Evangelical summer camps and events in Spain will return after a year without activities.

Daniel Saeta, president of the Association of International Christian Camps of Spain (CCI / Spain) explained to Spanish news website Protestante Digital that those in charge are working hard to ensure that safety guidelines are being followed.

“We are preparing, adapting to each protocol and constantly updating everything. We believe that it is very necessary for the camps to take the appropriate precautions”, said Saeta.

He pointed out that there are many aspects to consider this season. “There are very significant changes, for example, this year attendance will be approximately 40% less compared to 2019, the length of stay and the number of events will also be reduced”, he added.

“Meals have changed. For example, before, there was a paella [typical Spanish rice dish] or a salad in a common area and people could take their portion, now we cannot do that. The changes will also be in the dynamics of integration. More complex logistics are required and we are working on it”.

Relevant in the evangelical community

Christian camps are a relevant ministry in the life of many evangelical Christians in the country, especially among the youngest. “At a Christian camp you experience things very intensely. For example, I became a believer at a camp and I also met my wife at one. It is an instrument that the Lord uses in a very powerful way”, explained Daniel Saeta.

“Our goal is that if a camper does not know the Lord, that they meet Him and if there is a camper who already knows Him, that they get to know Him in a deeper way. Not organising camps last year made me sad, however, the Lord is calling us to serve Him again”, said the president of CCI.

Daniel also emphasised youth camps: “Teenagers need to know that there are other believers their age. Outside of their usual environment, young people are strengthened in their faith and it is a great blessing for them. They also develop friendships. On the other hand, we are always open to our association members and their questions, what are we going to teach? What activities will we do”?

A Christian association of camps

Currently, the Association of Christian Camps in Spain is made up of 17 independents ministries located in different provinces such as Pontevedra, Málaga, León, Girona, Seville, Ciudad Real, Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Guadalajara, Córdoba, Segovia and even in Porto (Portugal). Daniel Saeta explains that each organization assumes the commitment to abide by the regulations of their local authorities.

“Each camp is independent, they partner with us to promote the ministry. During 2019 we served more than 26,000 people of all ages through camps, events, retreats, seminars and conferences. The centres are associated with this network and together we share the same purpose, serving the church and sharing the gospel”, said Saeta.

The president of this network stressed that members constantly hold online meetings to support each other. “We share ideas and resources, in fact we meet each year in person for several days to find out how we can improve these environments".

He explained that currently the centres accept reservations without commitments due to the health situation. “For example, if the circumstances worsen for some reason in a certain province, the reservation can be cancelled without any extra fee”, said Daniel Saeta.

He invited those interested to visit the official website of the International Christian Camps Association of Spain (CCI / Spain) to learn more about the associated camps.