Sarah's Big Kids Camp

Sarah is a camper-turned-BKC-organizer. She graduated from the University of Michigan a few years ago, after being very involved in the Wesley Foundation campus ministry, and now works in Illinois. She loves Big Kids Camp so much, she even introduced it to her now-husband, Jimmy! Below, she shares what she loves about BKC and why you should join us this year :)

"When I graduated from high school without ever having set foot on a church campground, I thought I had narrowly avoided what I assumed must be an annual week spent alternating between awkwardly trying to turn strangers into friends and feeling guilty for not having a dramatic call story to share around the campfire. Luckily for me, I was wrong on both accounts. It turned out I had not “escaped” the Methodist camping experience; the summer after my second year of college, my Wesley Foundation friends invited me to something called Big Kids Camp for post-high-school-age young adults. It also turned out that Big Kids Camp was nothing to be afraid of...in fact, it’s probably one of the closest things to (young adult) heaven that I’ve ever experienced: the meals are provided, the naps are unlimited, and the people don’t judge you if you eat ice cream three times in one day.

Each time I’m at Big Kids Camp, I like to remember the following words from a campground mission statement, "Our mission is to provide a welcoming Christian sanctuary while removing distractions between our guests and God.” For me, my big distractions are technology and the need to feel “productive.” Coming to Big Kids Camp forces me to put away Facebook for a few days and helps to remind me that sometimes catching up with a friend, meeting a new one, or simply staring up at the stars are the most productive things you can do.

The heart of Big Kids Camp happens every night at sundown, when we gather around the campfire to sing praises and share whatever is on our minds. Nobody is required to speak, but anyone is welcome to. There’s a shared understanding that whoever is speaking will not be interrupted or judged. I’ve often wondered how our lives and world would be different if we could end every day around a fire with our neighbors.

After years of attending Big Kids Camp, it has gotten to the point where I don’t feel like summer has officially begun until I’ve reconnected with my friends and reconnected with God. Luckily for me, Big Kids Camp happens this and every Memorial Day weekend."