There are many reasons to visit Maine in the fall, but the 84 volunteers who visited Camp Lawroweld, a Seventh-day Adventist camp and retreat center, in October had a special purpose of their own–service. The team was coordinated by Maranatha Volunteers International to provide Lawroweld with free labor. They reinforced cabin foundations, helped renovate cabin interiors, split and hauled large quantities of firewood, painted, and cleared debris. “Maranatha has single-handedly changed the face of this camp and really breathed new life into it and gotten people excited about it,” said Trevor Schlisner, Youth & Young Adult Director for the Northern New England Adventist Conference.
The camp is a beautiful place to encounter God and integral to its region, hosting roughly 700 visitors yearly and every single Adventist ministry in the area. It sits on 200 acres of forested land, with nearly 1,000 feet of shoreline on Lake Webb. Unfortunately, Lawroweld operates with minimal funds for maintenance. This makes upkeep difficult and improvements nearly impossible. “We need as much help as anywhere, although it’s important to go everywhere,” said Schlisner. “I want to say to the volunteers, ‘Thank you’ and, ‘You’ve made an impact that’ll last for eternity in my mind.'”
For several days of the Maranatha project, adult volunteers were joined by 42 students from Richmond Adventist Academy, in Virginia. Each year, the school takes a trip called “Horizon.” Usually to college campuses, the trip aims to help students make decisions about their future. But this year, staff decided to give the teens a taste of missions.
“We’re so transactional in our world where we do something and we get a better grade, or we do something and we get paid. But I think the most transformative, impactful things we do are often unpaid,” said Richmond bible teacher Desmond Suarez II. “And having the students be here working hard for something that matters and that’s not monetary is really powerful.”
Maranatha volunteers have been providing vital upgrades at Camp Lawroweld since 2020. Past projects have resulted in renovated cabins and bathhouses, and have marked a positive turning point for the camp and its facilities.
Each year, Maranatha works with organizations in the United States and Canada to provide volunteer labor for various construction or renovation projects at summer camps and retreat centers, schools, and churches. Work ranges from renovations of existing buildings to new construction, and saves thousands of dollars in labor costs.