A Journey Toward Transformation
In his twilight years, Moses might have gazed upon his staff, reflecting on how this humble piece of wood had stood as a testimony of God’s unwavering presence throughout his journey. Moses was among the biblical figures whose transformative story was emphasized at this year’s Middle School (ages 12-14) summer camp, themed ‘SHIFT Shu Sar’ (Did You See What Happened).
Gia, a camper, shared,
“I loved delving deeper, like when Moses parted the sea with his staff. It was just a staff—seemingly insignificant—but God used it greatly. So He can use my talents, too.”
Another camper, Jane, reflected,
“Rouba [the speaker] said the Lord is the God of all seasons, like with Moses. It made me see His presence in my highs and lows.”
“Change starts from within,” a camper noted during one of the group discussions. Christa, one of this group’s facilitators, found the teens’ openness inspiring as they shared about exam stress, anger, and bad habits they desire to overcome. “We encouraged them to bring these weaknesses to God,” Christa said. “One girl chose to distance herself from toxic relationships, seeking friends who brought her closer to Jesus.”
Amid these discussions, Tamara, hesitant to leave camp for fear of returning to her old ways, found courage after discussing the story of a biblical character. She shared with a youth leader how some of her friendships needed to change. The youth leader shared:
“It was amazing to see that after our talk, she found a new friend at camp, and they became inseparable—even during the prayer stations. It’s hard to find friends like that outside of camp, especially since Tamara comes from a non-Christian background.”
During a “My Story” evening, Maya, a youth leader, shared her journey growing up in church—like many of the teens at camp.
“Growing up, I thought I followed Christ because I went through the motions,” Maya said, “But when I saw the change in my sister, I knew I didn’t have her passion for God—until I heard the Gospel at a Christian event. I had heard it a thousand times before, but this time was different. And the proof was the change I saw in me.”
Maya’s testimony moved several teens to seek prayer because they, too, realized that they didn’t have that passion. Linda, 13, was one of the teens who had experienced the Lord’s presence that evening. Linda’s mother later shared,
“She returned home with tears of joy. This experience was profound for her—and I told her to carry this memory wherever she goes.”
Throughout this year’s Middle School camp, the stories of biblical characters resonated deeply with the young campers, illustrating how God works through ordinary people to bring about extraordinary transformations. For these teens, camp was more than just a place to have fun—although YFC camps are known for their fun element—it was a place where they could share their struggles and draw closer to God.
