Camp MiVoden Staff Member Reflects On God's Blessings

By Joshua Penhallurick

Camp MiVoden Staff Member

This last summer marked my fifth year working at Camp MiVoden. I first went to camp MiVoden when I was eight years old. I was hooked. I kept coming back each summer up until I was able to work there as a staff member. I started out in maintenance, then the kitchen, an activities counselor, and this last summer was my second year as boys’ director.

This summer was one of the most memorable summers of my life. When I arrived at camp, I had no idea what God had in store for us. At staff orientation week, everyone quickly bonded and got to know each other.

Then, with the first week of campers, there was a different atmosphere. The tight-knit connections between staff quickly spread to the campers too. Walking around camp, you could feel the love and joy being spread around camp. How people acted and treated each other, there was an overwhelming sense of God’s presence everywhere you went. It was clear to me that this summer wasn’t just about having fun at camp with your friends, there was a spiritual transformation in the hearts of everyone coming to camp.

This year’s five-night play told a story of how Jesus actively pursues us, even when we’re not looking for Him. The story took place in a medieval fantasy setting, reminiscent of The Princess Bride. From the youngest adventure camper to the wisest family campers, everyone was excited about the story of Jesus. Every week, the final night of the play included a reenactment of the crucifixion, showing just how far Jesus is willing to go to pursue us. And all week long, the counselors began and ended each day with worship, continuing to tell campers the stories of Jesus’ love.

I was amazed at the effect that MiVoden was having on people. Then teen week happened. That week, pastor Sam Smith shared his personal journey with Jesus and religion. He was completely open and honest. It was vulnerable. It was real and it resonated with campers and staff alike. After his first night speaking, we had campers in tears, and several who wanted to be baptized that week on Sabbath.

After that night, the staff made a quick decision to offer additional early morning Bible studies, and Pastor Smith offered baptismal studies. We had around 45 campers getting up earlier in the morning to go to these studies! 

As we saw this unfold, our leadership team at camp decided that we should set aside a time and space where campers could ask more personal questions that they had about God or their personal struggles. We asked Pastor Smith and he agreed to do it with Pastor Jeff Wines. It was a leap of faith, we had no clue how many people would go or even be interested, but we knew that it would be worth it even if only a few showed up. After the program on Friday, we ended up having around 60 campers asking questions and fully engaged in conversation. All of this led to Sabbath afternoon, when we traditionally offer baptisms at camp. Teen week this year had five baptisms in a single afternoon! 

God worked wonders this summer at camp MiVoden. We had at least one baptism every week this summer, something I have never seen before in my five years working there. But it wasn’t just the baptisms that made this summer special. It was all the seeds that were planted in the hearts of everyone that came that will continue to grow for years to come. This summer I found a renewed faith, a full heart, deeper friendships, and a gratitude for everything God has done and continues to do at Camp MiVoden.

To learn more about Camp MiVoden, or to register for 2026, see mivoden.com.