I have wanted to go into ministry for as long as I can remember. Aside from my dad, I had youth pastors and coaches who invested in me, and I always knew I wanted to give back. During college, I focused on a degree in theology with missions or youth ministry in mind as a career. I loved being outdoors and going on adventures. Mentoring youth was a passion.
I graduated early and spent the spring term looking for work. I couldn’t find anything for months. One day, I stumbled upon Cameron Boys Camp online and gave them a call. The idea of living outside and taking adventure trips matched my desires. A deeper, relational ministry also piqued my interest. This job wasn’t your typical summer camp job but a year-round commitment and much more intense. After an initial phone interview, I set up a time to visit the camp.
I do not remember everything from my visit, but I vividly recall staying with the youngest and oldest groups. It was not easy. The younger boys had a difficult time listening. Chaos was always a moment away, but the counselors were able to capture the boys’ attention. The boys had fun playing games. Their unfettered glee chasing each other while playing tag stands out as one of my early camp memories.
The older boys were fun too. They could accomplish more than the younger boys, but their problems were more difficult too. They had plenty of practice concealing their issues, and it was a counselor’s watchful eye, discernment, and boldness that had to expose problems in the group because these guys wouldn’t come out and tell you what was bothering them.
The boys in both groups just needed an adult in their lives whom they could trust, talk with, and model appropriate behavior. This behavior I am referring to is not merely table etiquette, being quiet when someone else is talking, or learning how to pass an exam in school. It could be just having good-hearted, healthy fun—a necessity that was void in some of the boys’ lives. It is owning up to mistakes and making it right. It is exposing emotion that’s been bottled up for years. It is being patient with others when you’re at your complete wits’ end. It is not having all the answers no matter how hard you try. It is realizing that it’s not all your fault. It is being selfless, having integrity, and asking for help. It is the pragmatic, everyday living out of your faith the way Jesus did.
I was intimidated by the structure and discipline I saw during my visit. As a counselor in the woods, I’d be providing twenty-four-hour care for up to ten boys, five days a week. I couldn’t have my cell phone with me, so I couldn’t check the news or message my family and friends. At camp, problems are faced head-on, and I, as the counselor, would have to address those problems, hold a line, and ensure they were solved well. Choosing to come was a decision of the self-sacrifice of my wants and comfort. My whole purpose was to help the boys accomplish their goals so they could return to their families and be successful. I had to do that relationally because that’s the only thing that works.
I spent the eighteen-hour drive home to Kansas City praying and seeking counsel from family and friends. Everything pointed toward me going. Despite my hesitancies, I knew Cameron Boys Camp was where I was supposed to be. So two weeks later, I packed up everything I owned in my navy 1998 Honda Accord and made the journey again.
That was nearly sixteen years ago.
I would have never guessed I would be here this long. My original commitment was two years, but I felt God call me here, and I’ve never felt called away. I have learned an incredible amount through the devastating lows, the pinnacle peaks, and the much more frequent everyday moments where my character was revealed. Being a counselor in the woods has helped me be a better husband and dad. It’s taught me to be intentional with relationships and not only own up to problems but put in the effort to make positive change. It’s allowed me to touch the lives of countless boys and their families through the love of Jesus while growing closer to Him too.
I consider myself a domestic missionary, doing Kingdom work. We need men who are able to dedicate two years of their lives to helping young men conquer issues that have held them up. It is a difficult commitment, but it is one-hundred percent worth it.
There is a girls’ camp too that needs Godly women as much as we need men. I am sure the faithful service of God’s children will not be forgotten by Him.
If you want to know more about becoming a camp counselor or know someone who might be interested, visit www.campcareers.org.
Written by Jason Sullivan, Assistant Director, Cameron Boys Camp; Education Director, BCH Wilderness Camp School