• Lives Changed, Summer 2008 Read how the Lord worked in the lives of campers this summer
• Lilley in the Field The rainbow’s powerful symbol of hope and new life in Christ
• Outdoor Education Brings Nature to Life Hume’s ministry to bring students to the Creator
• Alumni Profile: Joe Parker A former staff member ministers to at-risk kids
• Leaving a Legacy of the Gospel Advancing the Kingdom through planned giving
• Vision Dinner Schedule

SUMMER 2008

Our summer theme, Rise of the Kinematics, was used to help campers focus on the importance of essential Christian doctrine as the foundation of true discipleship, rather than basing their faith primarily on emotion or experience. As always, Hume’s goal for campers was life change through the power of the Gospel of Christ. Here are a few stories and letters from the summer (names of campers have been changed for privacy purposes).

Wow, Wildwood was intense and amazing. First of all, thanks for the needed scholarship that Hume granted me. My family is VERY poor, so it was hard. I make my own money and pay for absolutely everything myself, and it was so awesome when the youth leader for BFC (the church I came with) called and told me I got the scholarship. I want to let you know that your scholarship did not go to waste. I took every solo time and opportunity to get closer with God, and I honestly, sincerely, and truly have been changed from the inside out. I’ve been back home for a week and it has been great. This was my first year at Wildwood, and I was truly blown away. Thank you for challenging me physically, spiritually, and mentally every day. I am now going to intern at a church, even though I am only a high school senior. My spiritual walk with Christ is so much stronger, and I guarantee it is not just a camp high. I am one of many who is sincerely changed forever, and I will do my best to represent honesty, purity, and integrity.

—FROM A CAMPER’S EMAIL

This was the third summer that the ministry of Hume has influenced lives on the Point Loma Nazarene University campus. This summer one of our speakers, Chris Simning, had an incredible opportunity to sit with a junior high student who had been diagnosed with a rare disease when she was nine. Now at age thirteen, she has to wear a back brace at all times for three years. Since she was unable to attend camp for an entire week, her parents drove her down from Lancaster, CA to stay in a hotel so she could experience camp for a few days.

After hearing Chris speak, this junior high student wanted to talk with him. She, her mother, and Chris shared their stories with each other at length. Chris uniquely understood her situation, as he also contracted a rare muscle and nerve disease while in junior high. He could feel her pain, sense her brokenness, and wanted more than anything to impart the truth and love of Jesus Christ to her. He knew this girl, who was already a believer, could be used in ways that, at this moment, she could not fathom. The conversation deeply impacted Chris, and he hoped it impacted her as well. One of the things Chris wanted to leave her with was perspective: trials of that magnitude produce wisdom and depth that others may never experience.

The takeaway: never underestimate the power of God and His use of pivotal conversations when the opportunity arises. This junior high student, her mother, and Chris went away experiencing the impact of Hume’s ministry through this healing conversation.

One camper started the week being very resistant to camp. He comes from a family that is the ringleader of a local gang, and has been raised to take over the gang when he gets older. At the start of the week, he sat with his arms folded during worship time. By the end of the week, he was standing up and worshiping! He had a great time during the games and activities, and began to open up. On Thursday evening sitting at the Campfire Theatre, he heard how Jesus died on a cross for our sins, and how Jesus had the power to save himself but freely chose to die for sinners like us. He responded to the gospel and received Christ as his Savior. He said it would be difficult to return to his family where he may have to run away or potentially face being killed for believing in Jesus. Please pray for this young man, and other campers who come from families who do not know Christ, who return home to be a light in their dark world.

—FROM “RIO,” WAGON TRAIN STAFF

Two years ago we went on a mission trip to Montreal; our church is trying to plant a youth group there, where there is none. Our youth group made a strong connection with a kid named Tyler. He enjoyed being a part of our youth group last summer and had the gospel presented to him many times, but didn’t go to Hume. He’s been in and out of drugs and alcohol, but has pretty much been sober for 8 months. This summer, I strongly encouraged Tyler’s parents, who aren’t Christians, to have him come to Hume, and he came!

At Tuesday’s decision night, Tyler didn’t go forward–he just walked out the door. I was kind of bummed, but he’s not the kind of kid to stand up in front of a group. He kept saying to me, “I know I should do this, but I don’t think God could forgive me for all the things I have done. I’m not ready.” Thursday night was another opportunity for commitment, but Tyler didn’t respond. We talked about it again, but he didn’t go forward.

Friday night was one last chance. Tyler stood up in Victory Circle to share. I was so excited that he was willing to talk about Jesus right in front of everybody. Every student around Tyler was picked to share, but not him. I asked God, “How come you’re not choosing him?” He stood up again for the second round at Victory Circle; again he was not picked. By then I was getting mad at God. “Why won’t you let him share in front of all these people?” Then came a final call for the week, “If you haven’t given your life to Christ and you know you should, stand up now.” Three people stood up. I figured, “Tyler isn’t going to stand,” and tried to rationalize why that was okay.

THEN TYLER STOOD UP.
Two years of our church praying for Tyler – realized.

In a month he’ll be returning to Montreal. He’s already talked to his unbelieving parents, who don’t quite understand it. He still has a lot of questions…he still struggles with Jesus being the only way. But I feel like he has made a commitment and is striving to understand and grow from there.

It’s great to see how our church, struggling to partner with a youth ministry plant, went to Montreal and helped encourage and build relationships with people, particularly this young man. Then you guys partnered with us. Tyler needed all those things to be reached for Christ.

—A VOICEMAIL FROM A YOUTH PASTOR

During the second week of camp, a student named Brian was having a horrible week. Brian was from a rough home situation. He wasn’t connecting with his cabin and was almost sent home the second day due to behavioral problems. His counselor, at a loss of what to do, asked me if I could do anything that would help Brian so he wouldn’t need to be sent home. On Wednesday afternoon, I took his whole cabin on a hike to Inspiration Point to bring some team bonding and help this kid grow up. At first Brian kept falling behind and going off the trail; then God laid on my heart to have this kid lead his cabin to the top of the hill.

Once I put Brian in charge, he quickly led the group of guys without wavering. At Inspiration Point we read from 1 Timothy 4:12 and talked about who God is, how He wants us to become true men and leave behind childish things, and set an example in everything we say and do. That marked a real turning point for Brian. His counselor told me later that on Thursday night Brian dedicated his life to Christ.

—FROM GARRETT BENJAMIN, LEAD COUNSELOR

REFLECTING ON RAINBOWS

California is a drought state. That means that we can go for months without any rain, not even a cloud. Many of us in California have grown to like this, as long as there is enough water to wash our cars or water our lawns. However, when weather conditions are just right on some of the really hot days in California’s Central Valley, thunderstorms develop high in the Sierra Nevada.

When a rare afternoon thunderstorm crashes over Hume, there ensues two distinct noises. First, shortly after the flash of lightning, there is the loud crack of thunder, which then rolls off into the distance, echoing off the canyon walls. Second, comes a unified squeal of delight, mixed with startled screams from 1,800 campers. It is simply awesome.

Then comes the rain. Large, fat drops splat in the dust and dirt. Some campers ignore the rain, while others run purposely out onto the lawns, spinning and laughing. I often think that most moms would be yelling, “Robert! Get out of the rain!” or “Samantha! You are ruining your shoes in the mud!” But in the absence of moms, the students are left to revel (and wallow) in the drenching rain.

Then, as quickly as it began, silence. The clouds break open and the late afternoon sun streams in, bathing the scene with mountain light, reflecting in the puddles left behind, and glowing off the pines which are now draped in a million drops shimmering like small diamonds. Off in the distance a spectacular rainbow emerges out of the mist. And the world seems almost perfect. It is one of God’s best paintings and is simply awesome.

Drops of water act like small mirrors, reflecting the light around them. If you look close in any drop of water you will see images reflected backwards and upside down. It is this same effect that creates rainbows. The light from the sun is reflected off the back of the water droplet, and the water then acts as a prism, refracting the light into, well, a rainbow of colors, colors that glow and shine even when miles away.

The rainbow is a promise of hope, an indicator of a break in the storm. So often our lives are dark with storm clouds. We yearn for a break, for a rainbow, for a promise that not only is the storm easing, but even that the storm itself is painted purposefully by Christ. Just as the sky is clearer after a thunderstorm, and seems to sparkle with a new light, so it is when Christ leads us through our own storms.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The rainbow, the symbol of the covenant with Noah, foreshadows our Lord Jesus…The rainbow is only to be seen painted upon a cloud. When the sinner’s conscience is dark with clouds, when he remembers his past sin and mourns and laments before God, Jesus Christ is revealed to him as the covenant Rainbow, displaying all the glorious hues of the divine character and declaring peace.”

All those campers running around in the storm need that same cleansing rain. At some point during their week they will slip into a chapel, and hear the sharp, distinct crack of the Gospel, which will then echo throughout their own souls. It, too, can be terrifying, humbling, and wonderful! Left behind will be small diamonds of hope and love that will reflect new light and new life.

If you look close at those lives washed clean, you will see the reflection of Christ, and with it a promise of a new season, and that is simply awesome.

GOD’S HAND AT WORK IN NATURE

Some say that long gone are the days when kids roam free to explore and play outdoors; instead most remain inside to play video games and watch television. Today parents beg their children to run through the mud and get grass stains on their jeans. This should be no surprise when according to The National Institute on Media and the Family, almost one in five children between the ages of 2 and 17 watch 44 hours of television each week.

Hume seeks to change that statistic, and give each student an opportunity through its Outdoor Education program to see God’s hand at work in nature. Hume’s natural beauty is perfect for this—surrounded by Giant Sequoias and tall mountains, every day is a reminder that there is an almighty creator who put our universe in motion and created life.

Outdoor Education, or OE, is offered to students in 5th through 8th grade during the spring and fall. The program allows campers to spend almost an entire week removed from television, Internet and cell phones, giving them time not only to study nature, but to actually experience God’s creation first-hand. Campers gain tactical skills such as rock climbing, map reading, compass aptitude and terrain navigation. At day’s end, they get to enjoy a worship and teaching time that Hume is famous for. By the end of their outdoor adventure, campers not only learn about surrounding natural habitats, they begin to grasp just how big God is, through His intricately designed creation.

Romans 1:20 says that we come to understand God’s eternal power and divine nature when we observe what He has made. There are no excuses anymore. Everything before us testifies to His amazing work. During OE, when students enter into the quiet and still forest, the evidence of God is all around them. Who could remain unchanged?

This fall consider turning off the television and making time to explore God’s amazing creation. You’ll be surprised at what God wants to show you. And maybe you can even get a little mud on those jeans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUTDOOR EDUCATION
www.humelake.org/oe
contact nina bell: nbell@humelake.org

SUMMER STAFF 1987-1992

As another summer season winds down, we prepare to say goodbye to over 300 summer staff. Some will be back next summer; some will eventually become full-time staff; and some we will never see again. But one thing always remains the same: God is working in the lives of our staff. Few staff finish their time at Hume without having their lives changed in significant ways. Our ministry may be focused on our campers, but God has never lost sight of our staff.

In 1987, Joseph Parker spent his summer working in the commissary of Ponderosa kitchen. A year later, Parker ran into Sharon Hilts (the head of Hume’s Children’s Ministries at that time). Their conversation that day led to Sharon bringing Parker back to Hume in the summer of 1989 to work in Day Camp—making him the first male ever to do so. For the next 4 years, Parker spent his summers working in Day Camp.

Over those 4 years, Parker (known only as “Joe” to multitudes of campers) began to feel a strong calling on his life to work with youth. “My years at Hume,” he says, “taught me God had given me a gift to love kids in such a way they can know Jesus’ love.” Immediately after the summer of 1992, Joseph became a children’s pastor in Palm Springs. In 1996, he began working with children and families in LA’s skid row area. During those years, he utilized and cultivated skills that he learned while working with kids in Hume’s Day Camp program. In 2007, Joseph Parker became the President/CEO of a ministry called KidTrek. According to its website, KidTrek is “a reproducible, church-based ministry that empowers adult leaders to work innovatively with at-risk kids.”

“It was at Hume that I also began my first attempts at writing curriculum, learning that not only could I do it, but I really enjoyed it—all of which would eventually help me with what I am doing now,” Joseph adds. Behind every apparent coincidence there is a well thought-out plan. We are constantly being reminded that what God does in the lives of our staff here at Hume today will most likely have a direct impact on what they do tomorrow and in the years to come. Just ask Joseph Parker.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE MINISTRY OF KIDTREK PLEASE VISIT
www.kidtrek.org or www.whymissionaries.wordpress.com

PLANNED GIVING

For many, the idea of preparing a will means having to consider the reality of death. For others, terms like estate, trust, bequest and power of attorney are intimidating. A combination of these factors often leads to procrastination when it comes to developing an estate plan. Unfortunately, the consequences of doing nothing can be catastrophic, either at death or if the person becomes incapacitated (the Terri Schiavo case is a prime example).

For Charlie Strong, taking care of an aging parent prompted him to start the planning process. “Doing it for my dad really enlightened me to the importance of planning. People plan vacations and a lot of other things, but this is one of the most important things they’re missing.” Charlie and his wife Janet served on Hume’s staff this past summer and have a family history of involvement in the ministry. Their son-in-law, Derek Geer, is director of the Meadow Ranch Camp.

To get the process started, the Strongs took advantage of the services of Bill Dunn, Hume Lake’s Stewardship Planner. Bill facilitates the process through consultants and attorneys to ensure that each plan reflects the individual or couple’s desire to provide for their heirs and ministry priorities. Because of Hume’s relationship with these service providers, an initial consultation is available at no charge and legal work can be completed at a substantially reduced rate.

Over the years, dozens of people have utilized these services in desiring to be faithful stewards of the resources God has given them. “God calls us to be prepared and blesses us when we’re faithful in handling our resources,” said Charlie.

While there is no obligation to name Hume Lake Christian Camps in utilizing these services, nearly $9 million in future gifts have been designated to Hume by faithful supporters. And more than double that figure has been designated to churches and other ministries, reflecting our desire for partnership in advancing the Gospel of Christ.

The Strongs decided to include Hume Lake Christian Camps as a beneficiary in their planning. According to Charlie, “it’s a way to carry on a legacy of people coming to the Lord after we’re gone. There’s nothing we’d like to do more than to invest in the ministry.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PLANNED GIVING
contact bill dunn
805.543.9545
wmdunnslo@gmail.com

HUME LAKE’S VISION DINNERS are an exciting opportunity to enjoy great food, fellowship with other ministry supporters, and interact with leadership about the vision and impact of Hume’s ministry. Please be our guest this year at a Vision Dinner near you.

San Diego JANUARY 26 Escondido JANUARY 27 Santa Ana JANUARY 28 Long Beach JANUARY 29 Granada Hills FEBRUARY 2 Thousand Oaks FEBRUARY 3 Ventura FEBRUARY 4 Visalia FEBRUARY 5

Lodi FEBRUARY 9 Sacramento FEBRUARY 10 Dublin FEBRUARY 11 Morgan Hill FEBRUARY 12 San Luis Obispo FEBRUARY 17 Bakersfield FEBRUARY 19 Fresno FEBRUARY 20 Hume Lake FEBRUARY 25