Short Term Staff Story - Aubree
Aubree's Camp Experience
In the summer of 2025, I went to Camp of the Woods for the first time and stayed for 9 weeks. It was also my first time traveling outside of the United States. Growing up, I was involved at a Girl Scout camp from the age of 5 until I was 19. My roles varied and evolved from camper all the way to Retail Coordinator. After my last summer there, I found my home church and with guidance and instructions from the Lord, I decided that my camp days were over. I went about my life and got involved in different church ministries. In the fall of 2024, in the span of a week, my car was totaled by a reckless driver, my bank account got hacked, and a close friend of mine got married. So many of my plans and routines were thrown completely off track. Soon after all of this happened, a few friends of mine started talking to me about Camp of the Woods. They wanted me to come to camp as a summer staff. I thought they were completely insane. I didn’t have a passport or money for a trip like that. For my birthday that February, my life group all chipped in the money for me to get my passport. I support raised the funds for the summer through my church and before I knew it, I was in the church van heading up to camp for the summer. I was really hesitant to be so far from home for so long, but very quickly made so many friends with people who treated me like family.
Serving on summer staff for a second time this summer was such a unique experience. God helped me to get out of my comfort zone and try so many new things. This summer I felt called to be really intentional during my interactions with both staff and campers. I got the opportunity to meet and interact with so many people from so many places, all called together for one purpose. My last week in a cabin, four of my campers accepted Christ. It was such a blessing and honor to have God work so clearly in that way, and to be a part of that milestone for these girls. This summer was challenging in some ways, but life-giving in so many more. I created new friendships and strengthened old ones. I got to try so many new things, discover what ways God wanted me to move, and other ways God wanted me to stay still. In all of it, he brought me to stay at Camp of the Woods this fall.
As I have stepped into a short-term staffing role here at Camp of the Woods, I have been blessed to learn so much about discipleship and the body of Christ. In so many ways, I have had the opportunity to both disciple others and be discipled. I have seen the body of Christ at work in the ways people have come together, ready to be the Lord’s hands and feet. I am so excited to see what God has in store for camp and all of the people who have been a part of the ministry here. Everyone I have crossed paths with here has been such an incredible blessing. Being from the states, my time here is not promised, but I praise God for having me here for now and pray that He keeps me here a bit longer.
