SEP Washington:
Live Loud for Jesus

By Cheryl Solari

LACEY, Washington—On July 8, 28 campers and 30 staff gathered at Camp Gwinwood for a seven-day, Christ-focused adventure. The campers, ages 13 to 19, enjoyed a variety of activities including parasailing and waterskiing, as well as volleyball, basketball, dance, arts and crafts, archery, table tennis, water polo and water tubing.

But they left with much more than new skills and memories. At the end of camp, 75 percent of the teens rededicated their lives to Christ, and another 20 percent accepted him as Lord and Savior for the first time. Some even took the gospel message further, and shared what they learned at camp to change the lives of others. By the time the last sleeping bag and duffel bag were packed, staff, teens and strangers alike experienced the transformational power of God.

The impact ranged from the personal to the profound. Nathalie Elam wrote: "SEP was amazing! God really opened up my heart. I now have a fantastic relationship with Jesus Christ and a lot of new friends. I can’t wait to watch SEP grow and watch other teens feel as touched as I felt."

Staff members hoping to aid the young people on their journeys also found themselves changed through God’s grace and recommitting their lives to the Lord.

"Camp isn’t just for teens, but is a transformational experience for everyone," wrote Tina Kuo Graham, instructor of the Missions Training seminar.

"Unfortunately, camp reveals what has been truly lost in the average family and church, and that is community. Everywhere you turn, you see people using their God-given talents to serve one another in a way that glorifies God."

This example of heartfelt service is found in camper Courtney Parman, who exemplified the camp theme, "Live Loud for Jesus in the Real World," by passing the good news on to a stranger. Leaving early from camp, she was introduced to a friend of a friend at a race track, and led him to Christ.

Such powerful results point to the fact that SEP is far from just a typical camp. For the adults and teens in attendance, spending a week with God will have a lifelong effect. But even more remarkably, it will also affect the people we meet on the street, in our churches, at home and everywhere we travel.

PARASAILING—Barb Egbert,
assistant SEP director.

T-SHIRT—Live Loud for Jesus.

CAMP DIRECTOR— Amy Johnson

SEP WASHINGTON CAMPERS AND STAFF [Photos by Amy Johnson
and Aaron Burnsides]

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002