As we close out this year, we’re shining a spotlight on stories from our K2L community. This week we heard from Henrietta, whose daughter, Trinity, began attending Camp Hope in 2023!
Henrietta was scrolling through Facebook when an ad for Camp Hope appeared on her feed. She clicked on it, and everything she saw was an answer to prayer. She says, “My daughter had just been separated from her father due to incarceration. And I thought, this would be so beneficial for her!”
Since that first summer at camp, Henrietta and Trinity have participated in several family programs. “It’s helped me be a better parent. It’s strengthened my relationship and my bond with my daughter,” Henrietta shares. But what’s been most impactful are the relationships they’ve found within K2L. “They’re not just there for camp or the retreats, but showing up for us in small moments too. My daughter is loved and cherished here. It’s genuine and it’s remarkable. This program has changed our lives.”
Henrietta’s relationship with God has been a source of strength for her all her life, and something she’s shared with her daughter. Through Kidz2Leaders, Henrietta says, “I’ve experienced His closeness even more, and how He is shaping and molding me. At camp and the retreats, seeing my daughter learning and praising God… these are the things that she’ll remember when she grows up. Kidz2Leaders truly is the body of Christ, doing the work of God.”
When asked what she wants to share with our K2L community of donors and volunteers, Henrietta doesn’t hesitate, “You’re touching families’ lives. You’re making a difference for the whole family and it goes a long way. It’s been such a blessing for us.”
Henrietta’s experience sums up Kidz2Leaders’ values for Christ-centered, relational, and long-term partnership. We feel privileged to be a part of Henrietta and Trinity’s lives—walking together in the big and small moments. And we are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this community with you!
Would you consider supporting Kidz2Leaders through an end-of-year donation? Every dollar given serves families like Henrietta and Trinity, to open doors for Christian community and new opportunities.
I kept coming back to camp every year. And, every year, I’d cry when it was time to leave, because I was bonding with these people, but I knew I’d see them again the next summer. Eventually I moved up to the leadership training camp, and then the Interns4Tomorrow program for two years, and then became a counselor.
A lot of people tell me that I’m extremely expressive in how I play. I make it a personal performance every time I get on stage. When I was nine, my biological mom was murdered. It was traumatic for me, and I was sad for a long time. There were so many days when I’d pick up the cello, not to practice technique, but I’d just do what sounded right until I learned to play a whole song by ear. Then I’d put feeling into it. Every time I play, I’m telling my story.
I’ve been coming to Camp Hope for a decade now, and I want to come back and serve at camp. Everyone here has a similar story to mine. The thing I keep thinking about is that the way our lives started is kind of rough, but it’s the coolest comeback story. Putting the effort in is valuable—You could literally change the lives of these kids. And then they’ll want to come back and do it for someone else. Ten years from now, the impact could be huge, it reaches even further than Camp Hope.”