With the summer camping season just around the corner my thoughts turn to my days as a camper at Lake Sallateeska, the Baptist state camp in Southern Illinois, one of the most beautiful places in the world. I know there may be more beautiful places in the world, but this place ranks up there in my top ten! As I reflect on the natural beauty that God created there I understand why it is so beautiful to me.  It is because of the beauty that God created in my heart when I was a GA camper there many years ago that gives Lake Sallateeska such an endearing and meaningful place in my life. God opened the heart of a 10-year-old, homesick camper many years ago and drew me close during a dedication service. I gave my heart to Him that year. Little did I know then that I would give my life to Him in missions service during another dedication service as a teenager a few years later. Such is the impact of participating in a missions camping experience.

My encounters with God at Lake Sallateeska as a camper and later as a staffer truly changed and impacted the future direction of my life. I am ever grateful to those who made those experiences possible and to Illinois Baptists for providing the facility and monies to make missions camps possible.

I know the same is true in Florida.  Our missions camping program for girls and boys, now called Camp WorldLight, began 70 years ago with missions camps for girls. Florida WMU wanted a permanent place for their camps to be held, and convinced the Florida Baptist Convention in 1960 that they were serious about a camp site by establishing a “permanent camp reserve fund.” The Florida Baptist Convention State Board of Missions began their search for a piece of property in Florida.  In 1962, the Florida Baptist Convention purchased property on Lake Yale.  In 1965, GA camps were held on the property for the first time. I am so grateful to our churches and individuals who have made this possible.

In just a few weeks girls and boys, along with their counselors, will be settling into the North Camp at Lake Yale.  In addition to swimming, archery, outrageous games and the ropes challenge course, they will be learning about God’s great mission all around the world. The theme for Camp WorldLight 2016 is “Unashamed.” At Camp WorldLight, campers get to learn the importance of spreading the Gospel and how they can be involved in missions–even at a young age. They will get to participate in exciting worship and have the opportunity to dig into God’s Word every day. They will also have an opportunity to learn how to put what they are learning into action with hands-on missions training and will hear from missionaries from around the world.

There is still time to register for Camp WorldLight 2016.  Go to www.campworldlight.com for more information and to download a registration form. I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do at Camp WorldLight this summer!