Camp of Champions: Changing Lives, One Sponsorship at a Time
Life was hard for 8-year-old Sofia.* Her mother would be gone for hours–sometimes days at a time. Sofia never knew when her mom would return, or when she did, if she would be sober. Sometimes, her mom would come back with food, but often, she returned empty-handed. For such a young child, Sofia carried heavy burdens.
For thousands of kids in Alabama, this is a sad reality. Shockingly, 36% of children in foster care are there due to parental drug abuse.
Sofia entered foster care and found refuge at ABCH. Finally, she had food at every meal. She found love and security like she’d never known before. She was able to attend her first summer camp at Camp of Champions. This 3-day, 2-night annual camp at Shocco Springs is made possible by generous churches and donors sponsoring foster kids to attend.
She had so much fun and, finally, could be a kid. She enjoyed swimming, playing games, and learning about Jesus. Camp is more than just a weekend away—camp provides them with incredible memories that help heal a lifetime of pain.
Sofia signed up for the gymnastics class at camp, where she learned how to tumble and land a cartwheel! During class, the teacher shared a scripture from Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” She then asked the class if they had any burdens they wanted to share.
Little Sofia felt heavy with the burden she carried for a while. She didn’t know of other kids in foster care, and it made her feel lonely. “I have a burden,” she said. “I don’t live with my real mom anymore.”
Then she heard the girl beside her say, “Me too.” Another kid across the room also said, “Me too.”
She realized she was not the only kid going through a hard time. “The adults in the room were changed from that experience,” shared her teacher. “The kiddos had the chance to see that they were not alone.”
Sofia still talks about the friends she made at camp last summer and can’t wait to see them again! She laughed, played, and had fun—she experienced hope for the first time in a long time.
Camp of Champions is made possible by generous donors sponsoring foster kids to attend. Learn more about sponsoring a foster kid at camp next summer here.
*Name and photo have been changed for privacy purposes.