The influence of Twin Rocks Friends Camp runs deep in the
lives of so many people. This realization hit home for me last Sunday as I sat
in the fourth row of our small, rural church. I became distracted from worship when
I began observing the people in the three rows in front of me. As I glanced
around, it dawned on me that Twin Rocks Friends Camp has had a tremendous
influence upon this small sample of people. In those three rows sat:
- Nine children and youth (ages 5-14) who combined for an amazing 68 camp or retreat experiences at Twin Rocks (you'll be pleased to know that I did my detailed calculating after church). Two of the kids had been to Family Camp every year since birth; several had attended multiple weeks of Day Camp; and between them they had also attended Girls Camp, Boys Camp, Tween Camp, Surfside Camp, Samuel School, and Junior High Jamboree.
- Among the adults, three had attended Twin Rocks camps as kids; two had been to a men’s retreat; one had been to Sabbath by the Sea; and two of the couples had attended Couples Conference multiple times, including one who had previously told me: “Couples Conference saved our marriage!”
- Some amazing grandparents are raising two of the kids. One of those kids has been to Twin Rocks camps six times, the other 10!
- One of the youth is the only person in his family to attend church. He’s attended four Twin Rocks camps.
What a blessing it is for Twin Rocks to come alongside
parents and grandparents to provide Christ-centered teaching to their kids and
grandkids. What a joy it is to see how the camp’s ministry impacts a church
such as mine.
As I contemplated Twin Rocks’ integral part in the success
of my own church, I realized that a similar scene plays out every Sunday in
numerous churches in Oregon and southwest Washington – where dozens of people point to Twin Rocks as a place where marriages have been strengthened, family
bonds have been forged, and kids have come to Christ.
It’s fun to work at Twin Rocks.
