The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Summers are meant to be spent relaxing and having fun by the lake - just having a good time. Which is what happens at the Simonhouse Bible Camp. "It's just a fun place for the kids to come and learn and sing and do all kinds of things," says camp director Darrell Janzen. The campers take part in everything from swimming, canoeing, wall climbing and chapel in the evening. "It's a very structured camp with activities lined up for them throughout the day," says Janzen. And he adds "there are meals throughout the day and then in the evening the kids take part in chapel and sing some songs." From Simonhouse Bible Camp, located on Simonhouse Lake, Janzen says the kids learn some important skills. "In general they have a good time and make new friends," he says, adding that "we teach them, or try to show them, the love of God." Janzen says he always sees the impact the camp has on people. "About 70 per cent of the campers we get here don't go to church," he says. "Once they come, they grasp the love of God, and that's an important message." Janzen says Simonhouse Bible Camp offers similar opportunities as other camps, but with religion. The camp is a Protestant and Christian camp, "but we would never turn away another religion," he notes. "We teach a lesson here, and that is that God loves them," he says, adding that "we don't go into the theological differences of religion." The Simonhouse Bible Camp offers a variety of different activities for campers ranging in age from six to 18. "We always get campers coming back the next year," says Janzen. He says it's because "they just love it." "What's not to love, it's a camp full of kids playing and swimming and having fun?" he comments. While there is structure to the camp, Janzen says "the kids also have their fare share of free time." As for Janzen, after being camp director for nine summers, he can't see himself stopping now. "...I feel I need to encourage the kids," he says. "God wants us to have fun and love through that." He adds: "That's what we do here at Simonhouse Bible Camp - learn and have fun."
