Ongoing Work in Allendale Continues
Grace has been partnering with local churches in Allendale county for over a decade, and it’s been a joy to see those relationships grow. One of the primary ways Grace supports local ministry in Allendale is through Camp Impact, a six-week summer program for kids ages 5-12. But even when camp is not in session, the work in Allendale is ongoing.
Throughout the school year, we work to support Impact Students—a ministry for middle and high school students. A few times each semester, a team of Grace staff and volunteers spend the day in Allendale hosting events that involve teaching, discipleship, community, and fun! This has been a great way for Grace volunteers to stay connected in Allendale and invest in those relationships.
We are also currently looking forward to the summer and just finished the interview process for Junior Staff members. Junior Staff are teens in Allendale who will be paid staff members who help run programming for Camp Impact. This year, six out of the seven Junior Staffers were once children who attended Camp Impact. Four of them were on Junior Staff and two of them helped on a volunteer basis last summer. It has been amazing to see the discipleship process over the span of years—these staffers are now serving children in the same program where they once learned and grew in their faith.
The interview process to be a Junior Staff member is quite rigorous, and applicants learn valuable life skills as they apply. Individuals must be asked to apply, fill out an application and write a cover letter, be interviewed, and write thank you notes to their interviewers. Applicants must be invested in order to complete the process, and it’s been a blessing to see their dedication to serving their community.
Life change begets life change, and we are grateful to be part of seeing God work in lives through young leadership in Allendale county. Will you pray with us for the summer ahead? Pray that staff members and volunteers would have energy and humility for each day, and that the children they serve would be tender to the gospel. To learn more about our partnerships in Allendale county, click below.