Executive Director Report 2023

by Kurt Robertson

It has brought me so much joy to be able to serve and witness God’s provision at West Bank Bible Camp this past summer. The memories created from this first year as Executive Director will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I am immensely thankful to God for the opportunity to be a part of this. The purpose of this report is to share a bit about how I saw God's movement and provision at camp this year. I hope for those reading this report is that you can share in my joy as you hear about the ministry work that was done at camp in 2023.

Campers

We had the pleasure of having 311 campers in attendance this summer. Of those 311 campers I can report that we had around 20 new believers dedicate their lives to Jesus, Praise the Lord! We also had the opportunity to provide new Bibles to 64 campers who did not have their own. This is so exciting and is why we exist as a ministry. Our mission at West Bank Bible Camp is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a safe, nurturing and exciting camping experience. I believe we succeeded in that mission this summer.

Staff

Camp would not be able to do the ministry we do if it were not for our amazing staff. I had the pleasure of working with an amazing leadership team. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that everything ran as smoothly as possible. They go above and beyond to create an environment where campers can feel safe, accepted, and supported throughout their time here. Whether it's leading Bible studies, organizing games, or offering a listening ear, our staff was ready to serve with joy and enthusiasm. We still had our ups and downs, but looking back I am so grateful for each and every one of of staff, and their service this summer.

Disciples In Training (DIT Program)

This year we were blessed as a camp to have Anna Seemel (Voysey) and Aaron Rampold back as our DIT Directors. Their excitement and hearts for the program, and seeing kids grow in their faith have been such an encouragement for me to witness. This summer we had 18 young volunteers participate in the program. Over the course of the 3 weeks of serving at camp, they learned how to grow in their faith, how to live it out, and how to share it with others, both at camp and when they go home. I am so excited to see how God uses them in the coming years serving at camp and in their community to increase the kingdom of God.

Program

The different program elements of camp are something I have always loved being a part of and seeing improve (I was program director for 7 years). As Executive Director it is something I have had to be a bit more hands off. However, it was a blessing to work with Conrad Seemel as our Program Director this summer. He has great enthusiasm to see the camp staff and programs succeed. From organizing the staff to leading the different fun elements of the camp schedule, I was so encouraged by the work Conrad did with the program this summer.

Maintenance

The amount of maintenance projects and improvements that got done at camp this summer is nothing short of incredible. Below there is a whole other section devoted to sharing about the capital projects that were completed at camp this year. Not all maintenance projects are flashy and exciting, and that is why I am so thankful we had Mathew Ritskes as our Maintenance Director this summer. He was able to tackle many projects around the camp to help improve the quality for everyone at camp. Whether it was building major capital projects, maintaining the pool, or fixing toilets, I am thankful for Mathew’s willingness and joy to serve the ministry.

Capital Projects

One of the biggest differences at camp people probably noticed was the capital projects we were able to accomplish. God blessed us with the opportunity to partner with a Canadian Christian charity to invest in capital projects this year. This partnership has been nothing short of incredible and a game changer with regard to improvements to the camp facilities and grounds. At the end of this report is a list of major projects we were able to accomplish this past year along with a few we are still completing for the start of the 2024 summer season. SEE PICTURES BELOW!

Thoughts on the Future

This is an extremely exciting time to be a part of the ministry at West Bank Bible Camp. Between the projects completed, the growth we had this past year as an organization, and the generous donations from all those who support us, we feel we are in a time of dreaming God sized dreams for the ministry. In the coming summers, we hope to continue developing more leaders to allow for more kids to attend camp. We also have plans in development to build a new Zip Line, Climbing Wall, and Adventure Low Ropes Course by 2025 (a new fundraising program for these projects will be launching in February 2024). If you would like more information on how you can support the ministry please feel free to contact me by email: wbbcamp@gmail.com or my camp cell: 306-741-5159.

Additional Thanks

  I also need to acknowledge and thank a few more people for their roles in the camp's success this past summer. Thank you to Rylie Anderson for being our amazing First Aid Attendant. She picked up the new role and did a fantastic job helping take care of both campers and staff. Thank you to Daegan Klink for being our Office Administrator. She helps do so much that people do not realize as well as organize the many different ideas and tasks I give her (Thanks for putting up with me Daegan). Thank you to Chase Martens and Lisa McGladdery for leading the horse program. The kids loved horsemanship thanks to your hard work. Thank you to Becky Funk for managing the kitchen. She works very hard to ensure our kitchen is ready and cooks have everything they need to make excellent meals for all the campers. Thank you to Harold Giesbrecht for the hard work he did taking care of the grounds at camp making sure everything was watered cut and clean. The camp looked so beautiful this year thanks to your hard work! Thank you to Richard and Jack for your hard work and willingness to come and give your time to see projects cleaned up and finished around the camp. Last but certainly not least, thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who came and helped in the kitchen and with work projects. Thank you for coming and serving this ministry with joy. 

Closing Remarks & Prayer Requests

Overall I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to help lead the ministry of West Bank Bible Camp this past year. I am so thankful for all the wonderful volunteers who helped ensure the grounds were maintained and the kids were fed wonderful meals. It is my hope that if you are reading this, you are encouraged by this report and excited to see the camp continue to grow in our ministry for years to come.

Please continue to pray for our ministry, for our campers, staff, and our board. Pray that God will give us wisdom and guidance as we plan for 2024. Please also pray for my wife and I as she is pregnant expecting in May. Prayer for health and strength in our relationship as we continue so serve at camp. Pray that God’s will be done at West Bank Bible Camp.

All Glory To God

Kurt Robertson Exectutive Director West Bank Bible Camp