Indiana Church Hosts Annual Weeklong Summer Camp for Foster Children

By Chris Moon 

Sometimes in church ministry, a pastor may not see how the work is making a difference in people’s lives.  

But that’s never been the case for Tony Darling as he leads the Royal Family KIDS summer camp for foster children that his church hosts yearly. 

“You just know you made a difference,” said the senior minister of Wilkinson Church of Christ in Indiana. 

Darling serves as co-director of the camp held each year near the town of Wilkinson. The camp serves children from the foster care system who have seen the worst of the worst in their young lives.  

Darling said every camper in some way has been abused, neglected, or abandoned. They’ve had their trust broken many times. 

This year, the church served 30 campers ages 6 to 12. 

Wilkinson Church of Christ gives the kids an opportunity to take a step away from their living situations for one week. The idea is to expose them to the story of Jesus Christ and to show them unconditional love, something sorely lacking in many of their lives. 

“This camp interrupts a cycle for them,” Darling said. 

Plus, the kids get to experience all the fun of a traditional summer camp—horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, and swimming. 

“It is so worth it,” Darling said. 

CHILDREN OF THE KING 

More than 20 years ago, Wilkinson Church of Christ founded a local chapter of Royal Family KIDS.  

The national organization, now known as For The Children, exists to provide hope for kids in the foster care system through weeklong summer camps and yearlong mentoring programs.  

The bedrock idea, Darling said, is “every single child needs to understand that they are a child of the King.” 

Globally, the organization has more than 250 chapters.  

In Wilkinson, Royal Family KIDS takes about 30 kids each year to a camp—the location remains undisclosed for the kids’ safety—where they are immersed in a family-like atmosphere for a week, Darling said.  

All of the campers have disrupted family lives. The camp aims to give them a glimpse of a healthy family. 

The kids are bused from the church to the camp, where they are greeted by a welcoming parade. Volunteers make signs with the kids’ names on them. 

“They are so full of joy when they get here,” Darling said. 

An older couple serve the camp and are known simply as Grandma and Grandpa. Another couple serves as the camp Aunt and Uncle.  

Meals are served family-style. Every two kids have a “guide” who spends nearly every minute at the camp with them. Two guides and four campers team up to form a small group. 

“They’re a family unit,” Darling said. “It’s a pretty cool event to behold.” 

The days are filled with traditional camp activities. One day, the campers are treated to a campwide birthday party, where all of the campers receive a gift. Some campers don’t even know when their birthdays are, and some rarely receive presents.  

‘GOD HAS A PLAN’ 

The camp also includes a “breakfast club” that operates like a mini-VBS each day, with a Bible story and games. Evening chapel includes Scripture.  

The primary story this year was about Joseph, abandoned by his brothers and sold into slavery. Darling said it was appropriate for the campers. 

“God has a plan for them, too,” he said. 

Darling said the camp can be as meaningful for the volunteers as it is for the students. He said 64 volunteers this year served the camp—a 2-to-1 ratio of volunteers to campers.  

“I wish everyone could experience it. It would change your life,” he said. 

Darling said in one of his first years as a camp “guide,” he was paired up with a boy named Jacob. During the week, they bonded—to the point Jacob asked Darling to be his “best friend.” 

Just before Jacob returned home, he and Darling traded nametags. Jacob didn’t want Darling to forget about him. 

Darling said he kept the nametag for the next year, frequently praying for Jacob. Darling brought the nametag with him to the next year’s camp. 

When Jacob arrived, he ran up to Darling and asked, “Do you have it?” 

The pastor pulled out the nametag. Jacob had also brought Darling’s nametag.  

Darling said if he hadn’t brought the nametag, Jacob likely would have considered it simply another broken promise in his life. Fortunately, Jacob was able to find an adult who cared. 

“That’s a story I will remember for the rest of my life,” Darling said. 

Wilkinson Church of Christ already is planning for next year’s Royal Family KIDS Camp. The planning includes raising money. It takes $800 to $900 per camper to operate the camp each year, Darling said.  

Darling invites other churches to partner with Wilkinson Church of Christ. Those interested can contact him at the church via www.wccin.org. 

Chris Moon is a pastor and writer living in Redstone, Colorado.