Over the course of one summer, Duffel counselors travel in close-knit teams made up of about 10 people 2 of which might be from the USA, gaining ministry and outreach experience as they learn to impact kids through Christian camps. Being a counselor is a life-changing opportunity for individuals looking to develop ministry skills as well as be exposed to evangelism and outreach opportunities.
Duffel teams bring much needed resources, staff, and the equipment to assist a church or local organization with starting a camp program. Utilizing Camps International’s philosophy regarding purposeful program, intentional activities, and discipleship-driving small group methods, Camp Duffel offers training and encouragement for churches around the world.
Churches are asked to provide one local leader for every 10 campers. These local leaders are paired up with a trained Duffel counselor. Not only is this local leader is a counselor-in-training for future years, but their role is the perfect way to maintain follow-up with the campers throughout the year.
After receiving assistance from a team of Duffel counselors, each camp is left with a duffel bag full of activities and training material to secure their success in future camp events. Local churches continue to send their upcoming leaders out into their own community to take a group of kids to camp each summer, enabling friendships and follow-up that result in eternal impact.
Camp Duffel’s duffel bags are filled with activities that knit together strangers and turn them into comrades, conversation starters that counselors are trained to use as evangelism methods. Spiritual applications are tied to each activity, game, and challenge, furthering a child’s knowledge of the world around them and the God who loves them.
Camp Duffel makes a 3 to 5 year commitment with the local church to continue helping them. At the end of these 3 to 5 years, Camp Duffel donates a duffel bag to the local church so they can run camp on their own. This is a metaphorical “handing over of the torch” ceremony, wherein the camp staff are blessed and sent out to continue the work of discipling children through Christian camps. Camp Duffel will continue to give advice and assistance were needed, but will no longer be in charge of running the camp events; the church staff will be fully autonomous.
When a Duffel team moves on, our goal is to see that new camp thrives in the years to come, utilizing the resources we are able to provide to minister to their community on a personal, day-to-day level even after the camp event ends.
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Camp Duffel is a ministry program of Camps International, a 501(c)3 that starts camps and trains counselors to use them.