This summer marked my first camping season with Auburn Young Life and it was one for the books! Having moved down to this area to oversee the Auburn Riverside pipeline, I put a bit more personal emphasis on getting students from Riverside, Mount Baker and North Tapps actively involved in the ministry. With that said, I of course find a bit of extra joy when I see students from those schools on the camp sign up list. During my first month on the job, I got to know a few gentlemen at Riverside and developed hilarious and genuine relationships with them. God is good and made a way for them to get up to Malibu with the rest of our area's campers! However I couldn't make it due to previous obligations (my honeymoon in Cabo with my beautiful new bride Claire).
That means that middle school camp at Washington Family Ranch Creekside was my first chance to get away for a week with more than 100 kids and leaders! In case you hadn't heard, let me tell you; middle school kids have energy and personality like you wouldn't imagine and this group from Auburn was no different! On the first night, the students that I got to lead in a cabin from Mount Baker and Cascade made a promise to truly "go for it," both spiritually and physically and they lived up to that promise in every way. My two co leaders Taylor and Chris had their work cut out for them in keeping up with those guys but they did an incredible job. We went up hikes, down water slides, across a high ropes course and through a giant mud pit, all so that these students could see for themselves how crazy awesome of an adventure Life with Jesus can be. 
What made this year of camping different for me than previous years is that I was free'd up a bit more to be with our volunteer leaders, pray for them, support them and speak into situations when needed. I have no doubt in my mind that God has called this awesomely unique group of adults to this ministry and I look forward to continue to be in community with them, and watch them go after more students as they have this summer. We ended the week with dozens of students walking up on stage and pinning their red paper hearts to the cross, signifying beginning a new relationship with Jesus! We also had several students stand up and vocalize to one another that they had decided that week to essentially recommit to their relationship with Jesus. What an amazing week it was. Thank you for your prayers and support! Go Hawks!
Dom Folkins
Auburn Riverside Community Director
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