We continue our weekly Tuesday Testimony post where we are having campers, staff and parents share their story about how God used Delanco this summer in their lives. If you would like to share your story email dan.ulrich@delanco.org.
Hello, my name is Chloe Swift. I am fourteen years old and a sophomore at Cumberland County Technical Education Center. I have attended First United Methodist Church in Millville, New Jersey as long as I can remember, and I would not be happy anywhere else. I started attending Delanco Camp in the summer of 2014, and I have not stopped since. The story of how I got to Delanco that summer is a little funny. I have a serious anxiety disorder and that summer my symptoms and panic attacks were worse than normal. My parents and I agreed that sending me away without contact to my family for a week was not a good idea; hence I did not register. My brother, going into fourth grade at the time, somehow broke the age rule, and was signed up for middler camp. I came to Delanco for the first time with my family to drop Parker off and I was instantly called to stay. Mrs. Nina Crain offered to let me go home for the night, pack up, and return in the morning. Somehow, my eleven-year old self agreed, went to a 24 hour Walmart for supplies, and returned the next morning with suitcase in hand. By something I can only call a miracle by God, I did not have one anxiety flare up that entire week, and the things God did in me in that one week have changed my life since.
When I left Delanco, little seventh grade me knew I wanted to pursue a relationship with God for the rest of my life. After that summer, I changed the way I thought about anxiety. I looked for God’s wisdom and guidance when I was having a panic attack, and through something else I can only call a miracle, almost all of my symptoms of my anxiety disorder have ceased, and anxiety no longer controls my life. Anxiety is no longer a curse, it was something given to me to show God’s love and grace for me. I have since attended eight Delanco retreats and camps over the past four years, and God has worked in my life every single time. The counselors, staff, and campers at Delanco have changed my life for the better in ways I cannot express. I cannot wait to be able to help others as a counselor someday in the near future. Thank you for hearing my story, have an amazing day, and may God bless you in every way.
