Is camp worth the cost?

The Wall Street Journal published an article today (3-12-09)
by Anjali Athavaley entitled, “Cutting Back on the Kum Ba Yah.” The premise of
the article is that in today’s difficult economic times, many families are
having to make some tough decisions and not send their kids to camp, opting for
less expensive options.

I certainly agree with the premise. Times are tough and just
like Starbucks, Wal-Mart and Home Depot, many camps and conference centers are
feeling the consumer spending pinch. However, a week at camp for a kid or a family
is much more than a simple consumer spending decision.

Ms. Athavaley writes, “For many families, camp is an annual
tradition that teaches kids independence, keeps them busy during the slow
summer months and gives parents some alone-time in the house.

If those are the only reasons that parents (or churches) are
sending their kids to camp, then now, when money is tight, is definitely the
time to re-evaluate. That kind of luxury is one that can no longer be afforded.

However,  a week at a
Christian camp or conference center is so much more than that. Camp is a place
where kids can “try on” their own walk with God. Camp is a place where kids
learn not only who they are, but the wonder of who God created them to be. Camp
is a place where kids and families can discover the richness of God’s creation
together. Through the temporary community of camp, they build strong life-long
relationships at camp that simply couldn’t be forged any other way.

Camp is a place where a family can really connect…sometimes
for the first time. They can eat together, sleep in the same cabin, play
together and learn together. And the big benefit is that they can take these
things home with them. Within the Christian camping community there are family
camps that routinely host generations of families each week of the summer. It
has become a cornerstone of their family dynamic and they wouldn’t skip it.

When a kid goes to camp she learns what God’s voice sounds
like. In the stillness of a starry night she recognizes that small quiet voice
on the inside that affirms, encourages, directs, leads…and loves. Then, when she’s
back home and once again caught up in the busyness and noise of life, she can
much more easily recognize that voice when it beckons.

Yes, camp is much more than a place to keep kids busy or to
give parents some alone-time in the house. Camp is a place where decisions are
made…life courses are charted and set. Ask any group of folks involved in
full-time ministry where they made the decision to serve God full time and
invariably the majority will say that it was at camp or on a retreat. God uses the
powerful tool of His creation to reveal His nature to us in ways we cannot
ignore.

So, is it worth the cost? To a Christian parent…what’s the
worth of providing your child with an experience that would put them side by
side with a caring counselor that will model the Christian life in front of him…daily?
If the peer group and role models are primary shapers of our kids’ lives, then
what’s it worth to take your child to such a positive place? How expensive is
the alternative of not providing those positive experiences and role models?

The camps that Ms Athavaley cites in her article are very expensive
private camps. She gives the example of a camp that costs $12,100 for two kids,
or $3,100 for four weeks of camp, or $6,100 per child or $4,700 for two weeks
for two kids. Admittedly, many of these camps are very exclusive multi-week
camps.

But by contrast, the average daily fee of a junior high week
of camp for a CCCA member is $32.50 (based on the CCCA 2007 Industry Survey). $32.50!
And that daily fee includes three meals!  Not only does a Christian camp experience
offer a child or a family far more impact and significance…they do it at a much
better price!

If you are looking for a true authentic experience for your
child or family this summer, simply go to www.findachristiancamp.com. This
directory lists over 900 camps and conference centers all across the country who
are members of Christian Camp and Conference Association.

These camps and conference centers can not only provide all the well-known camp
activities like horseback riding, adventure ropes courses, crafts, and archery,
and much more, they can also offer a life-changing experience with the One True
God and they can do it all for a lot less than the camps cited in the WSJ
article.