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Camp frees youth to worship fully

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  • Brandon Leonard •
  • Originally published July 15, 2008 at 11:47 p.m., updated July 15, 2008 at 11:47 p.m.

Confidence. Freedom. Companionship.

These made a religious summer camp different for the youth who attended than just any camp or any church service.

“I love coming back,” said teenager Sofia Redden of Tulsa, Okla., who has attended the camp for eight years. “Here, I’m not afraid to worship God to the fullest, and I’m surrounded by people my age. It’s like a sanctuary.”

125 youth from Oklahoma, Lousiana and Texas came to the 11th annual Loose the Youth camp, whose goal is to teach kids how to make sound choices in the midst of peer pressure, Pastor Walter Ford said.

The camp for children ages four to 19 mixes normal camp activities, such as bowling, movies and skating, in with spiritual ones, featuring times of worship, preaching and prayer.

Founders Walter and Bonita Ford said they deal with topics relevant to the decisions children today are having to make, from deciding who their friends are to whether or not they will go to college or have sex.

“We want them to be a plus in society, to build the community up instead of bringing it down,” Bonita said.

El Campo teenager Valerie Flores, who has gone to the camp for four years, said she comes back to the camp year after year because of the spiritual connection she feels having so many people her age there worshipping with her.

And Victoria teenager James Ford, Walter and Bonita’s son, said the seeing the adults volunteering time to help him and other youth encourages him to do great things in life.

“It’s a great feeling, experience and environment to be in,” James Ford said. “It makes me more confident to go on and do great things in my life.”

Roughly 35 volunteers took time away from work and other responsibilities to help with the event, Walter Ford said.

New Wine Fellowship, who hosted the camp, invited four speakers to come preach, tackling issues of suicide, depression and rejection.

“We believe that something can happen in their lives to make them better,” Bonita Ford said.

Brandon L. Leonard is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-574-1286 or bleonard@vicad.com. You can comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.

Want to see it for yourselfLoose the Youth camp will open its doors to the public every night at 7 p.m. in Victoria’s Community Center, 2905 E. North St.



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Comments

  • yawkuma yawkuma Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    Thank you for publishing this article. I have been on the Loose The Youth Staff for 7years now, and I have seen God do amazing things in the lives of young people. My own son has benefited from going to camp. He started out very angry and very shy, and now he can get up in front of the entire camp and sing, he loves other people, and he loves God with his whole heart. I thank God for Loose The Youth, the Leadership of Apostle Walter and Pastor Bonita Ford, and all the great things yet to come.

    July 20, 2008 at 9:38 p.m.