Pathfinders Witness God’s Promises Kept
GILLETTE, WYO. – The nearly 8,000 Pathfinders and volunteers from the Southwestern Union who attended the 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee, Aug. 6-12, were given evidence for their belief at an event that none of them are likely to ever forget.
The camporee had previously been held in Oshkosh, Wis., and with a new location came several new challenges, which were compounded by storms.
“We saw God’s keeping power when He kept His people safe during the storm,” said Helvis Moody, young adult/youth ministries director (pictured below), “and we saw God’s saving power when we witnessed precious souls get baptized.”
The camporee began with two back-to-back storms. This first one rolled in around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, right after the clubs had set up their tents, leading some clubs to make a Walmart run to replace their soaked tents and equipment. Though Gillette is a small town of only about 33,000 residents, the local Walmart was prepared for the 60,000 camporee attendees coming in from all over the world.
But when the second storm hit around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, it was going to take more than a Walmart run to provide for the thousands of campers who suddenly had nowhere to sleep. As the storm came to an end, the Pathfinders emerged from the buildings where they had sheltered to witness a stunning symbol of God’s promise. Above them, a clear double rainbow stretched over the camporee grounds. The campers’ belongings may have been soaked, but the Pathfinders were not forgotten. If the double rainbow wasn’t enough to remind Pathfinders of God’s care, He sent community members out in droves to serve as His hands and feet to the campers. Local hotels and churches found spaces where the Pathfinders could spend the night. Community members brought dry clothes, blankets and sleeping bags. Some even brought hair dryers to help the Pathfinders dry their belongings.
The rain may have drenched the Pathfinders belongings, but neither the rain nor the other challenges they faced dampened their spirits. (The leadership of the Southwestern Union and its five conferences are advocating for solutions that will ensure logistical issues from sanitation to security are resolved for the next camporee.) For the rest of the week, the Pathfinders earned honors, traded pins, enjoyed evening programs and participated in all sorts of activities. Some Pathfinders even helped set a new world record for the most backpacks packed simultaneously. When a third severe storm was forecasted for Saturday, the final program was moved to Friday night.
But for many, what will be remembered most about this camporee was the many personal decisions to make a commitment to Jesus through baptism. In total there were 1,187 baptisms held during the camporee. The radiant smiles on the faces emerging from the water were enough to alert even secular reporters in attendance that something special was happening.
As Moody reflected on the week, he noted that these storms were a life lesson for the Pathfinders taking the next step in their spiritual journey. “In life we’re going to be faced with storms. We just have to find a way to hold on to the storm,” he said. “Though we would have loved for great weather, God allowed a storm for us to go through to deepen our faith in Him. In the midst of it all, he still showed himself strong and mighty. God allows storms to come in our lives to increase our faith, and without a test there can be no testimony.”
