The Camp

Youth Camp Finds Permanent Home

Seven years ago we started the summer youth camp project in Moldova. Each camp was attended by approximately 100 youth from surrounding villages for one week of camping in the forest with the time packed full of bible study, preaching, games, sharing and good food.

A typical week of camp would see an average of 75-80 decisions made for Christ. The impact on the area was so great that the local mayor of Chimislia presented Cornerstone with an official proclamation from his office recognizing our work in his area. In his presentation he made the statement that he had parents of these kids coming into his office telling him that they sent bad kids to the camps and good kids were coming home. This led to the Mayor donating to Cornerstone the land where the new Church was built and just recently to the donation of 150 acres of land for our feed the hungry farm project. The goal being to produce the food needed for the Feed the Hungry Project and for the needs of the orphanage for the abandoned street kids. While we have been truly blessed by these camps, the work involved in preparing the camp site, hauling in everything from tents to cooking equipment and even a daily task of bringing in the water required a tremendous effort.

We began praying about three years ago for a permanent location for these camps. The Lord heard these prayers and last month brought us to an existing camp that had been used during Communist times as camps to indoctrinate the youth with a week of party teaching. The mayor of this village Valei Perjiu (Pretty Valley) agreed to sell to Cornerstone this camp. It has seven buildings plus a kitchen/dining hall on approximately 10 acres. We have electricity and water at this location (both a great blessing). The camp will hold 190 kids and a staff of 30 and is only 10 minutes from the mission house, which will allow teams to stay at the mission house while working in the camps.

April 2004 was a Jabez moment for Cornerstone ministries. After being blessed by answered prayer for a permanent location for the youth camp project, we began sharing the need for raising the funds to purchase this property. Through the providence of God and the financial support of our partners we raised the last money needed for this purchase the day before we had to wire the funds to Moldova. We even had $618.00 left over that became the seed money for needed repairs.

The refurbishing of the camp began the day after the paperwork was finalized and the recording of the property to Cornerstone-Moldova. Working night and day, Mitica and his team of about 20 workers completed the work in time for the first group of youth to be in the camp on June 28th. Since that time about 140 youth each week have been in the camp. The total for the summer will approach 1000. Mitica reports that most of the youth are going home saved, having a life changing experience with the Lord God Almighty.