Sixty Five Urban Youth Accept Christ, Twenty-eight Baptized at CampUCAN

By Kirby Mitchell, CampUCAN director

Growing up in mostly female-led homes and living below the poverty line in Ohio’s inner cities, they are fatherless, hopeless, frustrated, and hostile. To many they seem unreachable, unwilling, fed up, lost, broken, hurting, alone, and struggling.

CampUCAN, SCBOs outreach to urban young men, ages 9-15, aims to combat the challenges these young men face with the gospel through mentoring from adult Christian men. 

Ninety-four young men gathered at Round Lake Christian Camp, Lakeville, August 5-8 for CampUCAN. There they met 25 Christian adult male mentors and Christian speakers who rallied around them.

They were loved, reassured, strengthened, and encouraged to believe that they can do all things through Jesus Christ. 

Transformation happened at CampUCAN as 65 attendees prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior. That alone would have been enough to rejoice about. But God had more blessings in store as 37 young men who accepted Jesus Christ asked to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 

Ultimately twenty-seven youth and one adult mentor were baptized in Round Lake. Parental consent was given for the youth who were baptized. 

God is always willing if we just turn to him in our time of need.

Senior Mentor, Pastor John Maze, Agape Bible Fellowship, Dayton, said, “God is always willing if we just turn to him in our time of need.”

As Camp Director I’ve never seen chains removed, shackles broken, burdens lifted, and the spirit of defeat overcome like we saw this year. To God be the glory for the great things he has done.

Since CampUCAN started five years ago all campers have attended free of charge. 

“No urban youth is ever charged for attending the retreat,” said Pastor Reginald Hayes, SCBO senior staff and CampUCAN founder. “Every dollar is raised from churches and organizations that believe every person, no matter who they are, has a plan from God for good if given the opportunity to realize their purpose.”  

Every dollar is raised from churches and organizations that believe every person, no matter who they are, has a plan from God for good if given the opportunity to realize their purpose

If you are interested in contributing to CampUCan 2025 please give at:

CampUCAN / SCBO, 9000 Antares Avenue,  Columbus, Ohio 43240  or visit https://www.scbo.org/give.