Summer camp for 2012 has come and gone with many Native children able to attend and many life-changing decisions for Christ made.  UIM's three camps, Alpha and Omega in Mexico, Broken Arrow Bible Ranch in New Mexico, U.S., and Rock Nest Ranch in British Columbia, Canada, all make spreading the good news of Jesus Christ their number one priority. 

Alpha and Omega Camp once again brought together young people from various villages and languages to learn from God's Word, enjoy fellowship, and have fun.  There were two consecutive weeks of camp with around 50 campers each week.  Camp was enjoyed at the Presbyterian camp in Huauclilla, about an hour and a half north of the city of Oaxaca.  Although this camp is quite rustic, the young people had a great time, finding adventure in sleeping in large tents made with tarps.  

Under the capable leadership of UIM missionary Oliver Gallardo, fruit was seen from the devotionals and plenary sessions centered on the theme "A World Upside Down," which emphasized how, in the world's values, wrong is often right and right is often wrong.  The final nights around the campfire provided the environment for the kids to open their hearts to the working of the Holy Spirit with many confessing their weaknesses and expressing a desire to follow the Lord with their whole hearts.      

Broken Arrow Bible Ranch praises the Lord for the good staff that He provided this summer.  They were especially blessed to have a very strong staff of boy wranglers and counselors, enough to successfully lead the cabins all summer.  One of the most blessed facets of their summer staff is the Native adults who come year after year to add maturity and are role models to the younger staff.  There are several that have been there every year since they themselves were campers, then wranglers and counselors, and now adult mentors.  With the help of these dedicated staff members, they were able to operate a successful camp for the 962 campers who came through the doors, allowing them to interact with the staff and experience the love of Jesus that many had never known before.  It was a joy on campfire nights to hear the testimonies of changed lives.    

The theme during camp at Rock Nest Ranch was "Be Different."  The staff and campers were challenged to live a life that is different from the rest of the world.  Scott Anderson, staff pastor, led all staff meetings and chapel times out of God's Word.  Many discussions were had in cabins during the evenings as kids asked questions about Jesus dying on the cross, what that looked like, and why.  After breakfast one morning, some boys and their counselor made cross necklaces out of nails to remind them of what they had just learned about Jesus' death on the cross because of the love He has for them.  There were about six boys and five girls that made a decision to live a life of following Christ.  God used the Andersons to speak to everyone on a heart level that was life-giving for everyone who interacted with them.

A successful camp season takes lots of people working together throughout the year before camp even begins.  Each camp is appreciative of those who came throughout the year and summer,  whether it was as volunteers or short-term ministries, to help make each camp experience successful.