How Touchdown Camp Got Started

When I look back twenty years ago to our first Touchdown Camp, I realize that the key ingredient was faith. It took faith for Patty Cardona and me to move in action and try out this new camp which would reach out to vulnerable kids in Redwood City, CA. 

Camp had been funded by a faith initiative by Doris Bates who took one hundred dollars and asked her friends to match it by giving another Hundred. So when she connected with me and asked what I would do with it I said, "Open Touchdown Camp."

Well there were lots of pieces. I had no idea what I was doing, but I proceeded in that direction anyway enlisting people who worked in the missions area to come and help. Of course there were many people praying for this new venture and we never underestimate that without the flame generated by faithful prayers going on, we never would have made it.

Then we were off and running with two weeks of camp and 40 children who wanted both sports and crafts so overnight we had to change the entire program. That was a spark of faith. It worked because we were learning that camp was for kids and, the kids knew what they wanted!

So the children came every year, and some of them came back as teens to volunteer. The success was not due to any one person, but everything was underwritten by God, and we learned that He was in control.

By God's grace, prayers and work in communities, lasting change can be achieve, in each cities and churches.

Sparks that are seperate, but when they are laid down together, they have the possibility of creating a fire of change that brings light in the darkest of places.