More than 110 young people made requests to be baptized while attending the fall Upper Columbia Conference Pathfinder camporee. The camporee, held at Farragut State Park near Athol, Idaho, was attended by more than 700 Pathfinders from clubs across the conference and even one club from Canada.
Camporees are fun and exciting events for Pathfinders to attend, but they are also designed to be highly spiritual events. "We have been averaging around 60 to 70 requests for baptism at camporees and fairs in the last few years," says Wayne Hicks, Upper Columbia Conference Pathfinder director. "So we were surprised to see such a high number of baptismal requests."
The three-day event, This is My Fathers World, featured Ken Rogers, pastor and Walla Walla University vice president for student life and mission, who told stories that taught how Jesus would relate to people if He were in the world today.
"I really appreciated the rapport that Pastor Ken had with kids and the spiritual applications he made with his stories," says Lisa Malakowsky of the Pend Orielle Valley (Newport, Wash.) Pathfinder Club.
Pathfinders enjoyed presentations by several wildlife experts as well. "I wouldn't have changed a thing about the weekend," says Dottie Gleed of the Othello Outreachers Club. "I'm just glad our Savior was included in the whole thing."
Wayne Hicks, Upper Columbia Conference Pathfinder director, and Allan Williams, Bible worker, share in baptizing Trina Whorely of the Spokane (Wash) Linnwood Club during the Pathfinder camporee. (Jon Dalrymple)
Ken Rogers challenges Pathfinders to follow Jesus no matter what it takes. (Jon Dalrymple)
