Covenant Youth of Alaska Special Edition: Covenant Bible Camp Update
Summer 2026
created Summer 2026
It is such a privilege to be able to serve as the on-site director for Covenant Bible Camp. Working year round with our leadership team and then seeing everything come to fruition in the early days of summer. I am particularly proud of our incredible staff. We deal with a lot of things at Covenant Bible Camp, mostly joys, but not always. In the midst of all the goings on of camp I get to watch, and coach, our staff as they selflessly and continuously show up for our kids. I am extremely proud of the work that we do at camp because not only do we show up, but Jesus shows up too.
I often talk about the walls in our dining hall, ‘the temple’ and how they are covered in the names of campers and staff from past and present. Every name a real person, every person a story, and every story and encounter with the real and present God that cares for people in Alaska and beyond. We are already starting to gear up for summer 2027 and I am earnestly waiting to see the ways in which the Holy Spirit will continue to show up as we partner with them to do the work we have been called to do. Hope to see you there.
Drew Williams
Bible Camp On-Site Director
I have truly loved my time serving at camp! As a staff member, I have the opportunity to come back each summer, and it is something I genuinely look forward to. One of my favorite parts is seeing students who have been at camp in years past. It means so much to be recognized by them and welcomed with big smiles and warm embraces. Those moments remind me that the relationships we build at camp can have a lasting impact, and they are a big part of why I love coming back each year. I regularly serve as a camp photographer, and I have also had the opportunity to serve on the care team. Over the years, I have served anywhere from two to four weeks during the summer. This summer was different because I was only able to serve for one week. However, it was also special because I got to serve in a new way... I helped with the Canteen! I want you all to know that the campers really look forward to this tradition. They are excited to come through the line, and it was so much fun getting to interact with them. At the beginning of the week, I would ask each camper their name. By the end of the week, I knew many of their names without having to ask. I also noticed that the kids began to recognize me more, too. I would hear, “You’re the photographer, right?” Serving in this new way gave me an opportunity to get to know more campers while taking their photos. Instead of just seeing them through the lens of my camera, I was able to learn their names, talk with more of them, and build relationships with those I had not known before. It made taking their pictures even more meaningful because I wasn’t just photographing campers... I was photographing kids I had come to know by name. -Jaime Nanninga
HIGH SCHOOL
MEMORIES:
TRAILBLAZE
PATHFINDER
ER
JUNIOR HIGH
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”- Ephesians 2:10
COVENANT YOUTH OF ALASKA PO Box 770128 | Eagle River, AK 99577 | 907.622.2702 | www.cyak.org
Thank you for your faithful support of CYAK’s ministry!
“We feel so blessed and grateful for everyone who joined us, gave generously, and lifted Bible Camp 2026 up in prayer!”
CAMP THEME:
I currently serve in the military, and I had the privilege of serving as a staff member during the junior high week of Bible camp. I’d like to share a story from my time there. During the week, two of my campers prayed for the first time, and they did it right in front of our whole cabin. That moment was incredibly motivating for me because it showed how God was moving and changing lives in just one short week. Coming from a more developed area, I’ve had access to resources and opportunities that many of these kids simply don’t have. Learning that they had never prayed before was shocking to me, especially knowing how important prayer is and how naturally many of us take it for granted. Watching two of my campers open up and eventually feel comfortable enough to pray is exactly why camp is such a beautiful place for kids to grow. For some of them, it may be the only time all year when they can truly let their guard down and simply enjoy being kids. Another experience that deeply impacted me was when we set aside time to pray with the kids and give them a safe space to share whatever they were carrying. I watched kids who normally seemed so strong and full of joy break down and cry in my arms. It was a heavy moment, but it reminded me just how much these kids are loved and how much they mean to us. Being able to stand in the gap for them and simply be present in that moment was an incredible privilege, and it’s something I’ll never forget. -Aaron Zyskowski
Covenant Youth of Alaska
We share the love and hope of Christ with Alaska’s youth and young adults.
A ministry of the Alaska Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church
PARTNER WITH US
Please consider a gift to the Camp Mission Fund! Your parntership will make a difference in the summer of 2027!
Website www.cyak.org Email info@cyak.org Phone 907-622-2702 Address PO Box 770128 Eagle River, AK 99577