Inspiration Point

THE CHALLENGE:

Last February, The Washington Post published the results of new research that sounded the alarm for American girls. It reported that nearly 1 in 3 high school girls have considered suicide, up 60% in the last decade, and 24% have already made a plan to carry it out. And the news is no better for American boys. 

The fact is that kids are stressed and are looking for hope. People who love kids want there to be a place where kids can receive “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,” growing spiritually, socially, mentally, and physically, in a setting where safety is paramount. 

A hallmark of the Inspiration Point experience is a well-trained staff that is eager to serve. For the thousands of kids who come to Inspiration Point each year for camps and retreats, summer staff members are a cornerstone of their experience. Staff members love, listen to, and guide kids, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed. In order to serve the growing number of summer campers, IPoint must hire more of the best staff possible, training them for service next summer and beyond. Providing an adequate salary is a key to being able to meet this fundamental need.

THE SOLUTION:

Year-End Goal:               

• Finish the Pool                                     -- $77,000 
• Summer Staff Support                        -- $101,500
• TOTAL                                                    -- $178,500 by December 31, 2023

 As the Lord provides… 

• IPoint will complete the new, larger swimming pool and splash pad before the beginning of next summer. Funds received will pay for landscaping and fencing.
• IPoint will hire and train more summer staff who will impact kids, their future families, and workplaces. 

 Would you please consider giving today or through year-end a generous gift in support of this vital ministry?

THE OUTCOME:

A boy who attended camp for the first time this past summer was asked by his grandma about his week at camp. She said to him, “You must really like that camp,” to which he replied, “It was the best week of my life.” Then she asked him what he thought of Jesus, and he told her, “He died on the cross for me.” That boy gets it. He understands not only the simplicity of the Gospel message but also the impact it has on him personally. 

Research by Jacob Sorenson, Ph.D., shows that... 

“Christian education programs that make extensive use of the camp experience show significantly higher results on measures of faith formation.” 

That is, church Sunday schools and youth groups whose kids attend camp show higher levels of faith formation. His research goes on to show that devotional practices rise, church attendance increases, and faith conversations in the home become more frequent among kids who attend camp. 

However, it is not only campers who are impacted by their time spent here but the staff as well! Serving on IPoint staff trains them for a lifetime of service. A staffer named Bekah wrote at the end of her experience: 

“This has easily been the best few months of my life…I came here to be a cabin leader to teach kids about the good news of God’s grace but I think I learned more than I could ever pass on… You’ve pushed me to work harder than I thought I was able to, give more than I thought I had, and taught me to leave no resource unused for the sake of the kids we serve.” 

 A former summer staffer named Andrea, who now serves with another ministry, wrote to tell us: 

“70 of our students came to Winter Blast at IPoint. The weekend’s theme was ‘Hope Remains,’ a message that truly hit home for one of our students. She was in tears the first night, telling me how her life felt so hopeless. However, by the end of the weekend, she told me she had said “yes” to Jesus’ invitation to be in her life and to the hope He has to offer! And when I tell you I’ve seen life sprouting out of her since then, I mean it! Her whole attitude has changed, and her sadness and loneliness have changed into joy and hope.”