Sports Camp wraps up at Harlem, Hays and Fort Belknap Agency

Reporter's note. During the Fourth of July parade in Harlem I saw several folks handing out candy that I had never seen before. One of them, offering my wife a piece of candy, said something about a sports camp for kids. With no kids still camper age, we didn't really connect to what she was telling us.

After the parade we ran into the same lady at the Harlem Senior Center. We began talking and we learned she was with a group of people doing soccer camps in Harlem, Hays and at the Agency. There are 40+ of these folks staying at Beaver Camp near Lodge Pole, all from three Baptist churches in South Carolina. She went to get Pastor Woody Oliver, who coordinated the trip, to tell more about their mission outreach to Montana. Here's some of what Pastor Woody shared.

Sixth summer from South Carolina to Montana

Woody Oliver is the pastor of Harmony Baptist Church in Edgemoor, South Carolina (Edgemoor is an unincorporated area in the north central part of the South Carolina, about 40 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina, just off I-77). This year 40+ volunteers from three Baptist churches in South Carolina (Harmony Church, Falls Branch Church in the town of the same name and South Main Street Church in Greenwood) made the trek to Montana. They stay at Beaver Camp overnight, then fan out each morning to the three locations to hold sports camps and spread the Gospel.

This is the sixth summer that Pastor Woody has accompanied volunteers to work with youth through the auspices of Montana Indian Ministries. Montana Indian Ministries is headquartered at Beaver Camp, southeast of Lodge Pole off Route 15. Pastor Bruce Plummer founded and directs the ministry program. After the tribal government gave Beaver Camp to Plummer for use with youth programs aimed at native children, he began inviting other Christian churches to volunteer to help expand the camp facilities (now 15 cabins on the property) and do programs in the area.

Pastor Woody said, "It was through a mutual friend that I met Pastor Bruce and got connected with his ministry program. The first few years we did programs at Hays and/or Harlem High Schools. Last year we have added a third program that meets near the tribal office at the Agency." He explained each of the three sites has a slightly different program, but the activities are built around the soccer camp and sharing the Gospel.

The Soccer Camp at

Harlem High

I visited the Soccer Camp at Harlem High the day after the Fourth of July. I stopped in the parking lot at the high school expecting to see some cars with South Carolina plates. There were none, then I saw a group of tent shades, a trailer and people out by the football field. That was the site of the program.

As I arrived I saw Pastor Woody at a table with two girls who were working on an art project. While we were visiting some other kids were under the shade working on various art activities. Soon the soccer players took a break and came to sit under the shaded area. It was time for the Good News Bible Club, led by Susan Cope, whom I had met earlier at the senior center. The Bible Club part of the day is what it suggests, a time to hear a Bible story, do some related activities and then, in this case, break for a lunch prepared by the volunteers.

Pastor Woody said the day camps were designed for first through sixth graders, though he added, "We never turn any kids away whether they are younger or older. Sometimes an older child brings a younger sibling. We welcome and love them all." Asked about numbers attending the camps, he said, "Last year we had about 30 kids at this location in Harlem, about 20 at the Agency, which was our first year there, and 40-45 at Hays. We get a larger turnout at Hays because summer school is going on at the same time." Each year's day camp has a slightly different focus.

Dena Oliver, Pastor Woody's wife, was also helping with the program. She said, "We made a commitment to Pastor Plummer that our group would come for five summers. We've built such a great relationship with the kids, their families and the community, it's a great thing we want to continue to do." Pastor Woody added, "I'm emotionally connected to the ministry. I don't see us ending such a great relationship, we'll be back."

First time volunteer Kayra Winn, said, "We were impressed that as soon as we arrived the kids responded to the staff, remembering names and giving them hugs." Husband Ben added, "It's obvious that over the five prior years a great relationship has been built among the kids, families and community." The quality of the relationship among the program participants was a common theme among volunteers and kids.

I spoke briefly with Trinity Rose Bell, who's been coming to the summer program for four years. Trinity is almost nine years old and will be a fourth grader next year. Asked what she enjoyed about the summer program, she said, "I like playing, drawing and especially playing the "Little Sally Walker" game. A staffer explained, the game is a clapping, singing and dancing activity, popular in summer camps.

As the group settled down for a story from the Bible, I prepared to leave. A couple of staffers were unloading the lunch makings from a huge enclosed trailer, much like race cars are transported in. It was pretty obvious from the shade shelter, the art activities and props for the planned programs, these volunteers were well beyond the 'rookie stage' of summer programs.

Pastor Plummer, reached by phone, said this year's summer programs were going very well. He explained, "Last week we completed a residential (where campers stay at Beaver Camp) Vacation Bible School for 115 kids. We had 100 staffers, from four churches around the country, helping stage the camp." He added that he liked to have at least one counselor/staffer for every three campers or program participant. Looking at the Montana Indian Ministries website, there are programs virtually every week of the summer.

Plummer said, "Next week is our Rodeo Bible Camp. It will be a residential program for campers and we'll use the rodeo grounds at Lodge Pole. About 50 volunteer cowboys will be on hand to teach rodeo skills to the campers and share the Gospel. It's a classic example of where cowboys and Indians work together to minister to kids."

You can find more information about Montana Indian Ministries and this summer's programs at http://www.montanaindianministries.org. There is also contact information and driving directions to Beaver Camp.