I have been going to camp now for over 10 years, and of all the things I do annually, this is the “must do” event for me. A lot of people I know always ask how my vacation was when I get back from camp, and I tell them that it is definitely not what I would call a vacation!! It is the hardest thing I’ll ever do, but the most rewarding.

We take a lot of things for granted, including being loved unconditionally by those closest to us, but for some of these little people that is not the case. Some of them act out in different ways just to feel that they are even been noticed.

There was a little guy who was deathly afraid of bees, even though he wasn’t allergic. He would spend a better part of the morning in a paranoid state, but as the day wore on, and possibly his medication, he would settle down and start behaving like a free spirited kid. He would be so proud of himself in those carefree moments that he would run up to me and ask me if I could see how he wasn’t afraid of bees (for the moment). I recognized how all of these kids were trying so hard to navigate life, and figure out to process all that they had experienced and what they were experiencing at camp. I do know that for the 5 days that they were in our care, 100% of them got a glimpse of what unconditional love looks like. It is my prayer that they hold those memories close in their memory banks whenever they feel like life is kicking them in the teeth.

It is my pleasure and honor to serve these kiddos.

Lefo Phororo

I booked my 16th summer with Royal Family Kid’s Camp this year. It consistently awes me how God works in the lives of children as well as adults. The children get to experience things that they would not otherwise have exposure to. They get to go fishing, shoot bows and arrows, learn bible verses, and sign praise songs. The adults get to be ministered to by the children in ways they did not expect. Children feel safe and share their stories with their counselors or staff. The vulnerability shown by the children impact the adults by the level of trust the children are sharing with them. When a child feels responsible for being homeless because they wanted a toy or a child feels that she has no value or worth in this world, their time at camp can be transformational. We had the chance to pour into God’s little ones for a week and continue to pray over them long after camp is over. The children’s experiences at camp created a foundation for them to lean into when times are tough, songs to sing when it seems darkest, and scripture to hold onto when all seems lost. Royal Family Kids uses tools of treating people royally. Using teachable moments and continually moving forward are the cornerstones of how we love God and love others.

Michelle Munden

This morning as I was getting ready for the day I looked out the window and see Nathan with one of his Campers. He was having a quiet time of devotion. What a thrill to see a young man mentoring his camper and talking about the Lord. Blessings are flowing here at Royal Family Kids Camp. Love seeing one generation passing on the passion for our Lord to the next generation.

Mike Olson

Our Lion’s Den is getting a crazy workout. Last night the team created an amazing obstacle course for Laser Tag. Then these ladies pictured below, and many more, created a Royal Tea for our girl campers. We learned that Tea stands for. T is to teach other about Christ. E is to encourage others, and A is to adore God and love others. Blessed to be serving our King with a fabulous team.

Jeanette Olson

As I started this journey I wasn’t quite sure what it was that I was getting myself into, but I learned a long time ago, although I don’t trust myself fully, I trust in God completely. As the first night wound down I gave my two girls coloring books for them to start to settle down and get into bed. As I’m watching them I’m thinking “how cute” look at them coloring peacefully sharing markers. Finally, they got into bed and fell asleep. This morning I woke up to the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. These two beautiful young ladies were not coloring last night; they were up doing Bible verses! They were literally writing down Bible verses and then taped them on the wall. So my first sight this morning, I look up and I see a giant sign that says “God loves you,” and it almost brought me to tears because I thought “wow they weren’t coloring at all they were just in the presence of God.” I am so thankful for God putting these two young ladies in my life. Their actions last night truly touched my soul. May God continue to stay very present in these two young girls lives. Thank you Yahweh for bestowing such love on me.

Vanessa Sawyer

The rewards of this camp come with both highs and lows. This year has been a big difference than last year. My first camp last year was great, I felt like I had two fairly easy going campers. It came with a few expected melt downs, but all in all it went well. This year I requested the same campers, but boy was I in for a ride. One of my boys has already had three melt downs, saying he hates me, kicked me several times and requested a new counselor. Yes the kicks hurt, the words stung and the request hurt my feelings…a bit. But reaching out and using the resources of the coaches and staff and showing my camper that I’m not gonna leave him paid off. After all had calmed down and he made it back to the cabin and was getting ready for bed, my camper reached out for me to hug him and said, “sorry, tomorrow I will be better and it will be a better day!!! Those small victories make this worth it all.

James Hale

Today I start my 19^th year doing Royal Family Kids Camp with Crossroads Christian Church. Over the years I have been a counselor, staff person, Grandparent, and for a few years the Camp Director. Today however I was blessed to do something I’ve never done before. I was able to experience the camper check in at church, and then ride the bus down to camp with the boys. God allowed me to see and experience through their eyes what they see when they arrive at camp. The excitement and anticipation they all had was overwhelming. Seeing all the counselors and staff cheering on the kids as they got off the bus was truly a special moment in my RFKC life. Tan you God for this gift. May you grant me strength and wisdom to complete this week with your children.