Pure joy at KATP. (Photo by Carrie Morrison)

By Tom Shanklin

This year, 59 campers took part in the 10th annual Kids at the Point Youth Camp at Hendricks, Minnesota, where bunkhouses, waterslides and porta potties transform Pastors Chris and Joyce Caugherty’s working farm into four days of spiritual awaking and exuberant fun. Crafts, a Christian rapper, well-fueled campfires, S’mores, sweet, hand-raising praise and worship, solid Bible teaching, tons of great food and snacks, and time with new friends are all part of the KATP fare.

Susan and I were blessed to be a part of the ministry team at the camp this year. Susan shared messages on the awesome creation from Genesis 1-3 which she shared in two differnet sessions with the younger and older kids. Susan used homemade props of paints, an exercise ball, a tub of sand and water, a golf ball, a tennis ball and the ‘kitchen sink’  to demonstrate the six days of God’s mighty creation, and the fall of man and woman. This is important foundation for faith in the Word of God, something that is much maligned in our “enlightened” (or I should say “unenlightened”) world. Several of the older youth prayed to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord after her presentation.

Susan kneeling at the cross during her one-woman play about Mary, mother of Jesus.

Susan’s session the next day was a one-woman play on Mary the mother of Jesus. In her own unique, exuberant, dramatic way, she took us through the life of Jesus as seen through His mother’s eyes. Susan poured a lot of passion and emotion into the play. From my own perspective, it gave me another view of the Gospel message, bringing to reality the heartbreak and sorrow of a mother seeing her son persecuted and eventually dying a cruel death at the hands of uncaring men. It gave me a greater appreciation for what our Lord did for us in His life as well as His death at Calvary.

I shared a message with the young people on getting a fresh, godly vision for their lives and making the right decisions early in life. Pastor Chris Caugherty shared a similar message on “choices” with the young people. For those of us who are older, it is easier to see how wrong decisions can adversely affect our lives.

Thank God for people like Pastors Chris and Joyce Caugherty and their entire team for ministering, loving and FEEDING these young people, spiritually and physically, each summer. The camp is available for free each year to children and teens, many of whom do not have a church background.  It’s great to see this enthusiastic group of young people—running, having fun, and praising our God in a healthy environment.

Campers this year came from tiny hamlets and cities— Hazel Run, Granite Falls, Marshall, Ivanhoe, Canby, Ballaton, Hendricks, and Norwood, Minnesota; White, Toronto, Webster, Volga, and Estelline, North Dakota; Astoria, South Dakota; and also Colorado, California and North Dakota.

Photos below by Carrie Morrison and Tom Shanklin

Click on any photo to view slideshow.

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