Get Hooked!
Hello there!
I’m Amanda, I was involved in Camp Shalom for six years.
Camp Shalom came into my life at a very integral point. I had grown up in a Christian home and attended a Christian elementary school; up to that point I had not really had my faith tested. However, at the end of that summer I was going to a public high school. It was during that summer that I attended Quest and truly experienced heartfelt worship, the remorse of my sin, and freedom in Christ.
After that summer I was hooked on Jesus and even sported my Camp Shalom shirt on my first day of high school. I spent the next six summers at Camp Shalom attending the leadership program, working in the kitchen, being a counselor, and serving as Adventure Camp Coordinator.
To this day I open my Bible and see past theme verses and it makes me daydream of those sunny summer days all over again. The foundation of my faith came from my time and friendships built at Camp Shalom. I will forever be thankful for the energy and resources from all the staff and volunteers that allowed me to have that life changing experience.
I also pray for continuation of those silly fun counselors, revival nights, and polar bear dips, so that another young kid who is unsure of what the future might bring can get hooked on Jesus Christ like I did.
Amanda van Leeuwen (Voorberg)
As an aside, I wanted to tell you about a time at Camp Shalom when Amanda was the Adventure Camp Coordinator. She had been telling me each week of days that were designated as funny shirt day, or hat day, or something day and I missed everyone. So during one of the last weeks of camp, she told me on Monday that Thursday was PJ day and that all the staff were to wear their PJs to breakfast. Yes, you know what happened, Thursday came and I remembered. I drove over to camp and passed staff who were not wearing PJs but said, “I am getting mine on now, I will see you at breakfast.”
I walked into the dining hall and I was the only one wearing PJs. She got me and we still laugh about it today.
Tim Partridge
