Loving the Overlooked - Summer Camp

Brett Sanner writes:

Did you attend camp growing up?  In my own life, God has used it to strengthen, encourage, challenge, convict, and so much more!  This summer Helping Hands (our ministry here) is partnering with a number of other local groups to offer several camp experiences for refugees (men’s camp, family camp, and kids camps).  In the past, God has used these camps to change the lives of refugees!  We’re praying for even more lives to be impacted this summer.  Will you be a part of our summer camps this year?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As the summer is approaching, may the Lord bless you in every way and to make you a blessing to many for His glory.

Some time ago I read a devotional thought which I want to share with you. “’When David was a refugee in the desert of Ziph… Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God’ (1 Samuel 23:16).  Actually, Jonathan went out to find him and encourage him. He could not meet all of David’s needs or solve all of his problems, but he could offer friendship, presence and prayer.”

This is what we, at Helping Hands, with your prayers and support, are trying to do for the refugees who have so many needs. We try to offer some food, clothing, medical help, shelter, showers and above all friendship and prayer that the Lord will intervene and open their eyes to know Jesus as their personal savior and to help them for their physical needs as well.

As we serve the Lord by serving the refugees each week at the Athens Refugee Center, we are also in the midst of planning and preparing for a great summer of outreach and discipleship. We’ll partner with two separate camps in order to serve and love refugee men, women and children. We will have the following outreaches:

I. With Hellenic Ministries, we will organize two camps, providing several staff members and helping cover the basic costs of the week.
1. June 6-10, a week of camp for single men
2. June 13-17, a week of camp for families
Helping Hands is seeking to contribute €1000 Euros (1500 USD) to help cover the costs of these two weeks of camp.

II. We will send about 25 Greek-speaking refugee children for 20 days to the Christian camp of the Greek Evangelical Church in the village of Kalamos, just outside of Athens. The cost is estimated for at €300 (425 USD) per child for 20 days of camp.  We will need €7,500 (10,000 USD), then, to send kids to this life-changing camp.

Please pray for these camps –that even now, God’s spirit would be at work in the lives of the refugee adults and the children that will attend.
Pray that the Lord will provide the means to cover the cost of these summer programs.

With love and thankfulness to God for each one of you and your prayers

Nikos Stefanidis
Director of Helping Hand

Would you pray for these weeks of camp?  Pray for safety, pray for fun, but more than anything, pray for the transforming power of God to be at work! Pray that this would be a defining week in the lives of these men, families, and kids.  Pray that they could say, “This is the week that God changed my heart; this is the week that I chose to follow Jesus!”

Would you give generously to help us cover the costs of these weeks of camp?  If you have a US credit card or banking account, you can give online HERE.  Designate your gift for “Helping Hands – Summer Camps in Athens.”

Otherwise, please send a check to one of the addresses below, with a note designating your gift to “Helping Hands – Summer Camps in Athens.”

International Teams – USA; 411 W. River Rd.; Elgin, IL 60123, USA

International Teams – UK; PO Box 11; Brecon, Powys, Wales, LD3 9WJ, UK

International Teams – Australia; PO Box 1123; Baulkham Hills, NSW 1755, Australia

International Teams – Canada; 1 Union Street; Elmira, Ontario N3B 3J9, Canada

This is a ministry near and dear to my heart.  If you look closely at the picture, you will see me (look at the guys in green)!  I can attest to the fact that these camps do indeed change lives.  Please - if you can in any way support this ministry, do it!

Keep yourself informed by visiting "Loving the Overlooked".  The blog of Brett and Kristin Sanner - and hey - feel free to support them as well!