A Shimmering Space : Welcome Paige Colditz!

Close your eyes and picture a place you’ve visited in which you had, at once, felt a sense of awe, peace, and wonder. Now sit in that space. Ruminate on it. Take note of the way the light hits the earth, how the air feels as you breathe deeply, notice the ground resting beneath you, and remember that there are countless places like this around the globe. Spaces nestled in the earth where there is just a little extra something shimmering in its wake. It’s as if God left a little something more in those spaces. Camp Hebron is one of those spaces and that’s why I am interning at camp today.  

I found Camp Hebron - or I should say God kind of slammed me into Camp Hebron- two years ago. I was reeling from a bitterly disappointing loss at a chance to study abroad in Ireland. I had been planning and dreaming for this opportunity for almost a year now - really 10 years if you consider that it had been a childhood dream- and it had been ripped from me due to finances. The loss was real and severe; I likened the pain I experienced to that of a breakup with a deeply loved but distant partner. Dramatic I’m aware. What can I say, I’m an artist at heart.  

I needed to do something, go somewhere, find that thing that would help me move on. So, I scrolled through my school’s job website looking for an opportunity to learn, to grow, to do something worthwhile; when I found the job listing for a summer camp photographer at Camp Hebron. The rest, as they say, is history. That summer was filled with more growth than I ever would have experienced in Ireland. More importantly, the spiritual wounds I had been carrying were slowly and gently mended back together. In the way that only God can, I was shown not only my worth; but the beauty, value and worth of the Divine’s creation - including you, your friends, your family, your neighbor.  

Eventually I decided to - or really the big peeps at Camp Hebron decided to let me - come back as SIT Leader for a second summer. Shortly after that decision, I was offered the opportunity to intern at camp for a year. For a long and short list of reasons, I accepted and none of the reasons I decided to come matter nearly as much as the fact that God brought me here and I could not be more grateful. 

This is a shimmering space. A place of presence, connection and communion.  

Learning to Listen to God's Voice : Welcoming Matt Fasick!

Camp Hebron has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. Alongside family and church, camp has shaped me through my childhood into the Christian I am today. I was born into a wonderful, loving, Christian family. I was raised, for all my memorable life, at Slate Hill Mennonite Church. I attended various youth programs there, and I hope to continue to actively participate in the ministry of Slate Hill. I grew up attending Camp Hebron in several different capacities; including church retreats, campground stays, Moms and Tots, Junior and Senior High retreats, and many, many summers of cabin camps.  

Matt participating in a time honored Camp Hebron tradition: Crayfish Earrings.

My personal favorite summer experience was at Bacon, Bibles, and Brothers (3B’s), an overnight cabin camp for high school boys that focused on how to be Biblical men of God - and how to eat bacon. The summer of 2019, I was excited to participate in 3B’s for another year, but I was disappointed to find that after graduating High School, I was too old to participate as a camper. Megan McMaster asked me if I wanted to be on staff here at Camp, and I felt a nudging from God that working as a counselor was the right thing for me to do this summer. 

However, I had plans of my own for that summer. So I told Camp Hebron - and God - to wait. My friends and I were preparing for camping and beach trips, and I wanted to hang out with them at home before we all went our separate ways to college. Nevertheless, in the months leading up to that summer, God made it clearer and clearer to me that Camp Hebron was where I was created to work. Eventually, Slate Hill attended a spring retreat at Camp Hebron. During our church service on Sunday, I broke into tears (something I don’t do often) because I realized that God was calling me to camp not to do a chore, but because it was actually what would be best for me! So within the span of just a couple days, I applied, interviewed, and got hired. I threw my plans out the window and with them, the last “normal summer” of my life. I will never regret doing so. 

God had a heavy hand in guiding me through my time on staff at camp. During my first summer working as a counselor, I had the opportunity to walk among God’s beautiful creation every day. I learned that prayer was more than just asking God for favors, but an actual 2-way conversation between God and myself, which required a lot of patience and listening. I also got to experience, - alongside my campers-  the childlike wonder that comes with seeing God in action. That summer I learned to live by our theme verse: 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and self-control.” Camp helped me go from being apprehensive about doing what God wanted, to fully embracing His plan over mine.  

This past summer was an excellent lesson for me to rely on God’s strength above my own. Camp operated in the face of a Global Pandemic, and it would be an understatement to say that I needed God’s help to operate as well. What it would take to deal with the ever-changing mask requirements, hyperactive campers and a slew of unexpected challenges, was to fully rely on God every hour of every day. 

It took a lot of consideration, no small amount of prayer, and eventually a leap of faith to finally decide that I wanted to intern at Camp Hebron. I had an inkling at the beginning of June that God might want me to stick around camp even after the summer was over. Over the course of the summer, it became more and more clear that my calling here at camp is not just limited to summer. Now I have the privilege of serving God and Camp Hebron as an intern. I’ve learned a lot of new skills I never expected to, and I’ve been challenged to continue relying on God even when there are less immediate stressors (campers). I look forward to seeing what Camp is like over the rest of the off-season, and I can’t wait for this summer and the summers to come! 

Gratitude, Growth + Community : Welcome to Bri Zimmerman!

When I was introduced to Camp Hebron, I was struck by the idea of a camp created to be a sanctuary. I discovered camp through my best friend who has been coming here her whole life with her family. Camp Hebron has truly become a place where I can find quiet and stillness in an unknown world. I always look forward to coming back! I have been here for the past two summers and am extremely grateful for how God has used camp in my life. 

Bri Zimmerman (Far Right) with friends Trina Miller an Gretchen Fielder atop the Table Rock Overlook.

 I was a camp counselor for the summers of 2019 and 2020 and absolutely loved it! My first year as a counselor in 2019 was my first time ever at any summer camp and the experience changed my life. The people here have challenged me, taught me, loved me, and kept me accountable for where I want to grow in my personal and spiritual life. I have cared for kids all of my life, so being a camp counselor was a job I absolutely loved. I made unforgettable memories with my campers and formed close friendships with my fellow staffers that will last a lifetime.  

One of the great things about Camp Hebron is that they offer a wide variety of summer camp programs. My absolute favorite program is the adventure camp program, because some of the best memories I have are from those weeks of camp. These specific camps challenge kids to move out of their comfort zones while also experiencing nature. I get to witness campers as they build a deeper trust in God and each other as they go throughout their week! One of my favorite summer camp memories I have is from caving at Carnegie Cave. Once inside the cave, we ask everyone to turn off their flashlights. Without any light, the cave is pitch black and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. After everyone turns off their lights, we light a candle that shines bright in the darkness. That is Jesus in our life! Campers have come away changed and challenged by this small example of what Jesus does in our life. I love watching the campers learn from this experience. There is so much to learn here and there are amazing people beside me to challenge me and to help me as I step out into new learning opportunities. 

My experience on summer staff helped me realize my passion for serving people and Jesus. I felt called to the internship here at Camp because it has a lot of opportunities for growth and deep community. In just the first month of my internship God has already shown me so much. And I am very happy that I am here at my favorite place on earth! I cannot wait to see the way He continues to challenge me in my faith, my spiritual walk and in my relationships with people.