Norm writes:
God’s adventure with me at Hume Lake began the summer of 1954 when I was able to attend a Christian Endeavor high school camp. This was the eighth year of camp operations at Hume. I was immediately caught up in God’s natural beauty and by the end of the week, I was very aware of the “spiritual beauty” that permeates Hume! I still experience these feelings today!
I was in a cabin with other school friends from Woodlake, California. The cabin counselor was Tom Gustafson from Bakersfield and a senior, playing football at Fresno State. Tom had a great influence on me that week as did one of my cabin mates, Ben Ainley, who was already a Christian. I went forward, along with several others, at an evening service in Memorial Chapel and accepted the Lord as my Savior! This was the beginning of Hume having a special place in my heart!
In 1959, while students at Fresno State, my wife Anne and I spent our summer on staff at Hume and celebrated our first anniversary while there, further endearing Hume as a special place. During that summer, Anne’s parents built a cabin at Hume, which I worked on during my days off from running the boathouse and Anne worked in the coffee shop. The staff was approximately 75 that summer.
About a year after graduation, I was drafted and spent a tour in Vietnam. Following my active duty, I was employed with the Fresno County Health Department and some years later I was assigned as the Health Inspector for a district that included the Hume Lake Christian Conference grounds. The Lord continued to find a purpose for me to be at Hume.
Our first home was in Easton, south of Fresno. We were active in the Presbyterian church there. I had the opportunity to teach Sr. high and we took all kids to Hume Lake for a beginning of school weekend retreat to charge up the kids for Christ. A fantastic experience for us all!
I took a job opportunity in Sacramento, some 6 hours of travel from Hume, so our direct involvement tapered off, but Hume continues to be a special place, because our Lord is so active and alive at Hume!
The Lord has blessed us such that we are able to donate regularly and Hume is a part of our will because of Hume still holding a special place in my heart. Thanks be to God!