Summer Update - Sirbaugh's
- Chris Sirbaugh
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
If you had to hide somewhere for an entire summer, where would you choose? Some might imagine a cozy cabin by a quiet stream or a beach house by the ocean, listening to the waves. Few might choose a place with 574 energetic and inquisitive kids from various backgrounds in life — but what a blessing it is! For these campers and many staff and volunteers this summer, our camp and the theme “Hideout” wasn’t just a place to disappear and hide — it was a place to be found. Found by friends. Found in laughter and fun. Found in adventure. And most importantly, found by the God who seeks a relationship with them and desires for them to be hidden in Him (Colossians 3:3 – For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.)
We are thankful for nine weeks of summer camp ministry and so very thankful for the summer staff who made it happen. We often begin praying and seeking our summer staff in the winter. This year, one by one, they applied and began preparing for the summer. These summer staff are like a family, and it is so encouraging to us to see young adults with a desire to serve the Lord and kids during the summer. So many of their peers can make more money at other places of employment or have more travel experiences, but the impact that these staff had on the campers will last for eternity — and the work that God did in their hearts will reach many others as they return to their homes. Please be in prayer for the staff; it is a hard transition to move away from a close-knit group of like-minded friends at camp and head back to school, work or into the service.
As we explored the theme of Hideout this summer, we want to thank the Lord for the seventeen decisions for Christ and several others for reassurance. These kids come from Christian homes, broken homes, or sensitive situations where a parent or sibling passed away very close to their attendance. We had a camper who also had never encountered a Christian before coming to camp — he made a profession of faith at the end of camp! Every story is unique, and we thank God for the work that was done this summer and the unknown work that will continue to happen in these kids’ lives.
This summer, I continued to serve in an administrative role — overseeing registrations, finances, communicating with parents, and handling numerous day-to-day questions. I also oversaw the curriculum teaching and assisted in supervising the Kainos staff. Additionally, I directed our Media Tech, Ben, who did a fantastic job capturing and sharing memories of camp this summer. I continued my role of picking up food and supplies and led devotions and teaching times during evening meetings.
Johanna was busy with the boys this summer, helping them with their “summer job” of stocking and cleaning the snack shop daily. Joses and Eran were excited to participate as campers in our Kainos (overnight) program and the Day Camp program, which they loved!
We have had a little rest after finishing a long summer program this past week, before we head into our retreat season at the end of the month. Ahead in September and October, we are looking forward to our Mother/Daughter Horse Weekend, a Father/Son Weekend, a Teen Retreat, and numerous guest retreats. I will also have the opportunity to speak in supporting churches — giving an update on the summer ministry and presenting a message.
We continue to thank you for your prayers and financial support of the work we are doing at New Life. Our regular donors meet about 80% of our financial need, and other gifts that come from individuals and churches make up much of our extra needs. If you aren’t able to give on a monthly basis but would still like to support the work we are doing, you may do so through New Life’s Donation Page. Thank you for partnering with us in impacting lives at New Life Bible Camp.
In Christ,
Chris, Johanna, Joses & Eran
See More of What's Happening at New Life Bible Camp
There are so many stories and experiences to share for just one newsletter. We invite you to check out our YouTube page to see some of the highlight videos from the summer and the experiences that campers had. Below, I have included a highlight from each of the three camps that we offer, showing some of what happened at camp this summer.
