Life in the inner city is extraordinarily difficult. The children we reach are surrounded by violence, gangs, drugs and constant negative influences. Many children spend their entire childhood within the same mile radius. Most never get the opportunity to get away from the constant challenges of life. Every June, Metro Kidz Camp provides the children a chance to get away to a peaceful environment.
Metro Kidz Camp is for children ages 8-11, and for many, it is the highlight of their year. When we take the children home at the end of camp, they are already asking “When do we go back?” For many of the children who attend, the four days we are at camp is the only time where they can get three meals a day, and a bed of their own. What we so often take for granted, can be a special treat for our kids.
Each day is filled with fun team building games, swimming, water slides and plenty of food. Every evening we have a service that includes wacky games, singing, dancing and a message specially designed to touch the lives of the children. Since 1995, Metro Kidz Camp has seen children’s lives changed and hope renewed.
Camp is a costly undertaking, but through the donations of foundations, churches and individuals, we have been able to take thousands of children to camp over the years. Each camp is staffed by over a hundred volunteers, who are willing to get their hands a little dirty and give their time to spend with hurting children.
Camp is a vital program of Dallas Metro Dream Center. For most, it is the only peaceful retreat they have for an entire year. Ricky, one of our workers was a camper when he was a child. He told us, “Camp is my chance to give back. Someone gave me the chance to get away and be loved, and now I get to do the same for kids who are just like I was.”