I love camping. As I kid, my mom regularly packed my two brothers and me off to YMCA camps near Seattle. At ages 11 and 12, I spent two full summers in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania while she pursued graduate studies. Memories of those summers remain sweet to this day.
After my freshman year of college, I spent a summer serving as a camp counselor. I still keep in touch with one of my charges, a rather quiet 13 year old who became a Christian that summer. He now pastors a Lutheran church and even named his son “Alec.” Suffice to say, camps are environments in which deep spiritual and relational bonds are formed.
So, it was with great joy that I made my first visit to InterVarsity’s Toah Nipi Retreat Center in New Hampshire last month. As I reflect upon the vital contribution of our training facilities, I am overwhelmed by both the natural beauty and wonderful staff that the Lord has provided.
Each year, between 6,500 and 7,000 InterVarsity students attend camp. In addition, innumerable staff, alumni, friends and others enjoy getting away from it all. What a tremendous gift these places are to the Fellowship and the Kingdom!
CAMPUS BY THE SEA (CALIFORNIA)
Our oldest camp (1951), “CBS” is located on a quiet, secluded cove on Santa Catalina Island – 20 miles across the water from Los Angeles. Accessible only by boat, CBS is laced with scenic coastal views and wooded hiking trails. It is a wonderful place for spiritual reflection and community building. It is also a great tool for evangelism. Staff member John Teeter notes: “We target weekend conferences for non-Christians, and they have played a part in 25 to 30 conversions a year.” Susie Veon has served as director since 1994.
BEAR TRAP RANCH (COLORADO)
Situated in a forested valley at 9,100 feet above sea level and just eight miles from Colorado Springs, “BTR” is both easily accessible and wonderfully remote. InterVarsity purchased the property, which had earlier been a dude ranch, in 1952 through what can only be described as a series of miracles. Students sold everything from radios and rings to fur coats and cars to make the first five annual payments. Each year, the fund contained no more than a dollar extra when payment came due. The ranch serves as host to a wide diversity of groups, including New Area Director Orientation (NADO) and Global Project debriefings. Keith Roy became the new BTR Director in April this spring.
CEDAR CAMPUS (MICHIGAN)
In 1954, benefactor Herbert J. Taylor began to purchase and donate land to InterVarsity. Taylor grew up near this quiet spot on Lake Huron and had a vision for how God might use this special piece of property. Today, 500 acres of pristine shorelines, coves and woodlands comprise Cedar Campus. Famous for month-long Student Leadership Training sessions, Cedar also hosts numerous alumni and family events. Recently, a 200-seat meeting room and lounge area was completed to serve the increasing number of campers. Dan Dank has served as Director since 2003.
TOAH NIPI (NEW HAMPSHIRE)
Located just 90 minutes from Boston, Toah Nipi includes a beautiful lake that is perfect for canoeing, kayaking and swimming. The idyllic New England setting also lends itself to hiking and cross-country skiing. It is a perfect setting for outreach, training events, weekend retreats and spiritual retreats. An MIT senior recently wrote: ”Toah Nipi is a place of spiritual refreshment, learning, personal reflection and fellowship.” The facility was donated to InterVarsity by a Boston area church in 1993. Greg Hodgson has served as Director since 2002.
Over the past five decades, tens of thousands of students, alumni and staff have come to faith, heard God’s call on their lives, matured as disciples and experienced the balm of the Lord’s presence at our four facilities. Camp staff are going all out again this summer to serve our basic purpose: establish witnessing communities on colleges and universities.
Keep them in your prayers, and if your summer assignment takes you to camp, be sure to say, “thank you.”
