June 2021 Camp Newsletter

Peninsula Rescue Mission

Bruce's Camp Open Arms Story

Bruce first heard about Camp Open Arms (COA) at the age of 12. While he and his family lived in Suffolk, they were attending church in Newport News when Bruce's mother heard about a free Christian summer camp being offered to local kids by a nearby ministry.

Thinking back to his first experience of camp, Bruce said, “The food was amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. I remember thinking, 'I've never been to a camp where I felt so loved instantly.' Mr. Alan (PRM CEO) was like a father-figure to me, and I was able to get connected with the other campers so quickly. None of this was normal to me.” This first experience of COA was enough to bring him back again and again. Behind the scenes, the Lord was using camp as a means of drawing Bruce to saving faith.

Bruce is quick to tell others that having grown up in church his whole life, he thought he was good. In his mind he was coming faithfully every Sunday, not behaving or speaking like others his age, and therefore all was right with him and God.

In his third summer back at COA something changed. “At camp it really clicked with me. Without having a true relationship with God and a daily walk, I'm just as lost as anyone else. Camp taught me about having this daily relationship with God and actually talking to the Father instead of just a weekly Sunday thing. It's about having a personal relationship with Him.” Bruce prayed to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior that summer.

God was still not done using camp in Bruce's life. Several years after aging out, Bruce ran into Faith DeFriese while visiting his grandmother in the hospital. “Ms. Faith asked me if I wanted to come back as a counselor, and I said, 'Of course.' The fact that she still remembered me and happened to be visiting her dad (who led me to Christ at camp) were all signs that this was God's timing.”

Since 2014, Bruce has been coming back each year to COA as a counselor. He says, “At first it was really rewarding hearing the campers express a desire to become a counselor like me. But I've found nothing more rewarding then leading a camper to Christ.

Sure, it's great to have fun, play basketball, and that kind of stuff, but to know you are part of changing lives from being lost to having a relationship with God is the most rewarding thing. At the end of the day, it's all about planting seeds in hopes that we can make a difference in someone's life eternally.”

PRM has been able to offer this free camp through faithful donors like you since 1974. If you ask Bruce why you should donate to camp, this is his answer, “You can change someone's life just like mine was. Many of our youth do not get to be in an environment that tells you it is ok to be a Christian, to do the right thing. COA gives them a chance to get away, to the middle of nowhere, and learn about God and his principles.”

Would you prayerfully consider giving to Camp Open Arms this year in hopes that more lives like Bruce's will be changed for eternity through the good news of Jesus Christ?

"It's all about planting seeds in hopes that we can make a difference in someone's life eternally."

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A Note From Alan

COA 2021 is coming!!!

Camp Open Arms 2021 will happen this summer! We are grateful to The Edge Christian Camp for hosting us again this year! We cannot wait!!

Everyone has their COVID story…a loved one who passed away…the pain of not getting to visit family members in nursing homes…pastors, business owners, health care workers…everyone has a story. Some are amazing; some are very, very hard.

One set of stories that goes untold are the stories of students. Students lost so much due to COVID. Schools were almost instantly moved to online, and everyone scrambled to make this tough transition. All social aspects of school were quickly gone - sports, music programs, clubs, school dances, graduation parties, summer with friends…all taken away. I have heard from many parents that their students have struggled during this hard year.

And that's why Camp Open Arms 2021 is so important!! Many of our campers will see friends they've not seen in two years!! We will laugh together, play together, sing together, pray together, and study God's Word together! We will use the struggles of this past year - the fear, the isolation, the hurt, the pain - to teach our campers how important it is for them to have a relationship with Jesus!

As always, we are asking for your help to make COA happen. Sponsorship costs have risen. We wish that were not the case, but it is. Would you join us in investing in the lives of our campers? We are truly grateful for you!

Memorials / Honors

Moving forward, honors and memorials will be listed on our website (www.prm.info/memorials). We know how special these gifts are and we desire to add an even more personal touch to your generous contributions. If you provide us a name and address of the designated individual or family, we have a variety of PRM cards for notifying them of your gift. You can even include a brief message if you like. We thank you for your understanding and look forward to sharing more ministry updates with you in our newsletter.

Ways To Pray

Camp Open Arms

Campers — for a full camp, and hearts ready to hear from the Lord

Counselors — recruitment, and for energy and great wisdom as they minister to our young campers

Funding — that COA would be funded in full

Weather — cool, dry July days that will allow all the camp stuff to happen

Safety — that our campers and staff would be healthy and safe throughout the week.

Planning— executing camp around COVID restrictions

Men's Shelter

Continue to pray for the men who will come seeking shelter at PRM. While COA is in full swing with all of its rowdy fun, there are still hurting, burdened men that will seek refuge at PRM.

Pray for the Lord to fill our open positions of Kitchen Manager and a part-time Maintenance Man

Overcomers Program

Program Men – Mike W, Mike H, John H, Eric S, Eric H, James L, and Demetrius B

Pray for one of our men who now has a full-time job and will be transitioning out this month.

Pray for another one of our men who is now submitting job applications.

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDGE

In 2018, when our ministry purchased the Eastover Retreat Center, we did not realize at first the blessing that came along with it. My wife and I worked with youth for many years and would spend each year raising support to send young people to camp who could not financially afford to attend camp. Through the years we witnessed several young people come to the Lord through salvation. Summer camp has impacted the lives of many throughout the years, and what a blessing it was to know that the Peninsula Rescue Mission has been hosting their summer camp ministry on the camp property that was to become the home of The Edge Christian Camp. We are truly blessed to partner with The Peninsula Rescue Mission each year and support the efforts of the COA. The lives of these campers have been changed by the Word of God, and what a blessing it is to be a part of what God is doing.

Scott Carsley

President/Founder

The Edge Christian Camp Inc

3700 Huntington Ave., Newport News, VA | 757-380-6909