I've Never Heard This Story Before

Zac Page and Family at Family Camp

For Pastor Zac Page, stepping back onto the grounds of Camp Wawona this summer felt like stepping back into the camp experience he fell in love with as a child.  

Zac is currently the pastor of the Templeton Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church, but his personal history with Camp Wawona began during his childhood. He first attended as an 11-year-old camper, returning summer after summer before eventually becoming a camp staff member as soon as he was old enough. This year marked a special milestone. It was the return of Wawona’s Family Camp program. It was the first one since 2019. Now attending as both a camp pastor and a father of three, Zac experienced camp through a new lens.

“What made it so amazing was seeing the staff, their love for Jesus, and their love for kids,” Zac shared. “The staff became our kids’ heroes. They just looked up to them and loved them. These staff members are between the ages of 18 and 24. They’re fun, creative, and talented, but most of all, it was evident how deeply they love Jesus and the kids.”

Zac Page and his son

Throughout the week, families enjoyed a variety of summer activities, from horseback riding, gymnastics, and archery to the giant swing, crafts, and swimming in the pool. For Zac’s daughter, Olivia, the experience was fantastic. As the family packed up on Friday, she declared, “This is the best camp in the universe!”

Yet beyond the outdoor adventures, the spiritual atmosphere was at its height during the evening programs. Each night, staff members performed interactive skits tracing the life of King David, leading up to a Thursday night passion play depicting the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It concluded with a powerful invitation to follow Jesus through a long-standing tradition at Camp Wawona. Signing the “Book of Life.” It is an activity where campers of all ages can physically sign their names in a physical book to symbolically signal a decision to follow Jesus.

“I remember signing that book myself starting when I was 11 years old,” Zac reflected. Then, as a camp pastor he had the privilege of continuing the tradition and inviting parents and children into a deeper relationship with Christ.

After the appeal concluded, the auditorium became quiet. Zac noticed a woman standing in the back. As she approached him, she shared her gratitude for the talks he had that week and for the incredible staff who had been showing love to her family. She then shared with Zac a moment that had a tremendous impact on her.

She had brought her teenage granddaughter to Family Camp, but because the girl was being raised in a Buddhist household, the grandmother worried about how the message would be received. Earlier in the week, when asked if she knew who King David was, the granddaughter had simply replied that she had never heard any of these stories before.

With tears in her eyes, the grandmother shared what happened during the passion play, “Tonight, I saw her go forward and sign her name in the ‘Book of Life.’ I’m just so excited to see that she is accepting Jesus out of this whole experience.”

For Zac, hearing that testimony was a powerful reminder of what makes Camp Wawona special. “She was really touched by the way the staff had loved on her family,” he said. “And the programs had been a blessing to their family.”

Reflecting on his connection to the camp, Zac believes Wawona is entering a powerful era under the leadership of Camp Director Delinda Hamilton. “I sensed this is a really, really great group of staff who just love Jesus,” Zac observed.

As the summer season comes to an end, these simple and powerful moments from Camp Wawona linger in the hearts and minds of all those who attended. For Zac and his family Camp Wawona continues remains to be a place where they can build friendships, create lasting memories, and encounter Jesus.   

Written by Kisa de Bruin