By Dale Bliss
Campers On Mission spread the love of God throughout camping trips and at fairs and festivals.
Campers On Mission (COM) is a national fellowship of Christian campers created to offer opportunities to spread Christ’s word and have faith in Him.
The first COM was held in 1971 at the Land of the Lakes Resort in Kentucky. The Florida Campers On Mission (FLCOM) chapter was created in 1976.
Larry Davis, national coordinator, said, “If you enjoy camping and want the opportunity to combine that love with mission work, the campers is the place to be.” Davis continued, “If you would like to get your children involved with mission work and want to do it as a family, this is the place.”
The COM is in cooperation with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The COM has grown with having thirty chapters which encompass forty-three states. They conduct campground ministering, evangelism, youth camps and disaster relief programs. They prepare and serve meals and in some cases they are able to provide clothing.
Avid camper, Kaye Clay, said, “It’s been a blessing to see how we have been able to develop relationships with the workers and see their lives change during the ministry.”
COM reaches out to and shares God’s word in tourist resorts, hospitals, convalescence centers, raceways, prisons, hospitals and many more places.
The ministry has attended the Strawberry Festival for more than 20 years providing breakfasts and lunches, including bowls of homemade soup to the workers. Ministering to the festival workers and telling them about God is their true mission.
Clay’s husband, Jim, said, “The days are long and we get pretty tired by the end of the day, but we are rewarded by seeing how grateful they are for the food and clothing given to them.”
He continued, “My wife and I have served on many projects since we joined COM in 1995. They include serving at the North Florida Fair in Tallahassee where we witness to the people that attend the fair, serving in a campground ministry where we facilitate youth groups from all over the southeast who are on mission.”
For more information,contact Larry Davis at 850-997-3864.
