In honor of Miracle Camp and Retreat Center’s 50th anniversary, we sat down with camp director Jonathan Hyde, who reflects on the ripple effect of this ministry over the last 50 years and casts a vision for the years to come.
Miracle Camp and Retreat Center turns 50 this year, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that celebration. On a personal level, Miracle Camp has definitely impacted my life spiritually. During our recent move to Michigan, I came across my baptism certificate, where I read the question, “How do you know you are going to Heaven?” My answer? “I sat down with my counselor at Miracle Camp and talked through what it means to be a Christian.” I am just one of thousands of people who have strengthened a faith foundation in this place.
Of course, it’s impossible to calculate the number of people who have been impacted by this ministry. That’s because every person who has walked across the line of faith, recommitted a life to Christ, or answered a call to full-time ministry here at Miracle Camp has gone back to a local church, where the spiritual impact continues to ripple throughout the community. We may not ever know those numbers or see those faces, but I do know that Heaven is a little more crowded today because of Miracle Camp and Retreat Center.
Unfortunately, there’s another number related to ministry here at Miracle Camp, and it’s 4,000. That’s the number of people we have to turn away every year because we don’t have room, and it’s why we’ve launched our Keeping Faith campaign, to get our facilities up to speed so we don’t turn any more lives away. Please join me on October 3 as we not only celebrate the impact of Miracle Camp and Retreat Center but also make sure we can continue to impact many more lives in the years to come!
