Give a Child Christian Camp

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The Rewards are Eternal

A Message from the Editor of ScrappleFace.com

If you've been reading ScrappleFace, you probably know that we try to run a family-friendly site. As a result, ScrappleFace has attracted many readers with a strong sense of morality, a deep caring for people and, in many cases, a love of God. If you fit into any (or all) of those categories, this message is for you.

In "real life", ScrappleFace editor-in-chief Scott Ott is Executive Director of Victory Valley Camp, a 73-acre, rustic, Christian camp in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Each year, about 800 children, aged 5-to-18 years, come to one of Victory Valley's summer camping programs. Last year, 53 children told us they received Jesus Christ as Savior during their time at Victory Valley.

The pictures on this page can't capture the natural beauty of this valley. A cold stream flows under the barn-red covered bridge. Each summer, kids put on old sneakers and go creekwalking. They turn over rocks, catch crayfish and salamanders and get thoroughly soaked and silly.

Children learn how to shoot targets safely with bow-and-arrow, BB-gun and slingshot. They swim in the pool, paddle around the pond, ride horses through the canyon, take nature walks, climb the rock wall, ride the zipline through the trees on our high-ropes course and play a variety of indoor and outdoor sports. It's all good, clean fun (albeit sometimes wet and muddy fun).

But fun is only part of the story.

Seeking Salvation of Boys and Girls

For 49 years, Victory Valley has been a place where fun becomes joy, and friends meet adventure in Christ. Everything we do here is designed to fulfill our mission: "Seeking the salvation of boys and girls and teaching them to walk in Christ's ways."

During just one week here, a child gets Bible teaching equivalent to two months of Sunday School and church. They learn from Godly role models in an atmosphere that allows them to focus on the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ without electronic distractions. They study the Bible, pray and sing songs of worship to God around the campfire each night.

It's an escape from the world of 'virtual reality', into the spiritual reality of God's creation and His Word. Here campers will spend a week with no cellphones, no IM, no Gameboy, no Internet, no DVD, no television or radio. For seven glorious days, children get unplugged so they can really be children. And without the usual distractions, they can truly hear the message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

They'll come from cities, suburbs and small towns to share an experience that's almost quaint when compared with the hectic pace of our electrified, digitized lives. It's an experience you may recall from your own childhood. The impact of Christian camp lasts a lifetime...and sometimes an eternity.

How You Can Help

I'm asking you to help me make sure I never have to say "No" to a child who wants to come to camp, but who can't because Dad lost his job, or Mom lost her husband or something else happened beyond the child's control.

Victory Valley is not an expensive camp...a whole week costs less than $300. But if you've ever been unemployed, or a single parent, that can seem like a huge sum. We're a not-for-profit ministry, started in 1955 by the Bible Fellowship Church (The BFC is a fellowship of about 55 local churches today.). Victory Valley receives some funding from individual BFC churches, their members and other people who just love what the Lord has done through this ministry. But most of the camp's funding comes from camper fees.

Sponsor a Camper

What I'm asking you to do is to sponsor a camper for a week, several days, or even just a day. Your contribution to our Campership fund will help ensure that we can say "Yes" to a every child who wants to come to Victory Valley.

Just click one of the buttons above to go to PayPal.com and complete your donation. Of course, a contribution of any amount to the Victory Valley Campership fund will help. To specify the amount you want to contribute to the Campership Fund,just click here.

"Is it really nice there?"

I recently received a phone call from a 14-year-old boy named Raymond, from Philadelphia, whose teacher suggested it would be "good for him" to go to Victory Valley. It was clear from our conversation (although he didn't say it) that his family cannot afford to send him to camp. Over the phone, he read descriptions to me from our Victory Valley Camp brochure. The way he read it, you might have thought he was describing an exotic foreign land.

And then he paused and said, "Is it really nice there?"

Yes, Raymond, it's really nice here.

Personal Commitment to Good News

I'm personally committed to making sure that Raymond can come to Victory Valley Camp this summer. There are many other boys and girls like him. I need your help.

The satirical stories on ScrappleFace often point up what's wrong with our world, our politics, our media. But if I focused on what's wrong all the time, I would become depressed. It's frustrating to merely comment on the "bad news". The ministry of Victory Valley Camp allows me to be a partner with many other people in bringing truly good news to children and their families.

For each child who comes to camp, life is a little better...if only for a time. For each child who comes to Christ at camp, there is new life for all of time...and for eternity.

I invite you now to help change the world. Use the PayPal links above, or send your tax-deductible contribution to:

Victory Valley Camp
Campership Fund
7572 Sigmund Road
Zionsville, PA 18092

At the end of the year, you'll receive a statement from Victory Valley Camp for tax purposes. If you have any questions, please contact us by email, or phone: (610) 966-5880.