Hype, Heart, and Hiding the Veggies: Hanging Out With Our New Associate Activities Coordinator
If you’ve ever been to Camp BlueSky, you know the energy hits you the second you step onto the grounds. It’s total chaos in the best way possible—high-fives, random chanting, people throwing socks, and non-stop running around.
But have you ever wondered who is actually behind all that wild camp chaos?
That would be our new Associate Activities Coordinator. He's the guy running about 90% of the games and hype events this summer, including the legendary Summit Fire. We got to sit down and chat with him about how he went from a quiet homeschooler who just wanted to play piano to becoming the undefeated, two-time Chumvi King camp champion—and what he’s planning for this season.
How it all started (Accidentally)
Long before he was running the game field, he was a local kid hearing wild camp stories from his neighbors.
"I knew about Blue Sky since the early 2010s when I was a kid," he told us. "My neighbors used to go to camp and they’d constantly tell me and my siblings, 'You guys should come!'"
He finally connected with the BlueSky team in 2019 through a weekly homeschool co-op gathering. Fast forward to 2023, and he was volunteering to help out with weekly youth Bible studies. Because he was a musician, the team asked if he wanted to join the camp worship team for the summer—but they threw in a twist.
"They told me, 'You can do other things too, so let's give you a Junior Counselor role for Elgon and see what you can do.' To be honest, I wasn't the most confident when it came to kids back then. I wasn’t really into kids' ministry or leading small groups. I just liked playing guitar and piano!"
But that one summer changed everything.
"Blue Sky was just a whole new level of fun. I didn't even know I was that competitive until I joined Chumvi! I realized I could use the skills I had to actually minister and expand the Kingdom. It challenged me in every single area—spiritually, musically, and just learning how to talk to people."
Retiring the Chumvi King Crown
Stepping into camp-wide leadership this year means a massive shift. For one, he won't have a specific cabin of boys to look after.
"It’s gonna feel weird," he laughed. "Imagine actually sleeping at night during camp! Getting to choose my bedtime? Something about that doesn't feel right. I’m definitely going to miss the funny moments with the boys—like standing outside the cabin at midnight just to catch some fresh air, or stopping them from trying to jump across five different beds."
The biggest adjustment, though? Staying neutral on the game field. He is, after all, the reigning, two-time undefeated ChuvikingChumvi King.
"Man, I am going to miss that adrenaline. I loved leading Chumvi to victory! I remember feeling so much pressure when Nuru was winning, trying to figure out what to tell my guys so they wouldn’t lose hope. You want your team to fight to the very end. Now, trying to be completely impartial as a 'Churu' or a 'Numvi' is going to be a real challenge."
The "Hide the Veggies" Philosophy
When it comes to his philosophy on camp ministry, he relies on a classic trick most moms use.
"I love the term 'hide the veggies,'" he smiles. "You know how moms blend carrots and zucchini into the food? The food still tastes amazing, but the kids are getting their nutrients. That’s how I look at our games. The main message I want to send through all these high-energy activities is that God is fun."
He talked about how easy it is for kids to fall into the trap of thinking sin is exciting and obeying God is just a boring chore—like doing the dishes for Jesus.
"We want them to see that a great environment, strong friendships, and thrilling activities are all a direct result of enjoying Christ. You don't have to be a 'bad boy' to have fun!"
To get that message across, he looks for two main things when building his team of program aides: pure "psych" (energy) for camp, and adaptability.
"Structure is good, but it has to be a flexible structure. The path to the goal can change in a lot of different ways, so I need people who can pivot with me when things change."
Pivot or Bust
If there is one major skill he brought from his days in the cabin straight into this new leadership role, it’s adaptability.
"As a counselor, you don’t get a rigid to-do list. You have to change the plan on the fly."
He explained that during the recent Student Summit, venue changes, missing materials, and an unexpected spike in attendance numbers forced the team to pivot throughout the weekend. But if you were looking on from the outside, you wouldn't have even noticed!
"The activity is just a tool," he says. "If a knife in your drawer gets blunt, you don't keep hacking away with it; you grab a sharper one. If a game isn’t working because of the weather or the schedule, you swap it out for an alternative. As long as you're still hitting the main goal—giving these kids an amazing experience of fellowship and fun in Christ—the exact path you take doesn't matter."
Finding Fun Everywhere
No matter how much responsibility he takes on, he’s determined to keep things light.
"The one thing I never want to lose is the ability to find fun in everything you do. Even if I'm in a serious meeting discussing budgets, I’m still going to find a way to enjoy it. It completely changes your perspective. It keeps you from getting drained, and it gives you the energy to wake up and do it all over again."