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What does the idea of summer camp remind you of? Maybe it’s swimming in a lake or hiking with friends, new and old.
Across the U.S., The Salvation Army’s camps give kids a safe place to have these kinds of experiences each summer and strengthen their faith and leadership skills along the way.
In 2023, more than 550,000 youth attended one of The Salvation Army’s 43 camps in the U.S.
Elias Markham started attending summer camp at age 7. He said that’s when he knew he wanted to work at camp one day, and he did, beginning at age 14. Now he is an accepted candidate for Salvation Army officership.
“When I was a kid, I looked up to the counselors and staff who worked at camp and wanted to eventually be a role model and leader like them,” he said.
Markham first began working at The Salvation Army Camp Redwood Glen in Scotts Valley, California. Later, he became a counselor at Camp Kuratli, located in the forests about 25 miles southeast of Portland, Oregon. Eventually, he became a program leader there.
This kind of growth is a part of camp ministry, which actively encourages kids’ spiritual well-being, said Cascade Divisional Youth and Candidates Secretary Captain Grant Hall, who oversees The Salvation Army’s camping program in Oregon and Southern Idaho.
At Camp Kuratli, some 700 children and teens participate in the overnight residential camping ministry each summer. There, camp leaders also participate in weekly discipleship meetings as one of the many ways the ministry works to grow leadership skills, he said.
“I have experienced tremendous spiritual growth while working at camp.”
Elias Markham
“Leadership skills are taught in a variety of ways…by being in a small group and asking tough questions and by practicing these skills in a safe and forgiving place with kids from our beautiful division,” Hall said.
Markham said camp doesn’t only help to grow your skills in leading teams, but also leading others in spiritual growth. He found the camp environment to be an encouraging place.
“I have experienced tremendous spiritual growth while working at camp and have grown as a leader learning to step out, be confident in what I believe in and in who I am, as well as learning more about God and the plans he has for my life,” he said.
After he shared these experiences with his now wife, Shelby Markham, she was inspired to get involved in The Salvation Army’s camping ministry and became a counselor at Kuratli.
“I knew I wanted to create that same experience for kids and be that safe place for them to ask questions and feel safe doing so,” Shelby Markham said.
She said the fun at camp also comes with plenty of questions and situations to help kids work through.
“There were some very challenging experiences at camp, most of which were able to teach me patience, problem-solving skills and the importance of helping others grow their knowledge of God,” Shelby Markham said.
The pair’s love for camp and experiences there led them to fully dive into ministry. Currently, both work with youth through their roles at the Salem (Oregon) Kroc Center. In August, they begin training to become Salvation Army officers, or pastors.
“Working at camp kickstarted my life into full-time ministry,” Shelby Markham said. “Now I get the opportunity to learn more about ministering and do what I’ve always loved.”
With reporting by Alexis Marion
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