As Day Camp rolled around this year, Jeremy Bender remembered looking forward to camp at Eberly Farm as a kid. Misha, his wife, looked forward to taking a break from mommy time and enjoying a week of ME time, but this year was different. Their three girls, ages 10, 8 and 6 would all be attending Day Camp together for the first and last time, so Jeremy and Misha promised the girls they would volunteer. They spent their week leading awesome games as the kids were learning about being “zapped” by God’s love. This not only happened to the kids, but also to Jeremy and Misha as they were “zapped” with the love and energy of Jesus; they accelerated their giving and serving beyond the walls of the church and their own family.
Jeremy saw his daughters transform. Everyday they would come home and help each other practice the praise songs and dance moves they were learning. They would also work on their Bible memory verses together. Jeremy saw how God transformed his oldest and youngest daughter as generous givers and his middle daughter socially as she tried to draw the shy kids into her small group.
Misha felt the strong presence of God as the hundreds of little souls who energetically praised the Lord at the beginning and end of every day. How exciting to have all of these children growing together in their love of the Lord and being able to express it so freely and openly! Kids, not only from Pathway, but also neighbors and children from other churches attended.
The girls had been saving their allowance for the Big Summer Give at Day Camp. Each grade level competed to see who would raise the most money. This year the money would go towards building and equipping a library in the Mabatini Ministry Center, to help those children build a better future. The girls gave generously and without abandon to the cause. On Friday, it was announced that the fourth and fifth graders had given the most and won. Overall, the Children and Student Ministries have given over $12,500, so far this summer. The winners celebrated with root beer floats, but the real celebration was for the changes the offering would make in Nairobi.
When asked if they thought they would volunteer next year, Jeremy exclaimed: “Yes! I even think I will volunteer for more days.” And then God whispered again and Jeremy and Misha asked: “Do they take volunteers at Middle School Camp in Oklahoma?” The Bender family was “zapped” by God to be more available for His work, here and around the world.
By B.J. Wells