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For campers like Laura, the message of God's love comes alive through songs, games and skits.
Faith-based summer camps give kids a chance to deepen their spirituality—and enjoy some traditional camp memories, too.
"At church they just tell you about God and the Bible, but it's not as much fun as camp where you get to worship God and sing songs about him," says the 11-year-old of her experience at Forest Cliff Camp, an overnight non-denominational Christian camp near London, Ontario.
Faith-based camps are a set of nurturing communities that allow children to get to know themselves, God and others, says Derrick Mueller, national director of Christian Camping International/Canada.
 By focusing on positive values while engaging children in enjoyable activities, faith-based camps can provide a transformational experience that will have a lasting effect on a child's character, he explains.
Faith-based camps are not only about Bible studies, religious teachings and worship. They also welcome those who are not religious.
"Many parents choose these camps because they want the influence of those values which they deem important for their child's development," Mueller adds.
Forest Cliff's mission is to provide a safe environment with fun, high-quality activities through which staff can communicate the message of God's love. "We do a nice job of presenting Christianity through songs, games and skits while welcoming children from all religious affiliations to join us," says the camp's director, Sara Petker.
In teaching kids about the way Jesus lived his life, she hopes to promote values of inclusiveness, openness, kindness and acceptance. "We create a place where what we believe and how we act are one and the same," she says. "We are here to answer kids' questions and offer them a sense of spirituality and faith that they may not be exposed to at home."
Many of these camps, like Forest Cliff, are focused on including children from all socio-economic backgrounds. "Our fee is designed to be accessible to people from all income levels," Petker says.
In many ways, faith-based camps are similar to traditional camps. They focus on experiences with nature and character building in a structured yet fun environment.
Of course, it's also about having fun and being a kid. The best parts of the experience for Laura, who has been attending camp for five years, are "horseback riding, water sports, yummy food and really nice counsellors."
Photos: top, Camp Ekon (by Peter Redman)
center, Medeba Summer Camp (by Stan Behal)
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