Growing in Grace: After-School Mentors Bring Hope to North Carolina Kids
Ask Ariana Cox about Camp Hope, she'll tell you about the Blue Hippopotamus song. The rock walls she conquered. The tree just outside the cafeteria door with edible leaves that taste like sour apples.
But chat a little longer, and you'll hear about how 17-year-old Ariana learned at camp that she isn't alone—that there are other kids with a parent in prison, and that God sees and loves her.
Terry, Christ Church's Camp Hope coordinator, loves seeing the way campers open up and grow over time. She says that many develop leadership skills and gain confidence as the years go by.
"One year, when we were coming home from camp, I kept getting in my head this idea that we just have to have more contact with these kids," she says. "This one week of camp is so good, and they learn so much, and they grow so much, and become closer to God. And we just need an opportunity to do this more."
