BMA Miracle Camp, Ringgold, Louisiana. Is this a blast from the past for anyone but me??? When I saw this picture, I could smell the pines and remember the emotions that came over me each year. For those who don't know, BMA stands for Bible Memory Association. (It's now called Scripture Memory Fellowship) BMA was an organization designed by Dr. Woychuk to encourage scripture memory. This wasn't just one verse a week. Oh no. I was 8 years old when I started and I believe I was memorizing 5 verses a week then. We were involved every year after that. By high school, we were memorizing 13 verses a week. Each week, we went to our "hearer's" home and recited our verses. (My hearer was Tom Kelley.) It had to be done word perfectly. This was usually a Saturday morning--which insured we got to hang out with friends! But as you can imagine, it was a little stressful, trying to make sure you knew your verses. And I remember a few weeks when I didn't memorize my verses until---Saturday morning! I think there were 12 weeks of memorizing in each book. Once a month, I think, we'd get to select a reward from a book. It was usually books that told stories about missionaries.
And then....THEN in the summer, there was BMA camp. If you finished the program, you were eligible to attend the camp. There were actually several around the country, but Louisiana was closest to us. But, of course, you had to have parents or sponsors take you. It's so hard to believe, looking back, that our family went nearly every summer to Ringgold, Louisiana to Miracle Camp. We absolutely loved it! When we arrived, we had to quote 3 chapters of verses (that would be 39 verses in high school) word perfectly in one sitting to be admitted to camp. I don't know that my dad ever memorized with BMA, but he got a free pass as a driver and a sponsor of a boy's cabin. Ha! He always had us worried on our drive to Ringgold--wondering if he'd be allowed into camp. (I admit, he had me worried!) And then we stayed in unairconditioned cabins---rustic cabins. It was hot and sultry. But oh---so much fun! We heard wonderful Bible teachers (can anyone name any of them?), learned choruses (I even played piano a few times for camp), fell in love, and used our manners at mealtime. It was a well-organized camp. And I learned a lot. I never got to do this, but I know my older brother did. When you were in high school, you could apply to be a Whitefoot. It was a much sought after position, but actually, you were the "help" for the week--or 2 weeks, I think. Ha! But it was prestigious to be accepted as a Whitefoot.
I hadn't thought about Miracle Camp in a long time. What a treasure!! I was so blessed to be taught so much about the Word by such deep Bible teachers all my life. Blessed!
32 comments:
I think Joe Temple was one of the teachers - and Gary & I were both Whitefeet. LOL At least I think I remember Gary working K.P.
I would love to go there - maybe they've added air conditioning to the adult rooms.
And who can forget the frog races? Were you there when Daddy bought a fence post hole??? ROFL! what fun times.
I LOVED Joe Temple! Are you kidding me??? Am I the only one who wasn't a Whitefoot???
Oh yeah....the frog races. I think I remember the post hole thing...refresh my memory!
I was an "aspiring" whitefoot which meant I got the worst of tasks! Good memories from Ringold. . . paddle boats, canoes, shuffleboard, the morning devotions by the lake under the trees, and the sweet woman who worked in the kitchen and sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
How fun! And you know there's no way camps are that simple any more.
Or that demanding! I don't think kids would go if they had to say 39 verses to enter!!
I'd forgotten that you had to be an aspiring Whitefoot first. Mom and Dad let me stay an extra week one year and then I flew home - just so I could be a Whitefoot.
They had an auction one year to raise money for campers who couldn't afford to come the next week. Some teen boys came in "struggling" to carry a posthole. Dad won the auction & bought a posthole. yep. a hole. ;-)
He also met me out on the lake early one morning before morning devotions and we went fishing together. Loved that lake - morning devotions and watching the sun come up, singing good night across the lake to the guys- the bikes w/ paddle wheels (what do you call those?). Wow. Wish I could give that experience to my kids! Awanas actually owns that camp now, I think.
WOW, Sandra! You remember more than I do! I just remember falling in love a few times. LOL! And I'd even forgotten about the boys serenading us across the lake. What great memories.
Ok...on facebook, Richard Kelley mentioned fines. Does anyone remember what the fines were for?
nope.
Fines were for breaking the rules (for example, I got caught whispering to my bunk mate during Quiet Time after lunch .... I had to stand up and pay a fine at lunch the next day.) So mortifying but it only happened once for me!! I loved Miracle Camp in GA .... my sisters and I went every summer. I was an Aspiring Whitefoot my next to last summer and a Whitefoot my last summer there. We all had crushes on the Brewer brothers, even though they were quite a bit older ... except Ken was just a few years older than I. Morning Watch was one of my faves ... Also, does anyone remember Glorified Rice (yum) and the stewed prunes and hard boiled egg casserole (NOT yum!!)
I do remember the wonderful cook who sang for us, but I can't remember her name ... Ruby, maybe? Thanks for the memories!!
Oops, I meant Ringgold, LA
Picola?
Picoa maybe? She made the best bread pudding. And at lunch there was "There's a story you must tell, you must tell, you must tell... there's a story you must tell... Mr. Xxxxx" And whoever we "called out" had to tell a story or joke.
Hi, My brother & I used to attend the Miracle Camp in upstate NY. We would take the train together from NJ to Albany, NY, where someone from the camp would meet us & bring us to camp. We recited our 3 weeks lessons of verses before we left to assure we’d be allowed in. In those days we earned the free week at camp, which made it even more special. I won the diving contest once by copying every fancy dive the other person did. After hurting myself on the board & trying again anyway, I think they might have been trying to encourage me:) I also won the table shuffle board tournament, while my brother won the tether ball tournament. Those little plastic trophy cups with a sticker on the base with our names & what we won, & which week & year were treasures for years:) There was also horseback riding over the bridge, across the lake. I think it was on an island. And then those paddle boats on the lake were so much fun too :) Every year I looked forward to seeing my friend from camp, Carolyn Weaver from Lancaster, PA. She would fix my hair into two beautiful French braids. I loved singing “In God’s green pastures feeding ...His sheep am I” with the two sides of the camp chapel singing the opposite part. We loved playing “Tic-Tac-Know” with the whole camp & singing the Miracle Camp song. I was so excited & honored to finally become an ‘Aspiring Whitefoot’ even though our family was moving to Japan, so I knew I would never get an opportunity to be a Whitefoot. My brother did get to be a Whitefoot as he was older than me. I used to tell my parents that it was the best thing they ever did for us to have us in that program where we were motivated by the biweekly award system to memorize so much scripture. When it was hard to get through learning so many verses each week, we would look through the award selection booklet or talk about the good times we would be having at camp. Those years & the camp are sweet memories. I still have that reservoir of God’s Word percolating through my mind, helping God guide me & others with my reciting them or responding according to the teaching. Praise God for that ministry:)
Years later I met my husband. He had attended the same Miracle Camp I did, but because he is younger than I am, we hadn’t met. But now we share some of the same memories of the BMA program, the camp, & of course the verses from God’s Inspired Word. We had even chosen some of the same awards through the years. So each has a sticker inside awarding it to one of us.
I am thankful to those that made BMA & the Miracle Camps a reality that helped me grow in my understanding & relationship with our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.
“His Word will not return void.”
Blessed in God’s Word,
Helen Baltzer Felts
Yes! Picola. Beautiful memory. 🌷
very good Christian experience I miss it too
Debra Alloway
I am almost 82 and I want to let everyone know that learning Bible verses through the BMA is one of the best things I ever did. We at the First Baptist Church of Logansport, La, learned about this program when I entered 9th grade, which was 1950. II learned the verses for four years and got to go to camp in the summer. This foundation in scripture has helped me tremendously throughout my life. I thank God for this organization. I had the most fun of my life at those camps. We swam in the creek and played games and just had the most fun of my life. ThAnk you!
Patsy Reese Alanis
Does anyone still have any of the BMA books? I have been trying for years to find some. I have looked on eBay and there are only story books by Bible Memory Association. I memorized out of one book but it was borrowed. This was back in the late 1970s-1980s. The camps you mention sound so fun. I didn't become a Christian until my early 20s.
Anyone remember the caretakers who lived on the property, Mr. & Mrs. Garrett? (Al and Ella) I know they were there at least from when I was in fourth grade (1964-65) to 1970. Don’t know other years.
Wanda Watkins
I have here Enrichments in the Christian Life, Youth Memory Book IV, and I counted 167 verses in it that I had memorized in the 70s. So sorry I gave away all the other books recently.
Well THIS was a fun blog to come across in my search for BMA! Though I was on the west coast for my BMA work and camp, the experiences sound nearly identical. My hearer was Kathy Holton, who just went to be with the Lord about a month ago. I think our camp was at Mt. Hermon in California, but I am not certain about that. There was a swimming pool, which I thought was amazing. I remember 'Rest Time' after lunch and thinking that I couldn't imagine having to go to bed for that hour after lunch, but we did it unquestionably. Oh, the scary part of having to say your verses upon arrival after a LONG DRIVE to camp! My mother would be praying for all 7 of us to pass. I think she was highly motivated to have a week with the kids all away at a safe, strict, and invaluable camp. BMA is now Scripture Memory Fellowship, and they are WONDERFUL!
Oh I love this. Spent so many years there and loved the music the best. Are there any recordings of it?
I attended the BMA camp in Michigan for many summers. Does anyone remember where it was and what lake it was on?
I remember working so hard to be able to attend camp, only to be disappointed by so much when we actually got there. In my experience, we worked hard memorizing (this was a GREAT thing) and then worry tremendously all the way there that we wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ to get in. The anxiety it gave me while trying to be ‘perfect enough’, scarred me a little. I never thought it was right to have to stand and confess a wrongdoing snd pay a ‘fine’. I’m sure it was just me and my personality, but the good times did not outweigh the fear it invoked in me. I know the people meant well though.
I remember working so hard to be able to attend camp, only to be disappointed by so much when we actually got there. In my experience, we worked hard memorizing (this was a GREAT thing) and then worry tremendously all the way there that we wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ to get in. The anxiety it gave me while trying to be ‘perfect enough’, scarred me a little. I never thought it was right to have to stand and confess a wrongdoing snd pay a ‘fine’. I’m sure it was just me and my personality, but the good times did not outweigh the fear it invoked in me. I know the people meant well though.
I remember working so hard to be able to attend camp, only to be disappointed by so much when we actually got there. In my experience, we worked hard memorizing (this was a GREAT thing) and then worry tremendously all the way there that we wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ to get in. The anxiety it gave me while trying to be ‘perfect enough’, scarred me a little. I never thought it was right to have to stand and confess a wrongdoing snd pay a ‘fine’. I’m sure it was just me and my personality, but the good times did not outweigh the fear it invoked in me. I know the people meant well though.
I remember working so hard to be able to attend camp, only to be disappointed by so much when we actually got there. In my experience, we worked hard memorizing (this was a GREAT thing) and then worry tremendously all the way there that we wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ to get in. The anxiety it gave me while trying to be ‘perfect enough’, scarred me a little. I never thought it was right to have to stand and confess a wrongdoing snd pay a ‘fine’. I’m sure it was just me and my personality, but the good times did not outweigh the fear it invoked in me. I know the people meant well though.
I remember working so hard to be able to attend camp, only to be disappointed by so much when we actually got there. In my experience, we worked hard memorizing (this was a GREAT thing) and then worry tremendously all the way there that we wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ to get in. The anxiety it gave me while trying to be ‘perfect enough’, scarred me a little. I never thought it was right to have to stand and confess a wrongdoing snd pay a ‘fine’. I’m sure it was just me and my personality, but the good times did not outweigh the fear it invoked in me. I know the people meant well though.
My name is Mike McGlaun. My mother is Barbara McGlaun, and my grandparents were Kenneth and Virginia Gant. They were going to BMA-Ringgold before I came along in 1968, and I started going as soon as I was old enough. We were a part of the SMF split, and grandpa was on the board with BMA and SMF. Jimmy Woychuk and I were very close, and we would get to retreats and camps early to help him and N.A. set up the book store. In fact, Grandpa made the big Tic Tac Know board that was used at the Texas camps from the 70s until ? Sitting here in tears and heart racing as I type these words. Just heard that Tim Temple passed away last week. My grandparents were one of five couples that started Grace Church here in Wichita Falls, TX, and Tim was pastor from 68-78. I came to know the Lord under and was baptized by Tim Temple. He was a great influence on my life.
My email is mikemcglaun1968@gmail.com for anyone who would like to visit.
Post a Comment