At YFC’s high school camp, spiritual moments didn’t only take place on stage. They happened during quiet devotions, awkward prayers, late-night conversations, and bold decisions. Campers came with different expectations, stories, and levels of faith, but many left with something deeper: a personal encounter with Christ.
“It wasn’t me speaking; it was God.”
For Ghadi, this camp became a place of courage and transformation. “When I was first asked to share my story, I was terrified,” he admitted. But after being prayed over by leaders, he stood up and shared from the heart. “I started crying as I spoke. But I didn’t feel judged. I felt okay crying in front of people.” Ghadi described powerful moments of prayer and conversations with leaders that left him feeling seen, supported, and deeply impacted. “I learned twenty things from one conversation,” he said.
“Prayer felt awkward… and special.”
Gloria discovered something unexpected: silence. “This camp I learned that silence is okay. It’s a type of prayer,” she shared. For someone who considers herself a talker, the quiet was uncomfortable at first, but meaningful. “It was the first time I prayed out loud… I’ll look back and say: this was my first time.” Gloria also shared her testimony for the first time, trembling as she spoke at 4 a.m., but was surrounded by love. “I wanted them to see God through my story.”
“They actually care about you.”
The atmosphere of love and humility was something several campers noticed. “Leaders make you feel like equals,” said Ghadi. “And the prayer I prayed with a camp leader afterwards was powerful. He told me that I can go to God as I am walking or doing whatever I am doing. And I can surrender my day, my moment to Him.” One girl reflected, “The only time I feel safe enough to share my problem is at AXIS Youth Center or in camps like these.”
“If You want me to talk to this camp leader, let him speak first.”
Kamal, who had been attending AXIS for years, shared how he finally opened up about his struggles with depression and dark thoughts. “I said: God, if you want me to talk to this camp leader, let him talk to me first. Then the camp leader turns and says, ‘Do you want to pray?’” That prayer became a breakthrough moment for Kamal.
“I registered to have fun. I found so much more.”
Fayez came to camp with hesitation and fear. He had survived unthinkable trauma and loss in his childhood, including the death of his mother and sister, abuse, and homelessness. “I yelled at God one day: If You truly love me like they say, show me Your glory,” he shared. A week later, he got a call: he would be receiving a full scholarship to school. Since then, Fayez has grown in faith, got baptized, and boldly shared his story with the camp. “I learned to ask myself: is Christ really King over my life? This camp really benefitted me.”
Each camper’s story is different, but the thread that connects them is this: in this camp space, they felt safe to be real, supported by others, and met by God. Whether through prayer, silence, sharing, or worship, campers encountered a love that was deeply personal and transformative.