On April 17, Moody Bible Institute students who participate in the Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring program with children ages 6 - 18, primarily from the challenged Cabrini Green neighborhood of Chicago, departed with their little “siblings” for a retreat at Camp Beechpoint in Allegan, Mich. Of the 111 people in attendance, 48 were children, most of who had never visited a camp or travelled outside of the Chicago-area.

Activities at the retreat included crafts, games, chapel and a scavenger hunt. Marcus Constantine, junior pastoral studies major, who went with his “sibling” Jumar, said, “My favorite part about camp was when Jumar and I paired-up during the scavenger hunt and walked the grounds together. I had time to talk with Jumar about his relationship with Jesus, what he believes and what he’s living for. It’s beautiful times like that at camp that have eternal significance, and that is why I was thankful to go.”

The first evening ended with a campfire and devotions before lights-out in the cabins. The students and their “siblings” returned to Chicago the following afternoon. The “siblings” were not the only participants to learn more about Jesus on the retreat, as many Moody students were also impacted. “The Lord Jesus taught me more about what it looks like to be a parent and a big brother,” said Constantine. “This weekend was not easy and it’s tiring, but the opportunity to share Jesus and teach our ‘siblings’ is worth more than losing sleep and getting dirty.”

- Jessica C. Winter, Sophomore, Applied Linguistics