Lending a helping hand

Bethlehem United Methodist Church sends workers to help at Camp Penuel Costa Rica

When it comes to mission connections, one of the strongest exists between Hutchinson and Camp Penuel in Costa Rica.

The camp was founded by Hutchinson native Paul Bernhagen and his wife, Thelma. The couple met while working as counselors at Camp Penuel in near Ironton, Mo.

Paul and Thelma were inspired by their Missouri camp experience and its founder, the Rev. Harry H. Douma, who created the nation’s foremost free camp for inner-city children, attracting about 250 children and counselors per week from Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Memphis.

It was the Bernhagens’ dream to establish a branch of the American camp in Costa Rica, with the goal of providing a free Christian camp experience for inner-city children ages 7 to 11.

The first steps were taken in July 2000 when the Camp Penuel Board of Directors approved the mission in Costa Rica and appointed Paul Bernhagen as director of the project.

Since then, the dream has become a reality on a 67-acre plot of land 10 miles east of the large Pacific port city of Puntarenas.

Although the camp celebrated its grand opening Jan. 8, 2006, there is still much work to be done.

Last month, 11 people from Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Hutchinson traveled to Costa Rica to help the Bernhagens.

According to the Rev. Greg Nelson, the congregation learned about the Bernhagens’ project through Paul’s aunt, a church member. On Paul’s next visit to Hutchinson, he visited the church and gave a presentation on the camp. Afterward, Nelson invited the congregation to step forward with volunteers and money for a mission trip to Costa Rica.

“Within two weeks, we had the volunteers and the money,” Nelson said. “After we had our tickets, we decided to do a drive for camp scholarships. We raised enough money for 106 scholarships.”

Nelson said it was exciting to be part of someone’s dream. “Paul is ministering to children from the inner-city,” he said, “at-risk kids, who have a great time and learn about the gospel.”

To read the complete story see today's print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com)