Imagine you’re an orphan teen at Last Bell’s summer camp for the first time. What memories do you carry?
From early childhood, you remember your grandmother’s care. She feeds you and makes sure you go to school. Your mom never stays long.
You remember your grandmother dying. She’s your only source of security and love. At the orphanage, the caregivers’ affection is spread thin. Grieving alone, you make a decision: better not to feel anything.
After graduation, you have lots of freedom. You try drinking, partying, anything you can. It all leaves you empty after the excitement fades.
Then something changes.
Kind people show up at your dorm. They invite you to the clean, bright Day Center. There’s always a hot meal. You hear interesting conversations about how to navigate adult life. The leaders seem warm and friendly. But you’re skeptical. What do they want from you?
Soon they invite you to camp.
Every morning you wake up in a beautiful place, and someone is happy to see you.
Every day the leaders share a new activity with you. Hiking, games, rafting on the river. Some of these things are scary and hard! But the leaders stay with you and encourage you. You’re surprised by how much you can do.
Every evening at services, you sit close with others, laughing and talking. You never feel unwanted. The leaders answer your questions. They seem to think you’re worth knowing.
One night, you’re sitting quietly with a leader and your whole story gushes out. You feel it all over again—all your hurts. All your sadness and fear.
But you also feel something new.
You experience trust for the first time in years. You think, “Maybe with their help, I’ll be okay.” You even feel a little bit of hope.
Friends, our orphaned youth often can’t express what camp means to them. And the stories they do share are sometimes private.
But we see the impact in the fall. The summer’s campers faithfully attend Day Center, ask for advice, share long-neglected physical needs.
We welcome you to help us plant this seed of life for orphaned youth! One day of camp costs just $47, a full week is $285, and you can send a whole orphan-led family to family camp for $1140.
Will you make a gift to send orphaned youth on this most important adventure of the summer?
Give Toward Camp