Director’s Update
Last updated 5/12/2026
2026 update
It’s always a sweet sound when you hear the chatter and yells of campers getting out of vehicles and heading into the campus. We have a moment of silence, and then we hear laughter and the sound of luggage wheels dragging on the bridge, with a “thunk thunk thunk” sound. We hear the sound of carpet ball as they bang on either side. Each of these sounds brings a familiar and refreshing feeling to our camp staff. It means campers are here and we get to share the Gospel with them!
Spiritual Growth:
At the start of May, we have served just over 2,400 campers with 82 first-time decisions for Christ and another 96 who shared they have recommitted their lives to Christ. We never truly know the full impact that God does here at camp, we can only see a glimpse of what campers and counselors share, but we are so thankful to be a part of everything He is doing in the hearts of campers each day.
Major Projects:
The New Dining Hall and Chapel project construction is still ongoing. Wednesday, May 13th between 1am-8am all of the final concrete pour should be delivered and crews will spend the rest of the day forming the concrete. It’s hard to imagine around 260 CT of material, 28 trucks worth, coming up in a 7-8 hour period. When we wake up tomorrow, the pad will have transformed from dirt and rock into concrete.
Donation Match: A generous donor is matching all donations received up until May 31, 2026 (up to $250,000 towards this project). Would you prayerfully consider joining in this donation match challenge?
You can donate towards this project by texting the word “Give” to 559-258-1701, mailing in a check, donating online, or giving us a call at 559-337-2349 Monday through Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm.
Verses to Ponder:
John 3:16, a familiar and favorite.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
There’s nothing deeply insightful I can provide for this beautiful yet simple verse. God has made a way to be restored through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Gospel: You’ll note this section doesn’t change with the director letter updates, it’s that important!
If you do not know Christ as your personal Savior, I invite you to learn more by visiting our Gospel Page and getting plugged into a local church. While we love serving you here at Hartland, consistent discipleship happens at your local church (in your city/town) and it makes a huge difference in your walk when you are gathering regularly with other believers. For those continuing in their walks, we also have Bible Resources available to help spur on the study of God’s Word.
Prayer:
Please continue to pray for all those that minister here at Hartland, from the Hartland staff and volunteers to the visiting Pastors and leaders that boldly proclaim Christ’s Word to a world that desperately needs it.
In service to Christ and His Church,
Joshua Embry
Executive Director/Steward/Minister – Hartland Christian Camp
