and Me camp gives women of all ages; moms, daughters, grandmothers, and adopted women in a girl’s life the opportunity to experience 24 hours away from everyday life to focus on one another. It also allows a great time for girls who are not old enough to attend the week long camp to come to Bambi Lake to learn about missions with their moms. It gives these younger girls the opportunity to see what camp is all about, and get them excited for the opportunity to attend Girls Missions Camp when they are old enough. Similar to Girls Missions Camp the women and girls are grouped together in family groups to meet others, and participate in many of the same activities as the Girls Missions Camp does and experience them together.
Life Changing Experience
Mom and Me Weekend and Girls Mission Camp have proven to be life changing for so many of those who have attended. Whether a girl commits to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior, commits to mission service overseas, in her neighborhood, to follow God’s call for her life, every girl leaves camp changed. They experience God in a new and better way each year they come. Many have gone on short term mission trips, and have learned to share Jesus with their friends back home.
God has blessed Michigan with Bambi Lake, and we are so glad that we, as coaches, are being used to help change lives and inspire our girls to listen to God’s call. Please consider sharing the publicity inserts with the parents of girls in your church. Challenge them to plan to attend camp this year. We are available to answer any questions you or parents may have.
To register for Girls' Mission Camp, click here.
To register for Mom and Me Camp, click here.
To download a promotional flyer for these events, go to bscm.org/flyers.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
This article was written by Mission Camp Team Coaches from the Michigan WMU.