By: Jake Tuttle, Assistant Camp Director Hume New England
Let me start by saying this: God is good. Here at Hume New England, we’re standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and from where we’re standing, the view is extraordinary. This summer was historic for us—we welcomed our largest week of camp to date. And while our schedule creaked and groaned like the hull of a ship in a storm under the weight of so many campers, God held us steady. By His grace, we made it through, and we know this “ship” can weather even bigger storms in the future—not because of what we do, but because of God’s faithful hand over Hume.
I’d like to share two stories from this remarkable summer.
The first comes from behind the scenes, a story most campers would never know. In the spring, our Site Director stepped down. But God, in His goodness, had already prepared the way. Madie De La Rosa, our Program Director, seamlessly stepped into the role. Madie has embodied the Hume DNA here in New England for the past ten years, helping keep our camp aligned with Hume’s mission and values. Throughout the summer, she continued to carry her program director responsibilities—caring deeply for staff, campers, counselors, and youth pastors—while also leading the camp as Site Director. Though the weight of both roles stretched her more than ever before, she never lost sight of what matters most: every student hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Looking back, I’m reminded of Moses in Exodus, called for a specific time and purpose. And hopefully, just like Aaron and Hur, we were able to hold up Madie’s arms when she grew tired.
The second story comes from the front of house, inside Hilltop Chapel on a Thursday night. That evening, we invited students to put their faith in Jesus and join the family of God. As chapel ended and students stayed behind, I spoke with one young man whose story stood out. He shared how baseball had always brought him joy—but it also controlled his schedule. Here’s where we saw God’s hand so clearly: rewind to the previous fall, when our team decided to move to a Monday–Friday camp schedule. It wasn’t an easy choice; we worried about losing a day of camp. But we believed it could help keep costs down and make camp accessible to more students, so we stepped forward, trusting God.
Fast forward to that Thursday night conversation. The young man explained he had a baseball tournament on Friday night. “And to think,” he said, “I would have missed the chance to meet these guys because of baseball.” If camp had still ended on Saturday, he wouldn’t have been able to attend. God is good, and He is in the details. Only God knows the future of this baseball player, but I can’t help but imagine a young man on fire for the Lord, rooted in the local church, and using a baseball diamond as his mission field.
One day, in the kingdom, come find me—and we’ll sit down with him and hear how the rest of his story unfolded. God is good, and God is in the details. Only God knows the future story of our baseball player. As for me, I’ve got a hunch, I can’t help but see a young man who is on fire for God, has a heart for the local church, and whose field of ministry is a baseball diamond. One day in the kingdom, come find me and we can sit down with him and hear the rest of his story.