Kicking Off the New Year with a Supplies Drive!

Hi Camp Friends! 

We're collecting MIRRORS, art supplies, DUFFLE bags, QUILTS and game prizes for campers... If you've got costume jewelry, charms, buttons, beads, silk flowers, plastic gems, feathers, or any other "bedazzling" craft supplies, we are collecting them for our upcoming craft events. Wall mirrors of all sorts are also needed for our silent auction to raise funds for camp.

If you'd like to support abused children with a donation of supplies to camp, click HERE to Get Involved. 

God bless you, and Happy New Year!
The Camp Alandale Family

12 Days of Christmas - Camp Alandale-Style

Merry Christmas! We send our warmest greetings your way, and a special campfire song for you to sing along...

"12 Days of Christmas: Camp Alandale-style"

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Lord Jesus gave to me...

12 hugs of healing,

11 Piper's piping,

10 counselors leaping,

9 ladies dancing,

8 campers hiking,

7 campers swimming,

6 campfire stories,

5 Golden JCs!...

4 calling birds,

3 French toasts,

2 triumphant twins,

And a big, happy camp family!

We are so grateful for your prayers, volunteered time, and the sharing of your gifts that have built and sustained the ministry and brought much-needed hope and healing to so many children. We praise God that we have the opportunity to serve Him together and watch His awesome power at work at camp!

As you celebrate with family and friends, please consider giving the gift of a camp family to an abused child. Our campers attend camp for free, 100% supported by our donors. Please prayerfully consider coming alongside us in ministry in 2017 and making a donation to camp today.

We are so blessed to have you as part of our camp family, and we wish you joy and many blessings this day and in the year to come!

In His Service,

The Camp Alandale Family

A Year and Hearts Full of Praise

Thanksgiving Update

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

God did great things at camp this year! We saw campers accept Christ and saw even more grow in their relationships with Him. We settled in at our new camp location in Angelus Oaks. We saw the successful completion of our Hope for a Future campaign, which provided the new camp property and will support the vision for camp's future growth.

We are so blessed and grateful for our family of volunteers, counselors and JCs, staff and donors. And we have much to look forward to in the coming months...

Camp Directors Matt and Tarrah are preparing an exciting curriculum for Winter Camp, which begins in just a few short weeks and will run January through February. Winter camp is a special follow up time for campers who have previously attended in the summer, so the camper to counselor ratio is kept at 1:1 to allow maximum one-on-one time. This is part of what makes winter camp so special, but it also means that the need for counselors is great. We encourage all approved counselors to sign up for as many camp weekends as your schedules allow. And for those interested in becoming counselors, the next counselor training session in spring will be here before we know it. You are welcome to start the application process now if God is calling you to counsel at camp.

The Thanksgiving Camper Sponsorship Drive is underway, and we are hoping to raise the funds needed to bring 200 campers to camp this year. Each donation of $360 covers the cost of both summer and winter camp for a camper. If you would like to support camp with a financial gift this holiday season, you can find out more on our Giving page. 

For those called to serve in other ways, we have exciting opportunities for you to be a part of camp this year... The WOVEN Quilt Drive begins in January. We are collecting 200 quilts, one to give each camper who comes to camp this year to keep as their own. If your quilt guild or church would like to commit to donating a certain number of quilts, we'd love to hear from you in the Camp Office.

The J1:27 Chrysalis Brunch is a special Ladies' tea and brunch and will be held in March. We are currently looking for artists who would like to create and donate decorative mirrors for the silent auction to raise funds to support camp. If you are an artist or know one who would like to support camp with their creative gifts, please contact the Camp Office.

If you would enjoy a small gathering at the Camp Office in Idyllwild for fellowship and general office support like making phone calls, mailer preparation, or small craft projects, we always welcome helping hands. You can sign up using our Volunteer Form here.

We look forward to sharing more soon! We send our warmest greetings to you and yours and pray for much love, many blessings and joy through the holidays and into the new year.

In His Service Together,
The Camp Alandale Family
Matt & Tarrah Pritchett, Executive Directors

Camp Office: (951) 659-5253

BACK TO HOMEPAGE

Show Me Where to Go - Session #9, August 8-13

Session #9, August 8-13, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works” (Psalm 105:1-2)! We give thanks for you, for you are part of his wondrous works. Thank you for your faithful prayers all summer. We wouldn’t be able to do camp without you.

Session #9, over August 8-13, presented its own challenges. We had to work really hard to get enough campers. We had plenty of counselors and JCs, but so many kids are already back in school. Still, God divinely selected 13 special campers to be at Camp Alandale’s final camp of summer 2016. It was a good, difficult week. The week started off with a bus mishap, which meant a delay in the campers arriving at camp, but soon enough all 13 campers filed off the bus and into the loving arms of their counselors.

George came to camp against his own will. He mentioned many, many times that he didn’t want to come to camp, but his social worker had to convince him. At times, George made it difficult to run camp because he didn’t want to participate. Still, we knew God had brought George to camp for a reason. During the first or second day, George began to struggle with the idea of hell being real and at one point he blew up on his counselor because he was so fixated on this. This provided an opportunity to remind him, once again, of God’s unfailing love and unending hope offered through his Son, Jesus. He didn’t tell us for a day or two, but after George heard there was a different option than hell, he put his faith in Jesus and became a Christian. The battle wasn’t over yet as George would fall back into his old ways. We’d remind him that God had made him new like 2 Corinthians 5:17 says and prayed for him to resist the Enemy’s lies. Pray for George as he fears resistance back home for being a Christian.

Another girl, Melanie, returned to camp after a two year break. Melanie has struggled heavily with depression, suicide attempts, demonism, and darkness. She shared with us on Tuesday night when it was her turn to share her testimony that she had plans to kill herself this week if she was at home instead of at camp. Her counselor got to work with her all week and together they came up with 31 things Melanie does well. Her counselor reminded her often of God’s plans for Melanie and the hope we have in Jesus. Still, Addison questioned God’s existence and wondered where he was all the times she was being hurt. Through much prayer, God broke down her walls. She wrote a prayer on the last day which says, “God I give my life to you. I want you to show me where to go. Teach me what tenderhearted means. Give me strength when I cry to you. I want to help give mercy to others. God you are higher than any other and the most wonderful Father a person can ask for.” May we pray this prayer with Melanie today!

In Christ,

Jeremy Allen

Assistant Camp Director

Give Her Pain to God - Session #8, August 1-6

Session #8, August 1-6, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Thank you so much for your prayers. We are eternally grateful for your willingness to lift all of us up daily as we serve God at Camp Alandale.

This week I had two amazing girls who knew the Lord, and were eager to know Him better; however, both were desperate for love and guidance. One camper, I will call Anna. During our first one-on-one she confused that she felt like she was a lukewarm Christian, and that scared her. She also confessed she was afraid of what her family would think if she grew more passionate for Christ.

For the rest of the week I as able to mentor and encourage her to seek after God no matter what, and give her some direction as to what the next step in her Christian walk might be. Please pray for Anna as she continues to pursue Christ.

My second camper I will call Catherine. She confessed she was scared to be at camp, and cried the very first evening during worship. I found out later that night that she had been impregnated by her father after months of him molesting her. Her father was now in jail and she had been to counseling, but she still cried every night during our one-on-ones from fear of her father and from the pain of the past.

I would hold her each night trying to comfort her as I cried out to God for this beautiful child He had blessed me with for the week. During that week God worked in mighty ways. Catherine went from being scared of camp to desiring to return the next week with tamales for the staff, and more camp. During our Pine Cone Ceremony there was a lot more tears from Catherine, but I was grateful she had a chance to give her pain to God in a tangible way through throwing her pine cone in the fire. I do not know if she is completely healed from the pain that she went through, but I do know that someday I will see her in a place where there will be no tears and she will be free of that pain and hurt completely. Thank you again for your faithful prayers and love for us!

In Christ,

Maggie Matos

Summer Staff 2016

Talking & Smiling - Session #7, July 25-30

Session #7, July 25-30, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Hello from Camp Alandale in Angelus Oaks! It has been a great summer so far and we really, really, really appreciate your prayers. We are so thankful to have you interceding on our behalf.

God did an amazing work in the campers’ hearts this past week, and there were many campers who one day aspire to be a Junior Counselor (JC).  One of these campers was Susie.  Susie is quiet, gentle, and sweet. She did not talk much at the beginning of the week and kept to herself.  

Her dad had abused Susie sexually for years.  One day Susie and her sister were talking about what their dad was doing to them and they decided that they needed to tell someone.  Susie told her best friend at school the next day and Susie's friend encouraged her to share with a teacher.  Susie was brave in her decision to share with her friend and to finally say something. 

Even though Susie was quiet and soft spoken she shared her testimony around the campfire with everyone else at camp.  As the week went on Susie was talking and smiling more.  The next evening was pinecone ceremony, where campers can put their hurt, and pain on a pinecone and give it to God.  They then throw the pinecone in the fire.  In the morning their pinecone is no longer there and it symbolizes how God can take and keep their wrongs done to them. 

Weight had been lifted off Susie's shoulders and you could see the difference in the way she acted. There was a difference in her demeanor.  Susie also gave her life to God that week. She left Camp Alandale a child of God, forever changed. It was so sweet to see her big smiling face the remainder of camp. 

Please pray that Susie would get plugged into a church and would be able to grow in her walk with God.  She still has a lot of questions and is hungry to know more about God.  Susie desires to be a JC one day; please pray that God would prepare her heart to serve at camp.

Again, thank you for praying for us. We couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Ariel Bogue

Summer Staff 2016

Biggest Highlight of the Week - Session #6, July 18-22

Session #6, July 18-22, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

We want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support during Session #6. Without these things, camp would be much harder, if not impossible.

I, Leah, want to give you an update on this past week. Shawna was born in Japan to parents who were considered missionaries, but were actually in a cult. They believed in a God who should only be feared. They were extremely legalistic, and would beat their children when they did anything slightly “wrong.” Shawna and her siblings would end up with bruises covering their hands, bottoms, and thighs. The parents would make the young children fast and starve them anywhere from three to ten days. When Shawna was about 15 years old her parents came back to America.  Shawna's older sister ran away and fled because the circumstances were getting out of control. Shawna was left alone and felt abandoned, but what she did not understand was that her sister went and called the cops on her parents. Shortly after that, Shawna was taken away. 

She is now in a Bible believing foster home and accepted Christ as her loving, gentle, and compassionate Savior. On one-on-ones, Shawna had mentioned that when she grows up she would like to become a Christian rap artist and a missionary. Later on that week at camp, Shawna was given that amazing opportunity to rap with one of our staff members in front of the whole camp! She did an excellent job and in her words, “rapping here at Camp Alandale was the biggest highlight of my week, maybe my whole summer!” Although God is doing an awesome work in her life, she still needs prayer. Shawna desperately needs Christ’s strength to forgive her parents. Shawna also needs healing form all the scars her past abuses have left on her soul.

On the first night of camp, Rosa shared her story with me (Bekah). Sitting on a bench beneath the trees, she unfolded the highs and lows of her childhood years. She’d grown up in Oregon in a Christian family and just recently discovered that her dad had sexually abused her older sister. Trying to escape the pain, her sister had attempted to kill herself multiple times, and when her dad found out he demanded that she stop. She agreed to it for the sake of Rosa, saying, “I’m only doing this to protect her.” Voice breaking and tears streaming down her face, Rosa recounted the details to me, and asked how her dad could do that. “He called himself a Christian!” Sadly, Rosa confessed that she struggled to sort through all the memories of her dad—the good and the bad, and how to make sense of it. 

As the week progressed, I watched Rosa grow in her understanding of God as her perfect heavenly Father. Though her earthly father has forsaken her, God has never once left her side and He proved that to her at camp. Please pray that she would reconcile her relationship with her dad and that God would continue to strengthen her faith and encourage her. Again, we want to thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you abundantly.

In Christ alone,

Leah Dickinson & Bekah Woods

Summer Staff 2016

That's My One-on-One - Session #5, 7th-9th Grade

Session #5, July 11-15, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Last week, Session #5 from July 11-15, was another counseling week for me and I was blessed to be very emotionally stretched by my girls. One of my campers was named Tiffany, she was taken away from her parents when she was young because her family was addicted to drugs and has been in five foster homes since then. She was such a sweet girl, she held my other camper when she was feeling sick, and she treated all of the other campers with such love. She has been going to church and has known God as her Savior since she was young.

Right now she is in a good home but there is a family that she has known for a while who wants to adopt her, and I thank God for that. They are a Mormon family and she loves them so much. At first I was worried about them being Mormon, scared that she would be confused by their teachings. But I asked her who she believes Jesus is and she said, “He is God, the way to get to Heaven.” The family takes her to their house on weekends and is throwing her a birthday party in August. They take care of her and she loves all of the children in the family. So although she will be faced with some challenges to theology in the future, she is going to be safe and loved and I think that is where God wants her to be. Pray that she stays close to God as she goes into high school, that she would fall even greater in love with him.

My other camper's name was Jenn. She is highly functioning handicapped, but she could run, laugh, and play like any of the other kids. She was very clingy during amphitheater time, I gladly endured many dead arms during the week. She liked to play games of being mad at me, not talking to or looking at me and sitting far away. Then she would take my hand, pull me aside and say "we need to talk" and apologize for the way she had been treating me. She also has epilepsy, and had a few seizures during the week. The first time we were walking together and she dropped to the ground, clung to my legs and tried to push her head through my legs. I was very confused as to what was happening, but eventually she stood up, walked to a table to sit down and told me she was having a seizure. Throughout the week she would fake a few of them, not fall to the floor or anything, but tell me she was going to have a seizure in order to get the attention.

The other campers would also give her the attention she desired, hugging her and holding her hand as she walked. It was emotionally stressful for me because I didn't want to take a seizure lightly, but her parents confirmed she uses them as an excuse for attention. But God was good and there was no real complication. I think she went home feeling loved and I hope that she associates that love with God. God also used her to encourage me that I am doing a good job as a counselor. She shared her testimony at a campfire time, and in the middle of it she said, "That’s my one-on-one over there, she is very nice. My one-on-one takes good care of me. I like my one-on-one.” We have times where we talk with just one of our campers and it’s called one-on-one, which is where my nickname came from. Please pray with me that God heals Jenn's seizures and continues to protect her.

Thank you so much for your prayers,

Allie Hitchcock

Summer Staff 2016

Full of Love and Compassion - Session #4, 7th-9th Grade

Session #4, July 4-8, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Thank you for your labor of love for this ministry and to the Lord above. This week I, Bekah, had the privilege of sharing the hope of Christ with Dawn and Sarah. “Does God really answer prayer?” Dawn wondered one night. “How do you know?” After sharing stories of God’s faithfulness in my life, I suggested that we ask God for a shooting star. She’d never seen one before and hesitantly uttered the request. Within a few minutes, a bright light shot across the sky. Dawn witnessed her first shooting star and God’s answer to prayer.

Throughout the week she asked all kinds of questions about God, “If God loves us, why do bad things happen?” and “Why am I here?” were just a few of her inquiries about faith. She hungered to know the truth. Thursday evening around the campfire, she shared her story and decided right then to give her life to the Lord. Immediately, the two of us snuck off to the spot where she’d prayed for a star, and this time she prayed to join God’s family. With palpable excitement, Dawn spoke of telling others about her commitment and always remembering that night. For on July 7, 2016, Dawn became a child of God.

Later in the week, while watching her skip from rock to rock down the creek, I thought about God’s heart for her as a Father. Full of love and compassion, His eyes are on His child, beckoning her to come to Him and find life. He sees her and knows her intimately, for she is fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. Piggy-back rides to and from the tables, bedtime talks about the meaning of life, and the childlike faith Dawn possessed, reminded me of God’s goodness to welcome us into His family. “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God…” 1 John 3:1. What wondrous love is this, oh my soul!

This week I, Brian, was blessed to be able to invest in the lives of Sherman and Brandon.  Every soul that comes to camp is being contested, but I had a special sense of that this week in the lives of my campers. It was a joy to watch as each morning Sherman would make the effort to read his Bible and tell the other boys in his cabin who God is. Yet, one moment he would be joyful and shortly after he would be loudly demanding that I don’t pray for him. He was at times innocent as a small child and then hardened and rebellious. I found myself driven to my knees often in prayer for him. Thank you for keeping me accompany in prayer for him. It broke my heart seeing Satan’s attempts at derailing Sherman's life, and I am glad to have been able to pour into him, reminding him of the depth of affection God has for him and of God’s truths which alone can counter the lies.

We appreciate your prayers so much and are very grateful for your ministry to us throughout the weeks at Camp Alandale. God is greatly to be praised!

To God be the glory,

Bekah Woods & Brian Morris

Summer Staff 2016

Transformation of New Joy - Session #3, 7th-9th Grade

Session #3, June 27-July 1, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

This week for Session #3 I, Ariel, had two amazing campers, Cristie and Holly.  This was Cristie's first time! She shared with me that she did not really want to come, but how she was so glad that she did. Holly was super sweet and was ready to hear the Gospel and let the Bible studies soak in. By the end of the week she gave her heart to God. Her brother Adam also made a decision to live for Christ. Please join me in prayer that God would help them find a church to attend.

My other camper, Cristie, had a more difficult time.  Cristie has come to camp a few times and was fighting to open up and allow God to heal her heart.  She claims to be a Christian and is trying to grow in God.  She is very insecure and concerned with how others perceive her. Throughout the whole week she slowly opened up to me about what has happened and what she is facing now. Some weeks feel like a roller coaster with the information you find out about your camper and this was one of them. My camper started to have feelings for another girl camper, she shared that she has tried to commit suicide multiple times, and I found out she was inflicting self-harm at camp. I saw God make little changes in her heart day-by-day, knowing that these were big victories for Cristie. It was hard to see a beautiful young girl feel so insecure about herself and find no worth in who she is in God. Pray Cristie would hold on to the promises she has learned about God, and that she would not inflict pain on herself.

God blessed me, Allie, with two relatively easy campers for my first week of counseling. My campers’ names were Regina and Heaven and both loved camp and were eager to join in on all of the activities. Both of them poured out their stories to me on the first one-on-ones. 

Heaven's story was especially inspiring to me. Right now, she’s living in Orangewood and has been in and out of Foster Care ever since she was an infant. She has a past of being beaten down by her mother, but God has given her such a strong soul. She took taking care of her younger siblings into her own hands. Most inspiring of all, she spoke up for herself when she couldn’t take the abuse any longer and had herself and her siblings moved to Orangewood when she reported the abuse to the police. Starting on the first night, she told me that she knew God has a plan for her life, and she knew He had been with her all along. Her knowledge of God’s Word was small but she already came to camp with a lot of faith. On Wednesday night she shared her testimony in front of the other campers and told me she felt light and free afterwards.

I definitely saw a transformation of new joy and hope in her demeanor. Thursday night, the last night at camp, we played on the grass and stared up at the stars and I was blessed by hearing her amazement in God’s creation. We talked about how precious we are in God’s eyes, that if he took the time to make each star, how much more he values us, his children. On the last day of camp I asked her what God had been teaching her. She said God was showing her that she is important and loved. Goal accomplished! My prayer for her is that she continues to seek God in her life and that she would learn to lean on him for strength. Also pray for her that she would be placed into a loving and safe group or foster home. Thank you so much for your prayers.

With Christ’s Love,

Ariel Bogue & Allie Hitchcock

Summer Staff 2016

Our Labor is not in Vain - Session #2, 4th-6th Grade

Session #2, June 20-24, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

             Hello, my name is Garrett Denbaugh and I am so blessed to be able to serve up at camp this summer. This week, Session #2, was by far the most challenging and difficult week of camp for me. I was stretched to a point where my prayers turned from, “Father, give the energy and strength to last the rest of this week,” to “Father, I am running on empty. Would you please carry me to the end of the week? Speak through and be patient through me as you would to these campers.” My campers did end up teaching me a ton about myself and the God I serve.

My campers were Will and George. Will was this adorable kid with a smile that could make anyone’s day so much better. Will struggles with anger and has a hard time controlling his moods. He could be sitting at the tables laughing and having a great time, and out of nowhere he could be throwing punches at another camper. I had never met someone like Will before, so in the beginning of the week I had a hard time dealing with him in a manner that would stimulate growth. Prayer was my biggest weapon to fight whatever the enemy was doing in this child. One day as he and I were walking to the amphitheater, I encouraged him to pray every time he lost his temper. Sure enough, every time he got upset and ran off, I would ask if he wanted to pray about it and most of the time we would. He quickly learned that he needed God to cover him with his peace and joy. I kept thinking back to Psalm 32:10 where David writes, “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.” It’s that word “surround” that brought me encouragement in those times of prayer because God really wants to surround these campers with his love, overflowing their hearts, being the only one that can truly satisfy.

My other camper was pretty difficult. He wouldn’t listen to me, he would interrupt me constantly, and he would provoke any of the other campers that would mess with him. George had a lot of leadership qualities in him, but unfortunately struggled with the same things a lot of leaders struggle with. George was prideful and believed he was always right in everything he did. He would never apologize when he messed up and would not listen to me when I encouraged him to “be the bigger man” and “turn the other cheek.” At the end of the week, my heart was so heavy for him because I felt like he did not listen to a single thing that I was trying to teach him. However, I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 15:57 where Paul writes, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.” This verse gives me the confidence to know that every camper that comes to Camp Alandale is in the hands of our Sovereign Lord, who loves them unconditionally. Not every camper will respond in the way that you would hope, but our labor is not in vain and God has a great plan for Will, George, and all of the other campers. Thank you for praying for us! 

Sincerely,
Garrett Denbaugh
Summer Staff 2016

A Weight Lifted Off - Session #1, June 13-17

Session #1, June 13-17, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

It was Rich's first time at Camp Alandale when he stepped off the bus Monday morning. He was kind and excited for camp, but as the day progressed it was obvious that he was carrying a heavy burden. At amphitheater and campfire the first day, tears would well up in his eyes and pour down his cheeks. Each time he would cry he would ask to go to the bathroom, not wanting anyone to witness his emotion. That night, he lay on top of his sleeping bag, not even desiring to cover himself in its warmth, and he cried silently through the night.

The following day, his emotions continued to be aroused and now, instead of asking he would suddenly run off to the bathroom to hide his tears. While he was enjoying camp, his past continued to interrupt his day and overcome him with emotions he did not understand. During counselor prayer, Rich was prayed for and the counselors asked God to help him sleep through the night. By God’s grace that simple prayer was answered, and as God often does He went above and beyond the counselors’ request.

Wednesday evening at campfire time, after two counselors had shared their testimonies the opportunity was presented for the campers to share their life stories. To his counselor’s utter surprise, Rich's hand was the first hand in the air. Rich walked boldly to the front of the amphitheater, sat down in front of the fire, took the microphone in his hands, and told the entire camp his life story. Rich's father had left their family when Rich was just a toddler, and Rich's mother raised him and two younger brothers. His family recently moved from Michigan to California, but after a brief stay with their aunt, the boys were taken into foster care. Rich and his brothers are now living in a group home. While there were few details to Rich's story, as he shared the pain and anger he felt towards his father for leaving them, the tears once more rushed down his face. Only this time, rather than running to the bathroom to hide his perceived weakness Rich continued to tell his story and was received with many hugs by fellow campers when he finished sharing.

That night during his one-on-one, Rich admitted that he had struggled with showing emotion in front of people, but he felt like he had conquered a fear by telling his story even through the tears of his pain. And that evening, Rich got in his bed, took off his shoes, wrapped himself in his sleeping bag, and slept soundly through the night.

At the conclusion of the week, during Victory Circle when campers receive awards from their counselors, Rich received an award stating that “Rich is COURAGEOUS.” Rich is courageous for facing his fear and for recognizing the emotion tied to his past. He is courageous because he cares for his brothers and cares for his fellow campers.

God is good, isn’t He? He boldly answers our prayers, and often He does more than we even ask Him. Rich not only conquered his fear by God’s help, but he also now knows that God loves him and protects him as His Heavenly Father. Just as Romans 8 says, Rich as a follower of Christ is now God’s adopted child and coheir with Christ, whereby he can boldly call upon God as his “Abba! Father!” Rich's counselor could not help but think that as Rich wrapped himself in his sleeping bag after telling his life story, a weight had been lifted off of him and he now slept under the warm protection of His Heavenly Father.

In God’s Grace,

Alex Mailhot-Beutel
Summer Staff 2016

Effective & Efficient - Summer Staff Training

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Summer Staff Training, June 5-10

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

My name is Jacob Williams and I am currently serving on Summer Staff for the 2016 summer. I have had the privilege of waiting four years to serve in this capacity and God, through the Holy Spirit, has taught me a few things. First, that God’s timing will always be perfect and in order. Second, that He will allow situations and circumstances to occur so that the testing of my faith will produce greater fruit leading to righteous living and self-sacrificial serving. These lessons, along with many others, have better prepared me personal to firmly grasp the purpose of my presence at Camp Alandale for the summer and long after.

Having these elements in mind, Summer Staff Training week served as an effective and efficient vehicle for implementing into practical application, the many lessons I had been taught. The training in and of itself was not burdensome but rather greatly welcomed as I had spent the last four years behind a desk at Cal Baptist University and had become, well, restless. Needless to say, I have grown to appreciate the training, staff, directors, and behind the scenes individuals as I have been allowed to see just how much time and energy and love goes into Camp Alandale and therefore into the campers. I am reminded of Proverbs 21:5, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Seeing the hard work and good planning come to fruition here at Camp Alandale has created a desire for me personally to strive to do better for the name of Christ and my fellow brothers and sisters in the faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My name is Luke Kockler and I am serving at Camp Alandale for the very first time this summer. I am very grateful for all of the prayers on my behalf. I had spent the last three weeks travelling with Moody’s Men’s Choir in Southern Africa. I arrived at Camp Alandale around one o’clock in the morning, and I was wiped out. I was greeted warmly by Brian, a Camp Alandale counselor, and was helped to my cabin. Although this is my first time with Camp Alandale, I had no idea what to expect. I woke up and went down to the meeting lodge and met my fellow staff and companions for summer 2016. After breakfast we worshipped God and did a devotion followed by testimonies. I was very glad to see that the directors are concerned with our spiritual lives and desire to keep us fed.

Recovering from a nine hour jet-lag isn’t easy when you’re working all day. Fortunately, the jobs we were required to do were not too strenuous and actually helped me recover. I was able to find time to relax, yet completed the tasks and training modules that needed to be done. I’m looking forward to seeing how God will sustain me and provide energy and passion to serve and love these troubled children this summer. This is going to be very challenging to lead worship and counsel campers every other week. Training week has sufficiently equipped me with the knowledge and tools needed to provide a fun and safe environment for campers all summer. Again, thank you so much for praying for us and we ask that you continue to pray that we would effectively use the gifts given to us to edify and love these kids.

In God’s Love,
Jacob Williams & Luke Kockler
Summer Staff 2016

Show Me What I Need to Know - JC Training, May 27-30

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for JC Training, May 27-30

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Thank you for your prayers for our JC Training Camp over May 27-30. It was a great weekend to introduce the JCs to the new facility and welcome many new JCs into the Camp Alandale family. We had tons of fun and got to witness God’s work in the hearts of the JCs. I asked a few JCs to share their reflections with you.

Natalie, a camper JC shared, “From being a camper to being a JC, Camp Alandale is always a great escape for me. Every time I go I learn something new. This time around I learned that I cannot do things in my own strength. I have to have God by my side. Repeatedly, whether it was through someone’s testimony or just random things people said, I heard that I have to have God by my side. At the end of the weekend we were given time to reflect and see what God wanted us to take from the weekend. I went outside and said a prayer. I prayed to God and asked him to show me what it was that I needed to know. At that point, I opened up my Bible to Philippians 4 and came across 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.’ In this, I realized I can't do it on my own. After that I remembered a verse from the beatitudes, Matthew 5:3, ‘God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.’ I came to realize not only that I want him to be my encouragement, but I need him all the time.”

Elijah, a first time JC said, “JC training at Camp Alandale was definitely a learning experience for me. Spending a weekend of uninterrupted time with people I had never met, regardless of the reason, was not something I've ever been very good at. Thankfully, God gave me peace and kept me from worrying about the impressions I made to the other JC's, all of whom are now friends of mine. But, my anti-social tendencies aren't the only thing that were abated. To be one-hundred percent honest, I was terrified that I would make mistakes almost all weekend. My perfectionist mind couldn't handle not understanding how things worked or where they went. Despite my silent fretting, I never had an issue. As much as my pride would like to say otherwise, I know this isn't because I'm such a quick-learner, or even a normal-learner. I had to give my fear of failure over to God, so that He could get me to see all the other great things going on. I could enjoy real conversations with the JC's and dancing (if you could call moving awkwardly to songs you've never heard before "dancing") because I wasn't worried about making mistakes. Granted, I don't expect to walk into the dish-room and pull a 'Mary Poppins', snapping my fingers and having all the dishes clean themselves; however, I know that my best effort is all that's required of me. God can and will see to the rest. Psalm 25:9 says that ‘He leads the humble in doing right.’ I can look to enjoy my weeks at camp this summer because training taught me (among other, more specific things) to trust God with my fears, and He will help me through any situation.

Andi, another camper JC explained, “At camp a verse that kept coming to me was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ‘Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you who belongs to Christ Jesus.’ Camp has shown me to never stop praying to God even when I don’t hear an answer from God at that very moment. It doesn’t mean he isn’t paying attention. Also, God has challenge me to not be afraid in opening my heart to new people in my life. He also challenged me to talk about Scripture to my coworkers and classmates. My favorite moment was when we played Catch Phrase our last night together even though everyone was tired, but still wanted to talk and goof around. My other favorite moment was when the bus broke down and we all got out and started playing charades and laughing at each other. At that moment I thanked God for giving me lasting friendships.”

As you can see, God was at work during the weekend. Thank you for praying for us! We look forward to sharing more stories with you as the summer gets going. All glory and honor to God our Father.

God bless,

The Camp Directors at Camp Alandale

Pictures of the New Camp Alandale

The Camp Dining Hall

Views of the Santa Ana River

Looking over to the Camp Dining Hall

Humble Pastor's Retreat

Walking through the middle of camp. Look at all those heated cabins.

Standing Out - Session #4, February 26-28

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #4, February 26-28, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Greetings from Idyllwild! This past weekend, Session #4 over February 26-28, was a great camp. We had 12 campers, eight counselors, and five junior counselors. God blessed us with an excellent weekend of weather and a few small snow patches for the campers to enjoy. Your prayers were definitely felt as we went throughout the weekend. The campers really engaged with the theme of “Come to Me” as Jesus shares with us in Matthew 11:28-30.

This weekend was a little bit boy heavy. We had eight boy and four girl campers, which made for an understandably rowdy weekend. At times, we had to remind the guys although we want to have fun, we can’t shove or push one another. The boys all responded well and seemed to have a brotherhood going by the end of the weekend.

One boy in particular, Robbie, stood out to me. He had been to camp once before in the summer and definitely has some rough edges. I’d assume that off the mountain, he is known by a reputation much different than he brings to camp. I don’t know much of his story, but I love having Robbie at camp. He is funny, engages during the sessions, totally loves having a counselor, and really likes being at camp. He looks like a city kid, but loves being in the snow, hiking in the mountains, and living the camp lifestyle. Over the course of the weekend, I saw Robbie open up more and more to his counselor and answer even more questions during the sessions. Robbie even memorized and shared the memory verse with everyone on Sunday morning. I don’t feel like I am communicating it well enough, but Robbie really astonished me, rather God amazed me, in seeing how much he enjoyed being at camp. Despite not knowing Robbie's past, it amazes me how safe, comfortable, and loved Robbie feels at camp. I hope one day he’ll share his story with us.

Another set of boys that always stand out are Josh and Jonathan. They are twin brothers who have been attending camp since the 4^th grade. Pray for them! They have been reunited with their birth mother for some time and continue to attend camp. I know that coming to camp is a huge highlight from them. Both of them have even told me that one day they want to be a camp director. I always tell them, “I hope it happens someday.” Still, Josh and Jonathan vacillate in their spiritual beliefs and are yet to make a firm standing in the name of Jesus. Pray they would choose to follow Christ with their whole hearts. Pray that one of these sessions they would feel their brokenness and choose to follow Jesus. I know nothing at camp happens without prayer, for which I want to thank you and thank you again. Thank you for praying for all of us. We couldn’t continue the work at Camp Alandale without your prayers.

With the love of Christ,

Jeremy Allen

Assistant Camp Director

Being Amazed - Session #3, February 19-21

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #3, February 19-21, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Partners,

Winter Camp #3 was so much fun! We had a blast. Most of the snow was melted and it was 65 degrees in the afternoon but that did not matter to the campers. They were having so much fun exploring the new camp.

One of the campers named Rickie was so much fun. Rickie is the type of kid that always has a smile on his face. He is vibrant and intelligent, good looking, the type of kid all the other kids want to be around. He played hard all weekend and participated in the Bible Studies. I thought he knew Jesus for sure. But he did not. Not until Sunday morning that is. As we went outside to play volleyball for game time Sunday morning he and two other campers stayed seated with their counselors. I was wondering why they were not coming. I was just about to call to them when they bowed their heads and prayed. Wow, it amazes me every time. Thanks for praying for him.

Susie had been to camp last summer and was very nervous to come back for winter. I promised her that she would have fun when her foster mom dropped her off on Friday evening. She was so unsure of herself, timid and shy for the first few hours Saturday morning. By 10:00 am on Saturday she was out of her shell and soaking in everything she was learning in her Bible studies. We could see her light up as she realized how much God loves her. Pray she meets Jesus soon. I have no doubt that if she comes back to camp this summer she will give her heart to Jesus – Pray!

Please pray for counselors for winter camp. We seem to be very short on volunteers this season. It is always a challenge and we need to continually recruit, however our recruiting this year has been a little light due to how busy we have been with the new camp. We need to share at some churches to recruit more counselors. If you think we may be able to share at your church or small group please let me know.

In His service,

Matt & Tarrah Pritchett

Camp Directors

Favorite Moments - Session #2, February 12-14

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #2, February 12-14, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,            

Thank you, thank you, and thank you for your prayers. This weekend would not have happened without your prayers. At the very least, we would have started and then fallen apart. Again, thank you for praying for us. This past weekend, February 12-14, was the first weekend Amy and I led camp at the new Camp Alandale on the River location. Boy, were we in for it. Still, God saw us through and we had tons of fun.

As I was driving the bus down to Orange County on Friday afternoon, my stress was somewhat relieved when I remembered this weekend was a 4^th-6^th grade camp. The younger kids typically see through the details and only have one thing in mind, FUN, and fun we had. We played in the ice patches (all the snow is melted away by now), they played lots and lots of foosball and ping pong, and enjoyed checking out the new property. Counselors were wowed by the big camp lodge, enjoyed the heaters in the cabins, and felt more relieved of chores and responsibilities to simply spend time with their campers.

One of my favorite moments from the weekend happened during our hike on Saturday afternoon. Shelby, a very sweet camper, really wanted to play in the snow. She had an infectious smile and the most beautiful eyes. She very sweetly asked me before the hike began, “Jeremy, if we see a good patch of snow, do you think we could stop and play in it.” “Of course,” I told her. Toward the end of the road there was a great spot to stop. I asked Shelby if she thought it was good enough and she said it was. This was one of my favorite moments because I was able to give a good gift to Shelby. It reminds me of how good a gift our Heavenly Father has given to us in his Son Jesus. On our hike back, Shelby walked along side of me and I was able to ask her a few questions about her family.

            “Do you get to see your mom?”

            “No, and I don’t want to because I want to be happy.”

An answer like this breaks my heart. Here is a precious little girl, hurt by her mother so badly that she doesn’t want to see her anymore. It is also right where the Gospel story connects for Jesus knows what it is like to be forsaken and abandoned. He understands her pain. One day, I hope, Shelby will taste the sweetness of her Heavenly Father’s good Gift. Pray for Shelby. Pray for reconciliation with her mother, when being young still gives her a chance in the foster care system. More importantly, pray for reconciliation with her true Father! Thanks for reading!

With the love of Christ,

Jeremy Allen

Assistant Camp Director

Made New - Session #1, February 5-7

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #1, February 5-7, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Greetings from Idyllwild! Winter camp is in full swing and we’re very excited about the new location of camp. It’ll be a bit of a learning curve for us all this winter, but we are enjoying the new campus in Barton Flats more and more. Thank you for praying for this ministry as we share the Gospel with children who have been abused.

We are excited to share with you that Denise gave her heart to Jesus at camp. Denise had been coming to camp since 4^th grade and had not made a decision to follow Christ any the three other times at camp. She was a holdout wanting to know that this Jesus was for real.  Most of the time campers give their hearts to Jesus by their second time at camp. They hear the call of the Spirit and feel the love of Christ through the counselors and junior counselors so clearly they cannot resist. It’s like the campers have been drinking gasoline their whole life and finally someone gives them a glass of water and they know that this is what they have been searching for to quench their thirst. I appreciate when campers don’t make an instant decision though. I know for those like Denise that take the time to consider the commitment they are making, their walk with the Lord will be serious and they will not be a seed planted on rocky or thorny soil. Pray for her continued growth to maturity and for her to know true intimacy with God.

Well you may be wondering about how camp went at our new campus. It went fantastic with a few hiccups. We had to change around our timelines a bit to compensate for trips to the cabins and back, trips to the restroom and back etc. Meals went great and the food was delicious, washing dishes in the dish machine, now that we are no longer using disposable plates and cups added time to the meals. All this was such a blessing to camp, and the JC crew that was there for the first camp was fantastic, pitching in wherever they were needed and making things run smoothly. As a bonus we let them name whatever they wanted to name at camp. Little Squire 1 and 2 are the water dispensers, Sally Ice for the icemaker and lots of others I cannot remember right now. The counselors and campers alike enjoyed the heated cabins and walks along the Santa Ana River. The river is beautiful with patches of ice and wild German Brown Trout swimming up its crystal clear waters. What a blessing!

Finally,  please continue to pray for Roger. This little man had such a hard time at camp. He refused to exit the bus upon arrival. On the hike he refused to return to camp. In the morning he refused to get out of the shower until 45 minutes after breakfast had started. He has a sweet side that would come out periodically. His counselor Jeff was so patient with him and prayed for him all weekend. This boy is hurting so terribly and is out of control. Pray for his salvation and that his life will be restored by Christ. Thank you for your prayers as always. We could not do this without your help.

In His service,

Matt & Tarrah Pritchett

Camp Directors