Criteria for choosing a camp for your child

1. In-depth Bible study

For me, the Word of God has authority and is useful “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB).

I have seen more than once how Scripture moves a child’s heart and can change it, helping him to be obedient to his parents, to do good deeds, to be content, and more. Some time ago, my daughter said to me, “Mother, let’s do a Bible study, or do you want me to be disobedient?” and I was glad to see that she understood this connection. Many parents complain about their children, but few seek the solution in studying the Scriptures. If a child has understood this truth, all the more so we, the parents, must be aware of it. So, this will be the first criterion according to which I would choose a camp for my child. I would ask how much Bible study is done and what will be studied. The English camp organized by English for a New Life annually studies several Bible study books that change the lives of participating children.

2. Integrity and God-fearing leaders

One summer, I came to the camp with the “English for a New Life” team a few days before the start to prepare well for the English camp that year. By the way, we do that every year. That night I could not sleep from the noise in the camp, music, alcohol and dirty words. The team of leaders from the previous camp, certainly non-Christian, ended the camp and that’s how they spent it. I thought about what they offered those children in the camp — what could they have taught them, if the leaders, who should have been an example, behaved like that? This is the problem today — the lack of honest, God-fearing leaders.

Paul wrote to Titus, who was a leader, about the importance of being an example in all respects:

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness. (Titus 2:7 NASB)

If I choose a camp for my child, this will be a very good condition for me. I would seek to know who the leaders and teachers of this camp are.

3. Building discipline

I noticed that if I let the children rest too much, they are tempted to do nonsense. They don’t rest anyway, but they do something and often do nonsense. If I give them clear instructions and explain what to do, in other words, I set a fixed and clear schedule, they are very productive in good things. Children do not need so much free time, they need activities. That is why, another criterion according to which I would choose a camp for my children is the daily schedule. I would ask what they will learn in the camp, not how much they rest. All the activities of a camp must be well thought out to help the child in development and to guard him from too much free time for getting into trouble.

Translated by Didina Vicliuc