When Camp Becomes a Village: Meg’s Story

Some stories are shared with celebration.
Others are shared with trembling hands and deep trust.

Meg Schiesher, a parent at Rock River Bible Camp, shared a story that reminds us why camp exists—not just in joyful seasons, but in the most fragile ones.

Just weeks before her children were scheduled to attend camp, Meg and her family experienced a traumatic accident—one that left them shaken, exhausted, and clinging tightly to one another.

“As a parent to a camper, my biggest fear was leaving my child in the hands of people without me there,” Meg shared. “Especially a week after our accident that left us in complete shock.”

Like many parents would be, Meg was ready to pull her daughter from camp. The timing felt impossible. The separation felt unbearable. Her family wasn’t ready to be apart—especially the kids.

But her daughter said something that stopped her in her tracks.

“She said she needed her village around her. She needed Jesus more than anything right now.”

And in that moment, Meg faced a holy kind of surrender.

“As a parent, how do you say no to that?”

Meg reached out to the camp dean and explained the weight of what their family had just walked through—that her daughter was still in shock, that this wasn’t a normal drop-off, that she was entrusting camp with a tender heart.

The response was care, presence, and reassurance.

“The dean ensured she would pay close attention to make sure our girl was ok that whole week. She did message me and keep contact.”

For a parent walking through trauma, that mattered deeply.

“I felt at peace knowing my little girl is being taken care of.”

The following week, their son went to camp as well. He needed something different—but just as important.

“He needed his buddies and people to surround him with prayer and encouragement.”

In the wake of their accident, camp became more than a place. It became a community that held their children when their family needed help holding everything together.

What happened next is something Meg still reflects on with awe.

“After our drowning accident, both kids went to camp right after. Although hesitant, I knew God was calling them to be there.”

Instead of fear shutting them down, something unexpected happened.

“This grew their faith that much more. They craved to know why God saved us that day, and they wanted to dig deeper in His word.”

What could have stalled their family’s healing became a catalyst for deeper faith.

“This situation could have stalled us and we could have struggled for months to come. Instead, this lit a fire under the kids and they came home craving more.”

And that fire didn’t stop at camp.

“So as a family, we have been digging deeper in Jesus’ word daily.”

Stories like Meg’s remind us that the true impact of Rock River Bible Camp isn’t measured by programs or facilities—but by presence, trust, and a community willing to walk with families through their hardest seasons.

Sometimes camp is where faith grows.
Sometimes it’s where healing begins.
And sometimes, it’s where kids are held by a village when families need one most.

We are deeply grateful for the trust families place in Rock River Bible Camp—and for stories like this that remind us why we’re here. 💛