One thing we've witnessed over the last several years is the blessing of more and more former campers applying to work on summer staff. This hiring season we had an additional step in the camper to staff progression: A former camper turned Tyro (Jr High volunteer) turned Junior Counselor turned Counselor interviewed for one of our Site Director positions. To my knowledge, this is the first time this has happened.
The Site Director position is one of twelve leadership positions we reserve for college-age students who have the abilities and character to lead the campers and staff members at one of our camp locations.
The very fact that he interviewed for the position is evidence of God working in his life over the long-haul. I'm grateful that Camp of Champions has been able to play a part in his journey, and I'm excited we can continue to help him develop his leadership abilities and spiritual gifts as he leads as a site director this summer.
Whenever we interview a potential staff member we ask the applicant to tell us about an adult whom they admire and respect. Earlier this spring we interviewed a junior counselor applicant (who is a former camper and Tyro); his answer to this question was a COCUSA male staff member who has served as the applicants counselor when he was a camper, and Site Director when the applicant was a Tyro. Even more exciting than the general admiration the applicant had for our staff member was the fact that he specifically mentioned being challenged in his spiritual life by this staff member. God was using a COCUSA staff member to disciple a junior high student... and now this student will have opportunity to invest in the lives of children at camp this summer.
