There are many reasons to visit Maine in the fall, but the 84 volunteers who traveled to Camp Lawroweld in October came with a singular purpose: service. The team was coordinated by Maranatha Volunteers International, a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, to provide free labor for the camp. Volunteers reinforced cabin foundations, renovated interiors, split and hauled large quantities of firewood, painted buildings, and cleared debris across the property.
“Maranatha has single-handedly changed the face of this camp, breathed new life into it, and reignited excitement around its mission,” said Trevor Schlisner, Youth and Young Adult Ministries director for the Northern New England Conference.
Camp Lawroweld is a sacred place where visitors encounter God and a vital resource for the region, hosting roughly 700 guests each year. It serves as the conference’s hub for every Adventist ministry and sits on 200 acres of forested land with nearly 1,000 feet of shoreline along Lake Webb.
Despite its importance, the camp operates with limited funds for maintenance, making regular upkeep challenging and major improvements difficult.
“We need as much help as anywhere, although it’s important to go everywhere,” Schlisner said. “To the volunteers, I want to say, ‘Thank you—you’ve made an impact that will last for eternity.’”
For several days of the project, adult volunteers were joined by 42 students from Richmond Adventist Academy in Virginia. Each year, the school sponsors a trip called “Horizon.” Typically, Horizon visits college campuses to help students consider their future paths. This year, however, staff leaders intentionally focused the trip on missions.
“We’re so transactional in our world—where we do something and get a better grade, or we do something and get paid,” said Richmond Bible teacher Desmond Suarez II. “But often, the most transformative and impactful things we do are unpaid.”
Suarez added, “Having students here working hard for something that matters—without any financial reward—is incredibly powerful.”
Maranatha volunteers have provided critical upgrades at Camp Lawroweld since 2020. Previous projects have resulted in renovated cabins and bathhouses, marking a significant turning point for the camp’s infrastructure and long-term sustainability.
Maranatha Volunteers International mobilizes volunteers to build churches, schools, water wells, and other urgently needed structures worldwide, including across North America. Since 1969, the organization has constructed more than 16,000 structures and over 3,500 water wells in nearly 90 countries.
Those interested in volunteering for a future project may email Maranatha Volunteers International at sneedles@maranatha.org.
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Sidney Needles, Maranatha Volunteers International
