– by Herbie Kuhn

I also really appreciate outdoor activities, being surrounded by nature (a.k.a. God’s creation!). I grew up a short walk from Lake Ontario and some of my deepest times of community with God have taken place by the water’s edge.

Also, learning about faith in community is vital to me for not only knowledge, but sharpening and accountability too. I love the sense of being part of something bigger than just me that comes with being part of a group or team.

So, when my wife and I were convinced that our son was ready for an overnight summer camp experience, all of those things came into play and Pioneer Camp was a logical choice. The fact that she made her decision for Christ while a teen at Ontario Pioneer Camp certainly helped too.

That said, I will keep it simple and straight-forward. Here are the three reasons why we send my son to Pioneer Camp!

1. He is surrounded daily by caring, Christian staff who want to model their faith for the kids. This includes time spent daily learning about God through His Word and discussion.
2. He gets to play, play and play some more! He gets to bounce, run, swing, swim, ride, shoot and all of the other things boys love to do! And most of it he gets to do outdoors, surrounded by God’s beauty in nature.
3. At Pioneer Camp, he is surrounded by dozens of other boys of a similar age (did someone say positive peer pressure?) who are learning and experiencing the same Biblical values and activities. So cool! That teaches him about the value of community that is part of our spiritual DNA.

He’ll be back at Pioneer Camp this summer for the 3rd consecutive year. The first two times when we’ve picked him up and the end of the week he’s asked, “Can I stay”? That’s a sweet sound for us as parents! When our son is excited about learning about God in an awesome, fun environment, it’s a win-win situation.