Camp Eagle Gap Year Program
Donation protected
Hey all!
As most of you may know, I made a gofundme page earlier this year, in hopes of raising enough money for my mom and I to travel to Burundi, Africa again, to do minstry alongside widowed and orphaned women living in the country. Because of the political situation happening in Burundi right now, our team will be unable to make the trip this year, which is completely devastating. So, since I no longer need to raise money for that, I am switching gears and raising money for another form of ministry, which was placed on my heart last summer.
I traveled to Rocksprings, Texas, last summer, with my incredible youth group, to attend Camp Eagle. I went into the week scared of something so new and far away. Being 7 hours away, in the mountains, without any cell service for a week was definitely something new for my brain to process. To start off the week, I was separated from most of my friends, put into a cabin and small group with people I didn't know that well. I was uncomfortable. To add to all that, I had never even really hiked or camped before. I mean I had been to summer camp, but my family isn't really the outdoorsy type, if you know what I mean. All of this stuff, that piled up and forced me out of my comfort zone, also forced me into falling in love with the camp. I have NEVER in my whole 18 years of going to church and attending church camps every year, felt so close to God. I credit some of this, too of course, the incredible teaching that Camp Eagle offers. But I also credit a lot of it to what I was surrounded by. Being in the mountains, and being surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenes of creation I have ever seen, gave me a new closeness with God that I never felt anywhere else. On the drive up there, I began to fall in love with the rolling green hills that make up some of the most beautiful parts of Texas. That week, I discovered for myself, how much I love really being outside, in creation. I discovered how I truly thrive in the isolation of the hills.
At the end of the week, the camp played a promotion video for their gap year program called, "Walkabout." Once again, I fell in love. I turned to my friend and looked at her like, "That is what I'm supposed to do next year." I have wanted to do a gap year since before I started high school. School has always been difficult for me, and I always new that having a boost before I started full time college would motivate me and better me as a person to start the pursuit of my career. I wanted to do something where I could be financially practical, while also be doing something productive with my life. Camp Eagle offers me both of these things. As some of you may also know, my dream after I graduate college is to open my own safe house for women survivors of sex trafficking. I hope to attend Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, to study this there, as they offer an incredible program specifically for people who want to study in this area. Camp Eagle partners with Moody and offers classes by them as well. I have had this dream in my head for so long, and seeing it fall into place over the last year, has to be one of the most increible feelings in the world. Like I said, school has always been hard for me, but I have never given up this dream. I knowt that I am doing what I was born to do. Camp Eagle is the first of many steps in accomplishing my dreams.
So, I came home, and began pestering my mom day after day, and she eventually gave in. Having her support me on this has been amazing. I applied, and got accepted into the program, which I'm exstatic about. Now comes the not so fun part. The total cost of the program is $5,000, which is relatively reasonable, considering that covers food, a room, and everything else the program provides. I am trying to raise that as well as money for supplies I will need to purchase before I move there this August. Camping and hiking is great, but it requires a lot of things I haven't needed until now. So, if you feel so led to do so, please give whatever you can, because every little bit truly does help. I am so thrilled to have your support as I start out on this new chapter of my life.
Learn More About Walkabout HERE!
As most of you may know, I made a gofundme page earlier this year, in hopes of raising enough money for my mom and I to travel to Burundi, Africa again, to do minstry alongside widowed and orphaned women living in the country. Because of the political situation happening in Burundi right now, our team will be unable to make the trip this year, which is completely devastating. So, since I no longer need to raise money for that, I am switching gears and raising money for another form of ministry, which was placed on my heart last summer.
I traveled to Rocksprings, Texas, last summer, with my incredible youth group, to attend Camp Eagle. I went into the week scared of something so new and far away. Being 7 hours away, in the mountains, without any cell service for a week was definitely something new for my brain to process. To start off the week, I was separated from most of my friends, put into a cabin and small group with people I didn't know that well. I was uncomfortable. To add to all that, I had never even really hiked or camped before. I mean I had been to summer camp, but my family isn't really the outdoorsy type, if you know what I mean. All of this stuff, that piled up and forced me out of my comfort zone, also forced me into falling in love with the camp. I have NEVER in my whole 18 years of going to church and attending church camps every year, felt so close to God. I credit some of this, too of course, the incredible teaching that Camp Eagle offers. But I also credit a lot of it to what I was surrounded by. Being in the mountains, and being surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenes of creation I have ever seen, gave me a new closeness with God that I never felt anywhere else. On the drive up there, I began to fall in love with the rolling green hills that make up some of the most beautiful parts of Texas. That week, I discovered for myself, how much I love really being outside, in creation. I discovered how I truly thrive in the isolation of the hills.
At the end of the week, the camp played a promotion video for their gap year program called, "Walkabout." Once again, I fell in love. I turned to my friend and looked at her like, "That is what I'm supposed to do next year." I have wanted to do a gap year since before I started high school. School has always been difficult for me, and I always new that having a boost before I started full time college would motivate me and better me as a person to start the pursuit of my career. I wanted to do something where I could be financially practical, while also be doing something productive with my life. Camp Eagle offers me both of these things. As some of you may also know, my dream after I graduate college is to open my own safe house for women survivors of sex trafficking. I hope to attend Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, to study this there, as they offer an incredible program specifically for people who want to study in this area. Camp Eagle partners with Moody and offers classes by them as well. I have had this dream in my head for so long, and seeing it fall into place over the last year, has to be one of the most increible feelings in the world. Like I said, school has always been hard for me, but I have never given up this dream. I knowt that I am doing what I was born to do. Camp Eagle is the first of many steps in accomplishing my dreams.
So, I came home, and began pestering my mom day after day, and she eventually gave in. Having her support me on this has been amazing. I applied, and got accepted into the program, which I'm exstatic about. Now comes the not so fun part. The total cost of the program is $5,000, which is relatively reasonable, considering that covers food, a room, and everything else the program provides. I am trying to raise that as well as money for supplies I will need to purchase before I move there this August. Camping and hiking is great, but it requires a lot of things I haven't needed until now. So, if you feel so led to do so, please give whatever you can, because every little bit truly does help. I am so thrilled to have your support as I start out on this new chapter of my life.
Learn More About Walkabout HERE!
Organizer
Hope Rutledge
Organizer
Spring, TX