Phantom Ranch Summer Camp

As we move into the next week of camp, we reflect and praise God for the opportunity we are given to minister to so many campers. On the last day of Youngteen, campers shared what they had learned during the week and how they had grown in their relationship with Christ. One camper said they had been living far from Christ, not putting Him first, and ignoring the chances to minister to others. Now, they feel they can follow through with their faith, doing things for God instead of for themselves. Another said the Lord showed them how to be faithful even in hard times. A few campers got reminders that He really cares and is always there, watching over them. It is humbling to hear campers say that they had been given the chance to grow closer to Him and to learn patience. One last thought from the campfire, "my faith is not a lie, He will always be there." Thank you Youngteen for a fantastic week! Follow Adventurers and Pathfinders on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter:

Summer is off to a great start with Youngteen and Triple W! Campers are having an amazing week learning and growing in Christ as well as playing games competing to earn the most team points. Teams are made up of two cabins each, one guy cabin and one girl cabin. They create a name and a team cheer. Campers have played a lot of exciting games this summer including Surge and Night Raiders. It has been a blessing to see the support and encouragement campers give each other, even when they're on opposing teams! Triple W-Youngteen has daily morning riding lessons learning how to communicate effectively to the horse they are riding. Their afternoon "skill builder" time they use for working with their Triple W team in creating a drill team routine to show off to their family at the end of the week. There is a lot of awesome team work happening all over camp! Campers attend chapel every morning and night, and have been learning a lot from returning speaker Josh Koskinen.

Campers have been having a busy and energetic week! It's hard to believe that it's almost over. Youngteen is always a great week because it's full of kids who are eager to play, learn, and grow. They have been playing some intense and creative games like Greasy Watermelon and Surge with their teams. It's been a fierce competition between the four teams this week, but it means everyone has been very involved and invested in each camp activity. This year, Triple W (our session with a horse emphasis) has been much more integrated with the rest of Youngteen, which has been really fun! The girls compete in all of the night games, attend chapel, and get to have the best of both the Hitching Post and the rest of camp. They've also been learning a lot about grooming, riding, driving, vaulting, and have been working hard on a routine for their Drill Team performance. We can't wait to see all of the confidence and skills they've gained put into action on Saturday!

Saturday was Taste of Camp , a day to explore Phantom Ranch, share stories, celebrate 60 years of ministry, and pray for what God is doing here. 414 people registered for and attended the event, with even more showing up the day of. God provided the staff and volunteers to make the day run smoothly. All the camp activities available, including archery, paintball, crafts, horse rides, and swimming and boating at the waterfront. Attendees were able to have meals at the bonfire pit and dining hall. The day took a lot of planning and organization which paid off on Saturday when so many were able to enjoy camp! A big thank you to all the families and individuals who came and spent the day here. It was wonderful to see all of the fellowship and fun going on at camp– serving and sharing Christ's love with as many people as we can reach is exactly why Phantom Ranch exists. What a blessing it was to share camp with so many! Roy Tanner, who has served as the Executive Director of Phantom

Our first week of camp is coming to a close. Our summer started with the Evanston Church Camp, which includes First Presbyterian of Evanston, First Church of God, and Second Baptist. This summer our staff integrated with the volunteers from the visiting churches; some of their counselors came early to train alongside ours. We have been more involved in their programming, so we were able to interact with the campers and get to know them. We were grateful for the opportunity to be more hands on, as our staff have been anxious to begin the summer and use all of the skills they learned during their training. The Evanston churches had a packed week of outdoor activities and learning about Christ. Campers learned how to use their unique skills and characteristics to help others, and what it means to be a light for Jesus. We are very thankful for our relationship with these churches and the ability God has given us to serve their kids with our facilities and staff. What a great way to kic

Staff training is over, and it's time to welcome campers to Phantom Ranch! This week was packed with orientations, hard work, and preparing our hearts for the summer ahead.  We spent a day fasting and reflecting on the mission to which God has called us. The day was spent in prayer, asking God to focus our minds and hearts. We would appreciate your prayers as well for a successful summer of reaching campers for Christ. Throughout the coming weeks, our blog will be updated on what's happening at camp, and there will be plenty to pray for!  On our last day of training, staff ran drills and learned how to respond in emergency situations. They are truly equipped for whatever comes their way! Continue to follow the blog for more exciting news about what we are doing this summer! The first campers of summer arrive tomorrow, and we are pumped to meet them! Staff "worried" about a lost camper in our Missing Camper Drill Life guards and counselors practi