Envisioning healthy congregations
engaged in effective

Christian Ministry
locally AND globally.

Jessica Henson
Summer Camp Manager
at Blackhawk Baptist Camp

My Camping Experience

When I was a little girl, I remember going out to Lake Springfield Baptist Camp every summer.  My earliest memories are of a slip ‘n’ slide at Kindercamp, which was great fun.  Then came Middler camp and we actually spent the night!  My first year staying overnight, my oldest brother came out as a counselor.  I’m sure my mother planned it this way so I wouldn’t become homesick.  The plan worked.  I had a wonderful week with my big brother there keeping an eye on me.  I still remember the sign language I learned to a worship song during those few days and still have a bracelet I made that week. 

Then we moved to Northern Illinois when my mom became the pastor at the First Baptist Church of Marengo, Illinois.  It was time to attend a new Great Rivers Region Camp, Blackhawk Baptist in Oregon, IL..  By this time I was ready for a whole week of camp!  For my first summer my mother became part of the counseling staff for Don Conrod, a faithful director at Blackhawk for many years.  My mother, two other girls my age from my church and I, went to Junior camp that summer.  It was so much fun!  We had such a great cabin of people and a counselor that had been helping at Blackhawk for years.  We had campfire, learned new songs, made crafts, swam, had Bible study, and hiked.

After that summer, I was a big Junior High camper.  I was a bit nervous because nobody else from my church could go to camp with me that summer, but I went anyway and to my surprise some of the girls that had been in my cabin the summer before were at camp again!  It was such a wonderful camp that the next summer I insisted that my mom sign me up for the same director’s camp.  I went back and had an even better summer than before, which I didn’t think was possible.  The directors, Dick and Pam Watts were awesome!  They had amazing games and crafts.  In fact, we made birdhouses during small groups that summer.  Mine is still hanging at Blackhawk Camp on the second pine tree from the end of the road to this day.  Another thing that came about during Junior High camp was personal devotion time.  This was a fairly new concept.  We were given a set of devotions for the week.  Camp was helping me form spiritual disciplines. 

Finally, I was old enough for Senior High camp.  I approached it like any other summer of camp, but soon realized that this was different than Junior High camp.  There was more free time, more devotion, more friendship, more Bible study, more campfires, and definitely more staying up late.  I was asked to grow even more than I had over past years.  More maturity was required, especially since instead of being the big 8th grader like the year before, I was the lowly freshman.  Camp was getting more serious every year, but somehow more fun at the same time.  By the time I had graduated from high school and was attending my last summer at camp, I didn’t want my camping experience to end.  I realized that I was too old.  I had gotten past the age of going to camp in my summers.  I felt like camp couldn’t be a part of my life anymore.   

I didn’t realize it when I was younger, but through my years of camping, I was growing a little each year and every year more was expected from me.  Each year I had come to camp at some point in my spiritual walk and each year camp helped me grow closer to God.  Camp meets people where they are, no matter their age or where they are in their relationship with Jesus. 

Now that I’m older, I’ve realized something else.  The spiritual tools that I learned from camping throughout my childhood are still useful!  The sadness I felt by getting too old was overcome by such happiness that I now have the opportunity to share what I love about camp with others.  Yes, I’m too old to be a traditional camper, but there are numerous opportunities to still give to the camping program in the Great Rivers Region. I have served as a Junior Counselor, a Cabin Counselor and a Director of camps, which are all jobs open to volunteers in our churches, who are trained and certified by the Great Rivers Region. In addition, I have been working on staff at Blackhawk for 4 years now and am the current manager.  Although this job can be incredibly tiring, it’s probably one of the most amazing opportunities I’ve ever had in my life.  I feel very honored that God has given me such a great privilege and opportunity to wake up every day of my summer and do my best to radiate His love to those around me at camp.  I want every student to be able to experience what I did through the Great Rivers Region Camps—a real relationship with Jesus Christ, strengthened by fellowship with other believers, Bible study, fun, and God’s creation. 

Every time I have the opportunity to invite someone to camp or talk at a church about camping, I always say, “You’re never too old or young for camp!”  The camping program in Great Rivers offers family camps for all ages, traditional camping, tent camping, slumber party camps, and even music/drama camps.  There are also opportunities to become involved through clean up days and special projects.  This summer the camping theme is “God’s Calling—The Opportunity of a Lifetime.”  I hope you come out and see what it’s all about. 

© 2008, American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region | Privacy Policy | Site Map