Camp Fusion students learn that “Christ has made us for community”

July 22-26, 350 students across 36 churches gathered at Latham Springs Camp & Retreat Center in Aquilla for a week of worship, teaching and fellowship. 

With the theme “Converge,” students learned that “as believers, it is our goal and our joy to be fully united as one body.” 

Camp Fusion is a camping experience for students who are members of Texas Baptists Intercultural Churches, aimed at connecting second-generation students and spiritually growing them in their faith journey. This year, they celebrated their 15th anniversary. 

The Gospel doesn’t erase, it redeems 

Zachary Nguyen, high school senior from Vietnamese Baptist Church of Garland, said he learned that “the gospel, it doesn't erase, but it redeems us.” 

“This whole camp, we've been talking about our past and specifically our parents and the culture, and if we're being honest, we might want to separate ourselves from our parents or our culture. But our past has a big hold on us and really affects how we interact in the present,” said Nguyen. “Even though the past has a hold on us, we shouldn't erase it.” 

He learned that “Christ redeems the sin, he doesn't erase it completely. He forgives us of our sins.”

“In Asian culture, the pastor [and] your parents have a really certain way that they'd like to raise you and a very important, practical application from the sermon that I got was that you shouldn't try to run from those things… [because] Christ redeems those through his love and through his forgiveness [and] our identity is greater with Christ,” explained Nguyen. 

Nguyen said God has used Camp Fusion to redeem his view on vulnerability within Christian community. 

“It used to be super hard [for me] to connect to others on an emotional level, on a deeper level. But at Camp Fusion – I wouldn't even limit it to this year, but all my years of camp – I've really learned that Christ works in so many ways, and God has emotions, too, and he wants us to be able to deal with our emotions in a healthy way,” said Nguyen. 

He said Camp Fusion has provided “a safe space that's different from the world” to help him practice vulnerability with his camp community. 

“Christ calls us to a higher calling than ourselves, and I feel like at this camp, seeing all my brothers and sisters being so willing to open up about the deep things that were hidden in their hearts made me realize how much Christ has made us for community,” said Nguyen.  

Christ uses community to “tear down barriers” 

Lily Kagombe, a student from Upendo Baptist Church in Garland, also learned about identity in Christ through her camp community.

In a workshop Kagombe attended, she said she learned that “if you don't know who you are [in] your relationship with God, and if you're not right [with God], then that leaves room for people to define who you are.” 

She said the vulnerability of her workshop leader was powerful for her.

“She was saying, ‘It took me a long time to actually say something about this,’ and it was powerful to see how she could [open up]. [I thought] maybe I can do it too,” said Kagombe.

Kagombe said she was also encouraged by the “sense of community” within her church group. 

“In the nightly devotion [times], just seeing how we were all there for each other… really shows how God moves wonders and that he'll tear down barriers [through community],” said Kagombe. 

Nguyen invited three of his high school friends to Camp Fusion this summer. He said, “the fact that they're here is a huge blessing.” 

“They're all actually here right now, which is a great work that God is doing because their salvation, as well as their walk with Christ, is something I've been praying about for a very long time,” said Nguyen. “I see God working… in many areas, where I'm able to see the fruit of what he's done over these past four years that I spent with them in high school.” 

He said he was reminded at camp that "Christ works through weakness” and that he must rely on God to “have confidence that Christ could work through me to minister to my brothers and sisters in Christ.” 

Nguyen said God has used Camp Fusion to “set a flame of fire in my soul” for him, and “although that fire could waver here and there throughout my spiritual walk, God has seen that fire and has never [gone] dry.” 

During the week, 21 accepted Christ, 137 recommitted their lives to Christ, 108 committed to full-time Christian service and 57 answered the call to serve on cross-cultural missions. 17 different cultures were represented among the students. 

For more information about Camp Fusion, visit txb.org/campfusion.