Here are some excerpts from letters written by a few of the grandparents who attended the MK GrandCamp this summer:

My grandson, Garrett is 7 years old and his dad is on his third deployment to Iraq. Being able to share with other military families and to hear that the challenges we are facing are not ours alone, is priceless. For that we have you to thank.

My grandson has made some great friendships with children his age who share the burden of deployment with him. I cannot know what he feels from a child’s perspective but these other kids do. They have formed fast friendships due to shared experience. For that we have you to thank.

On the last night of camp, my grandson asked if one of the other campers could “sleep over” in our room with us. It had been a long day of rafting and playing and everyone was tired. The kids decided they wanted to read. It’s because of your generosity that I was able to see 2 seven year old boys, strangers until a week ago, lying side by side reading the bible and memorizing scripture verses together. I cannot tell you the joy in my heart to witness such a sight and for that we have you to thank.

God used you this week to mold the lives of young boys and older grandparents. Thank you so much for being obedient to God’s call in your heart and for your amazing generosity.

Sincerely,

Constance “Connie” Jackson
Colorado Springs, CO

My name is Vicky Wheeland and I am writing to you to say “thank you”. I live in Globe AZ. My granddaughters’ name is Ashley Carman and she lives in Colorado Springs CO. We are members of a currently deployed U.S. Army serviceman – my oldest son Dustin, who is on his third 15 month tour. We currently have or have had 12 members of our immediate families in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Army Air Corps.

You have no idea what your generosity has done for the children who came to your camp. For an entire week they could be kids again – they laughed, they played together, did Bible study lessons, played biblical characters in Bible story skits, made all kinds of crafts, and bonded in a such a way that I knew it was from the Lord. The kids and their grandparents played fun and silly games (loosely based on the Olympic games) and we laughed until it hurt. For a whole week we were able to forget about what awaited us when we left Christ Haven Lodge.

CGN’s staff was outstanding and incredible. Nothing that was asked of them was too big or too small to accommodate us. We had reveille every morning with a real trumpet in the lobby of the lodge. We then went out and saluted the flag and did the pledge of allegiance. We had a different Christian “Jody Call” everyday, which everyone had to learn as we marched around the parking lot singing our “Jody Calls.” There are no words or amount of money you can put upon the friendships and the fellowship that developed in such a short time.

My granddaughter lost her biological father in the original march to Baghdad, thus the difference in the last names. Ashley calls my son “Daddy” and is terrified of losing him just as she lost her real father. Whether you know it or not, and most people don’t – these young children assume some degree of a mantle of responsibility at home when a parent deploys, and most of them do it without being asked. Children at this age shouldn’t have to think like an adult let alone try to shoulder adult responsibilities; and yet most, if not all of them do.

The sad part of all of this is that the military has yet to acknowledge the ripple effect that these concurrent/repeat deployments are having the on the military family members left behind to cope with worrying about their spouse and trying to maintain a somewhat normal family atmosphere in the home. This is especially prevalent in the U.S. Army where the bulk of the troops are serving on the front lines.

My fervent prayers and hopes are these:

1. That this conflict ends soon and all of our troops come home

2. That the military will acknowledge the growing problems in their own ranks, and take the appropriate and corrective steps to help remedy some of these problems. And finally…

3. That if CGN offers this camp for military grandchildren again next year, you will be as giving and generous as you were this year. YOU REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE in these grandchildren and grandparents’ lives.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING US A WEEK OF PEACE, OF FUN, OF BEING A KID AGAIN, AND FOR THE BLESSED CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP WE ALL EXPERIENCED TOGETHER. God has truly blessed us with you.

Vicky Wheeland and Ashley Carman
Globe, AZ

The value of this camp is immeasurable. Kids with deployed parents often feel sad, lonely, depressed, neglected and abandoned. As grandparents, we often feel helpless in this situation.

GrandCamp has given us specific tools that we can use to help “stand in the gap” with our grandchildren. The kids also learned ways to de-stress and cope while building a permanent bond with their grandparents as well as other kids in their same situation.

The safe, beautiful and Christian atmosphere is the perfect conduit for this endeavor, and should be promoted among and highly recommended to all military families as a tool to help them deal with extended deployments. We are so appreciative to everyone who made this unforgettable experience available to us.

Tom and Jan Roller
Montgomery, AL