The mission of Ray Bird Ministries, Inc. is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the at-risk children and teens of the Michiana area, nurture those believers through memorable camping experiences, and prepare them for participation in local churches.

A day in the life of a Ray Bird camper
Camp Ray Bird’s staff has been changing the lives of children and teens since 1919. The camp offers at-risk youth the opportunity to spend one week at summer camp during the months of June through August, with Christian counselors that live and share the gospel of Jesus Christ every day. Each counselor devotes an entire week to four children, engaging them fully in what living for Christ truly means. This opportunity is available for as little as $20 per week.

At the beginning of the week, children are registered at the camp entrance, welcomed by counselors dressed as cowboys and Indians. Once campers complete their registration, a wagon transports them to a historic site where giant “Old West” building replicas stand, for a performance that entertains the children and provides an environment where children begin to feel the excitement of the upcoming week.

Each day, children wake up at 7:00 a.m. and meet at the giant flagpole to learn the Gospel theme and scripture of the day. Shortly after breakfast, the children break into small groups with their counselors and spend time studying the Bible. The counselors use this time to introduce the Word of God in a setting that makes the gospel very real to the children. After Bible lessons, the children participate in activities including biking, canoeing, hiking, and swimming with the members of their small group. A refreshing lunch is served at noon, with a mandatory nap time immediately after. This allows children to relax before the afternoon camp activities and evening campfire chapel service. After dinner, the children again break into small groups with their counselors, devoting time to revisiting the day’s Gospel theme and scripture, and engage in open discussion of what the children have learned about God’s Word that day. Following the Bible study the children are free to participate in camp activities, this time joining campers outside of their small groups.

Children have the opportunity to meet others who differ in race or backgrounds from their own. “This camp provides an environment of social reconciliation for children,” says Houghtaling, director of Ray Bird Ministries. About 55% of the campers are white, 40% are black, and 5% are Hispanic, providing the children with an opportunity to develop friendships with those of other ethnic backgrounds without the bias of race that they often encounter in the world.

After the evening activities, the children refresh with snacks and discuss their memories of the day at campfire chapel. It is

here where the children are again reminded of God’s love for them, and of their important place at the camp. Many children receive Jesus at these services. Houghtaling recounted a story about a small girl whose week included viewing a video clip of “The Gospel of John.” “She did not understand and was angry that Jesus was crucified even though He did not do anything wrong. After some explanation from her counselor, the little girl understood and chose to accept Christ. It was a great reminder to me as to why we do what we do. This little girl heard the Good News. And because she had a relationship with her counselor built over the course of the week, she believed and received it.”
Many of the children that come from broken families feel at home for the week as part of the larger Camp Ray Bird family. “Kids try to relive their childhoods that they may or may not have had in the world here at the camp,” says Houghtaling. By 10 p.m., the children are in bed, boys in their Conestoga wagon cabins and girls in their log cabins.

Ray Bird Disciples
When the children leave the camp, the mission of Camp Ray Bird continues. From mid-September through April, the staff at the camp contacts all of the Michiana-based campers from the past summer, inviting them to Ray Bird Sunday School in the heart of downtown South Bend. Ray Bird also offers a correspondence Bible school for children, called Snail Mail Club. For those who complete their studies it is very rewarding, with an opportunity to return to the camp for the fall and spring mini camp weekends. The camp continues its relationship with these campers throughout the year with home visits, special treats, and prayer for their families. “Our goal is to follow-up on and disciple our campers,” says Houghtaling. For some children, this is the closest they may have been to the love of Christ.

Get involved in changing lives
Each year, Camp Ray Bird is blessed by local churches that want to get involved in the life-changing ministry of the camp. A local church youth group recently built a rustic cabin for the campers in one week. Other volunteers assist with the daily food preparation, while many more invite the summer campers into their church families. If you would like to be involved in the life-changing ministry of Camp Ray Bird, here are a few ways you can partner with the camp:
• Volunteer to be a summer camp counselor. Camp Ray Bird provides an extensive training program for volunteers who would like to become junior counsel staff. While the camp has a core of regular senior staff members, taking part as a junior counselor can often change your life just as much as the children you mentor.

• Volunteer to assist with food preparation. With over 950 children served this summer alone, helping out with almost 3,000 meals each summer is a significant blessing to the camp.

• Youth groups can volunteer for various projects throughout the camp. This year a youth group from Indianapolis helped develop the go-cart track at the camp, which included moving tires and arranging the obstacle course.

• Local churches can become a home for campers. If your church is interested in inviting campers in and mentoring them in the love of Christ, the camp would like to hear from you.

• Financial donations and prayer are also ways the local Christian community can get involved in helping the camp achieve its mission.

If you would like additional information about Camp Ray Bird, or would like to volunteer, please contact Mike Houghtaling at (574) 232-8523 or at mike@raybird.org. The camp’s website has information about its ministries at www.raybird.org.