Camp Agape: Resilience in the Face of Adversity

The 24-foot trailer brimmed with supplies for a four-day summer camping trip. This trip is offered free to children with incarcerated parents. Items like sleeping bags, towels, and backpacks were packed. Earlier this year, the trailer vanished from the parking lot in Anaheim where a camp volunteer had stored it.

Elizabeth Vallejo and her husband founded Camp Agape California. The mission of their faith-based organization is to support families affected by incarceration. Their objective is to create a space for healing, forgiveness, and life-building. They hope to deter these children from entering the criminal justice system.

Research shows these children face increased mental health challenges. They risk developing antisocial behaviors and substance abuse issues. They are more likely to enter the criminal justice system.

The summer camp in the San Bernardino Mountains aims to reduce these risks. The event takes place over four days in September.

The trailer’s theft caused frustration and anger at the camp. Vallejo experienced the five stages of grief. Shock was her initial reaction. Her emotions transitioned to anger.

You messed with the wrong ministry because you stole from God,” she said, reflecting on the incident.

The theft triggered memories of personal loss for Vallejo. She recalled her mother taking in her niece and nephew when her sister died young, and their father was in prison.

“I saw the hardship of [my mother] raising her grandchildren,” Vallejo said.

In 2017, Vallejo and her husband launched Camp Agape. That year tested them profoundly. Their daughter battled cancer, and Vallejo lost her mother. Despite this, they remained committed to their mission.

The camp is a place of support for children of incarcerated parents. Vallejo wished something similar existed for her mother when she cared for her sister’s children.

Despite a challenging year, the Vallejos launched the camp. Initially, they had 110 children and limited funds. Gradually, the camp expanded, acquiring more supplies over time.

The camp’s website displays videos of children arriving, welcomed by volunteers with cheers.

This year, the camp will host over 200 children. Breaking the Cycle, a nonprofit launched last year, oversees the camp. Approximately 200 volunteers will support camp operations.

“It takes an army to make the camp happen,” Vallejo stated. Many who age out of participation return as volunteers.

The stolen trailer and its contents haven’t deterred Vallejo’s resolve. She, her husband, and the volunteers remain committed.

“We still have the camp, we have the children, we have buses and the volunteers. Camp’s gonna happen,” she affirmed.

The camp imparts lessons of forgiveness. Vallejo and her husband practiced this lesson by forgiving those responsible for stealing the trailer.

To recover their losses, they initiated a fundraiser on GoFundMe seeking $28,000. As of Friday, they’ve raised $26,900 and replaced the stolen trailer.

“We know God’s gonna come through, so let’s wait and see what he does,” Vallejo shared with her husband, emphasizing faith.