Hope Camp in Germany Connects and Inspires Adventist Families and Friends

“It’s like a little piece of paradise that we’re experiencing here with our children. The friendly community and togetherness, and the fact that my children can move around so freely while everyone looks out for each other — that’s something you can take into everyday life and try to pass on,” said a visibly content young mother near the end of Hope Camp.

The young mother is one of nearly 600 participants who were drawn to the area near Magdeburg this year to experience one of the largest Christian family camps in Germany. Organized for the fourth time by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany and Hope Media Europe in Alsbach-Hähnlein, this year’s event once again adopted the motto, “Create Leisure Time, Make Friends, Discover Faith.”

Fun and Games on the Running Meadow

From July 30 to August 4, the campus of Friedensau Theological Seminary was transformed into a “Wuselwiese” (German for “running meadow“). This new feature is especially aimed at families with children between 0 and 7 years old.

Since attention spans are shorter and the urge to move is high in this age group, the large meadow on the campus offered a mix of activities such as a bouncy castle, a baby play area, a water play pool, a rolling slide, a mini soccer field, and other age-appropriate creative crafting and play options. But even in the other “experience worlds,” there was a vibrant program for children, teenagers, adults, singles, and seniors: archery, horseback riding, rocket building, go-karting, alpaca walks, soapstone carving, ball games, cooking, dance, and crochet classes — the list was long and complemented by workshops on deepening life and faith topics, such as dealing with suffering, building resilience, or the Bible intensive workshop titled, “Yes Jesus Summer Week.”

“When children are busy all day, making friends, having fun, and hearing about God — parents are relaxed and happy too,” Hope Camp leader Alexander Kampmann said. “The idea of this event is for generations to come together, like at a big family celebration, to enjoy a holiday together and invite friends. I personally enjoy sitting under string lights in the evening, with a hot dog in hand and a view of our glamping tent landscape, talking about God and the world while the children have fun on the wooden carousel. For me, it’s a little taste of heaven.”

According to organizers, of the almost 600 who registered, about 200 were under 15 years old, while the oldest participant was a proud 93 years old. Eighty-one volunteers supported the organizing team and significantly contributed to the event’s success, organizers said.

New this year were the glamping tents as an accommodation option. Twenty-five of them were set up on the campsite, equipped with a mattress, nightstand, and lamp for an extra touch of coziness.

Biblical Stories that Touch the Heart

Participants enjoyed discussing spiritual topics, among other things, through a daily spiritual message from Klaus Popa in the arena. He is not only the chairman of Hope Media but also the host of the Hope TV series “glauben.geschichten” (believe.stories).

In Popa’s messages and the accompanying biblical plays, which included music, everything revolved around the Old Testament story of Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph. Although Joseph was sold by his brothers and spent many years as a slave in Egypt, he remained faithful to God in his suffering and eventually experienced a joyful reunion with his family.

Joseph’s story is a reminder that through God’s mercy and goodness, reconciliation is possible, Popa said. It also shows how a heart ready to forgive can pave the way for healing and reunion. The message at this Hope Camp: If Joseph’s family could be reunited, God can heal our hearts too, so that we can experience forgiveness and reconciliation. Many participants were touched by the story: “When Joseph sang the song in prison, I had tears in my eyes…” shared an older woman afterward.

Another emotional highlight of the Hope Camp vacation week was the baptism of four participants, which took place on Saturday afternoon in the lake nearby. The candidates decided on this day to entrust their lives to Jesus. During the subsequent prayer, other people stepped forward, wanting to follow this example. The baptisms were also a decision for a life “with depth,” as Alexander Kampmann described in his address. He referred to Acts 17:10-11, where people searched deeper in the Holy Scriptures to discover the “more in life.”

Next camp is scheduled for August 5-10, 2025.