Growing up below the poverty line in Ohio’s inner cities, they are fatherless, hopeless, frustrated and hostile. To many they seem unreachable, unwilling, fed up, lost, broken, hurting, alone and struggling.
CampUCAN, State Convention of Baptists in Ohio’s outreach to urban young men, ages 9–15, aims to combat the challenges these young men face with the gospel through mentoring from adult Christian men.
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Ninety-four young men gathered at Round Lake Christian Camp, Lakeville, Aug. 5–8 for CampUCAN. There they met 25 Christian adult male mentors and Christian speakers who rallied around them.
They were loved, reassured, strengthened and encouraged to believe that they can do all things through Jesus Christ.
Transformation happened at CampUCAN as 65 attendees prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior. That alone would have been enough to rejoice about. But God had more blessings in store as 37 young men who accepted Jesus Christ asked to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Realizing their purpose
Ultimately 27 youth and one adult mentor were baptized in Round Lake. Parental consent was given for the youth who were baptized.
Senior mentor, pastor John Maze, Agape Bible Fellowship Church, Dayton, said, “God is always willing if we just turn to Him in our time of need.”
Since CampUCAN started five years ago, all campers have attended free of charge.
“No urban youth is ever charged for attending the retreat,” said pastor Reginald Hayes, SCBO senior staff and CampUCAN founder. “Every dollar is raised from churches and organizations that believe every person, no matter who they are, has a plan from God for good if given the opportunity to realize their purpose.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kirby Mitchell and originally published by the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.
