I moved back to my hometown this summer with no sure plan for employment. I had spent the last five years living away, trying to do the adult thing and be independent. That worked for a season, but it got really expensive really fast, and I did not have a clear direction on what to do next. Though some of the experiences I had during those five years in Indy, like urban church planting and working for the largest rescue mission, were vital to my growth, I missed home and especially my family.

I have had a great run since I graduated in 2020 with a degree in communications and a few notable achievements under my belt. By no means was I done learning, excelling, or trying to grow. One thing I always had in my back pocket was photography, but to be completely honest, it had been a while since I really took time with it.

I was sitting in a Walmart waiting for my oil change when the executive director of a camp I used to work at and attend walked into the auto center waiting area. We briefly said hello, and then he turned around and asked me what I was doing this summer. I literally had no plan. Moving and diving back into work of some kind felt really overwhelming, and I had left a good job to be where I am now. No decision felt easy, and I did not want to rush into something out of fear of committing to a job I did not truly enjoy.

He put some pieces together, remembered that I did photography, and asked if I would come work at the camp for the summer. My initial plan was to commit to a part-time job and work on growing a business on the side, but I was not actually thinking about my photography. To be honest, I have lived in fear that my work is not that great and that I am too quiet to really build a business or grow confidently as an artist.

I did not think saying yes to this eight-week adventure would spur a desire to begin really developing and growing my reputation as a photographer. I think thousands of tiny things before this were what truly led to the confidence I am still growing into today.

I took the job, and it felt like home. I grew up going to Allendale Christian Camp, spending somewhere around thirteen weeks and a couple of summers of my life there. Getting to capture the day-in and day-out moments of that ministry felt like being a kid there all over again. I love the outdoors, and I love camp. The opportunities that place has created for the last 75 years have been tremendous. I can’t imagine how many countless lives have been impacted for Christ summer after summer. Out of the thousands of kids who truly encountered Christ there, I know I was one of them. Working there this year was just an exercise in recalling moments of gratitude, as each photo captured a memory of the summer of 2026.

I hope these photos show the joy and the environment, highlighting just how special it is that kids can come to a place completely unplugged and free of distractions. For me, camp was a place that changed my life forever because the people who run it love what they do, work incredibly hard, and love God.

It is a sweet ministry, and I am forever thankful for places like Allendale Christian Camp.

For such an unexpected summer, the moral of the story is simple: never be afraid to say yes to the opportunities that serve as the building blocks for your growth. God is clearly doing something incredible, and I'm just deeply thankful to have been a part of it this summer.

Learn more about Allendale Christian Camp here: https://www.allendalecc.org/

• Viktoria J. Rock