Camp CUMCITO, Warsaw, MO

Mark Sewalson, of Anderson & Sewalson Investment Consulting, is a business owner who has a heart for Jesus Christ and wants to make a difference in Kansas City. When, in 2004, he was asked to be on the board of City Union Mission he felt like it was a good fit. "I’m the type that if I’m going to get involved I really want to be involved. I wanted to know all about City Union Mission, so I just started volunteering in the different areas," says Mark. "I met a lot of people, and got to know Travis Bradburn, Summer Staff & Camp Administrator, and learned more about what was going on at camp," Mark continues. "All these people are the real deal. You know what I mean. They love these kids with the love of Jesus."

City Union Mission hosts 9 sessions of youth camp in 5 weeks each summer at Camp CUMCITO, serving up to 380 children ages 7-16 at Big Camp, and up to 160 children ages 4-6 at Tot Lot. Each week a different age group experiences a week of learning, playing and sharing. Most of the children who attend are from the urban core and are in need of love, encouragement and consistent discipline from compassionate adults.

Scott Murphy, youth pastor at Mark’s church, Sharon Baptist, had been checking around for places to take the youth for a mission’s trip. "He was seeking some kind of camp, or a regional cause for the kids to go to, and wanted to keep the cost down. He made the comment to me how expensive it is to travel to Mexico or Alaska. Knowing that I was involved in City Union Mission he asked me what I thought about their youth group doing missions at Camp CUMCITO. I thought it was a great idea! You know here we go and spend all this money to send our kids far away so they can have a heart for missions, when there is this need right here. It just doesn’t make sense. So I said yes. Then Scott talked with our kids, and they loved the idea," he explains. 
 
When both of Mark’s kids said they wanted to go on the mission’s trip he decided that he ought to go along as well. He wasn’t terribly excited about it, and didn’t think he could go for the whole week. The week they had chosen was one of the four busiest times for his consulting firm. He figured the best he could do would be to take a couple of days, and be a part-time volunteer.

Even though Mark was only half-hearted about going, the Lord kept tugging at him. Both he and his business partner were concerned about him going down there. "It was really tough. I needed to be at the office, yet I felt God burdening me to stay the whole week," he said.

Then he heard from Travis that there weren’t enough volunteers for the week, so kids would have to be put on a waiting list. That’s what did it for Mark. He decided that in spite of worry over his business he would go to camp the full week. "I felt God pulling me, and knew He wanted me to go. I had to believe that He would take care of the office. My assistants said they would do all they could. They took the ball and ran with it. I was already feeling the tugs from kids. I thought I could go down there and help these kids out. You know I’d have an impact on them."

Then that Tuesday at camp Mark got a call that auditors had showed up at the office. "It couldn’t have happened at a worse time. We were all nervous that I would have to go back. We just prayed that they wouldn’t require my presence at the office. I had this amazing peace come over me in spite of all that was going on with my business. God spoke to me saying, "Mark you’re doing my thing, I’ll handle that."

"The week at camp was incredible. I didn’t start out with the best attitude. I thought I was doing these kids a service only to find out that God was also doing something for me. When I got down there with the kids it just killed me. They had such little hope. It wasn’t that I had a really tough cabin like others, but I had one 10 yr-old boy that was a bed wetter. He was the bully of the bunch, and would call the other kids names. He came from a tough situation. His mom and dad sent him to camp with only 2 pair of underwear. I just couldn’t believe that. Another cute kid accepted Christ. I really felt a connection to these kids, like they were my own. You know they didn’t choose their environments, but they are stuck in them. One week of camp gives them hope. It can help prevent kids from having problems in their future. You know it does help to prevent homelessness. City Union Mission is so much more than a homeless shelter."

Mark is most amazed about what camp did for him. "It was a big lesson for me. God just cleared the way for me to be in Warsaw. I went thinking I was going to help impact these kids’ lives, and I came back with my heart so changed and touched. My purpose in life came into focus. I have to share the gospel. I’m so blessed. I love what City Union Mission is doing in Warsaw. If you’re not ministering here too, you’re missing out. You don’t have to get on a plane to Mexico. You can come to City Union Mission 365 days a year!"