Forty from Jal Attend Youth Camp
By John Earp
Last week, 31 young people and 9 adults attended the Gen Now Church of God Youth Camp for the New Mexico/El Paso region. The theme for this year’s youth camp was “Now is the Time,” emphasizing the importance of making the most of every opportunity one has for the kingdom of God.
Filled with various activities each day, including Bible study, worship services, music and drama classes, zip-lining, swimming, hiking, miniature golf, rock wall climbing, basketball, and nightly devotional time, the camp counselors and at least most of the campers were very happy to hit their bunks at the end of each day, though some appeared to have virtually inexhaustible energy.
For the second year in a row, campers from the Navajo Nation joined in the camp, with 11 attending this year, with some from as far away as Kayenta, Arizona. The denomination has an outreach to the various Native American reservations in the Four Corners Region, which is now included in the New Mexico/El Paso Region.
A total of 126 campers attended the camp this year, which was held at Bonita Park in Alto, NM. A unique feature of youth camp this year was the ministry of J.J. Cox, an evangelist from eastern Tennessee whose ministry includes artwork he paints as the Spirit moves him, featuring biblical themes.
The altar times were powerfully moved upon by the Holy Spirit, with over half of the campers attending reporting being either born again for the first time ever or being restored in their spiritual walk with God, and 25 testifying afterwards to having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit during the services, as well as 34 testifying to having sensed a call to ministry during the services last week.
Bishop Keith Hawes, who pastors in Martinsville, Virginia, was the primary evening speaker at youth camp this year, with a strong emphasis on commitment to the Lord, sanctification (being made holy by grace), and witnessing to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to their friends, families and acquaintances. Particularly powerful was Hawes’ mentioning on Wednesday evening service that he has battled with depression, fear and even suicidal thoughts himself, that he found victory and freedom through renewed faith in Christ, and that with the increasingly high rate of depression, anxiety and suicide among teenagers in recent years, Christians need to know that in Jesus’ name they too can have victory over such attacks of Satan.
Adult volunteers from Jal who helped in various aspects of the camp included John and Jaime Earp (head cabin leaders), Aaron and Adriana Faulkner (cabin leaders), Gina Molinar (cabin leader and van driver), Melissa and Alfonso Cervantes (cabin leaders), and Chloe Earp and LaRee Lowery (snack shack workers). Campers from Jal (the single largest number from any one church in the region) included Gracie Earp, Elijah Earp, Uriah Maes, Alyssa Cervantes, Nayeli Cervantes, Evan Chance, Paisley Faulkner, Paige Faulkner, Ariana Gaytan, Whitley Little, Leilene Chavez, Kai Porras, Talyn Porras, Emma Angel, Richard Angel, Emma Sandoval, Ebany Aguilar, Arian Lujan, Isaac Hernandez, Kamryn Hobson, Brooklyn Vega, Sonny Castillo, Trae Castillo, Emma Ford, Leticia Richardson, Bella Salazar, Abbi Thorne, Prometheus Dufexis, Atreus Dufexis, and Aiden de Hoyos.
