History

It all started as a desire in 2001. Ben and Grace Smith were living in an small farm house they had fixed up on his parents 55 acre Missouri farm. Ben was running a two man remolding business, while Grace stayed home with their two darling blue eyed little girls. When they had married, they believed that God had called them to be missionaries overseas but, after several closed doors, the dream was pushed aside. This summer day the desire was stirred again in Grace’s heart. “Maybe God hasn’t opened doors for us on the mission field, but he must have something for us to do,” Grace thought. That night while talking with Ben, Grace proposed that they begin praying each day for God to show them His plan for their lives.

The desire became a dream. One day a month later, as Grace was walking back to the house, she looked across the green valley behind the barn. In that moment it was as though God whispered, “CAMP.” Grace went into the house and with the girls playing in the living room, she began washing the dishes and thought about the word “camp.” Her excitement began to build to the point she couldn’t hold it in so she called Ben at work. “Ben,” she gently ventured, “I was outside looking across the valley and I think God gave me the word “camp”. What do you think that means?” Ben’s mind began racing. He nostalgically remembered going to camp twice as a boy and once as a sixteen year old counselor. Visions of playing games, the cabins, and the rustic dining hall quickly filled his mind. “Yes, we should start a camp!” Ben responded. Then it was as though they both thought the same thought. “This would be a camp for troubled kids.”

This passion for troubled kids had grown in their hearts over the first five years of their marriage as they opened their home to troubled teens on different occasions. The more they thought about camp the more excited they became. Camp seemed like a perfect match for them. It encompassed many of the things they enjoyed. They both loved to create special events, Ben was a builder, and they loved working with kids... Over the next two years they learned all they could about camping and even went to Christian Camping International’s Regional conferences. At one conference they met camp directors Cliff and Susie Johnson, who ran a summer camp for children of prisoners.

The dream took form in the summer of 2003. Ben and Grace had just returned from leading a small mission trip to Guatemala when they came down with Hepatitis A (from eating food prepared by nationals with unwashed hands). Curable only by time and rest, they lay in bed hardly able to do anything as they recovered. God provided for their needs despite almost two months without work. Laying in bed one day, the thought occurred to Ben, “You aren’t going to get any closer to starting a camp until you step out and do it.” With that thought in mind, Ben and Grace decided as far as it lay with them, they would have their first weeks of camp the summer of 2004. A couple of weeks later Ben and Grace went to see Cliff and Susie Jonson, directors of Sagrada Bible Scholarship Camp (the summer camp for children of prisoners). Cliff and Susie had started with nothing and were excited to share all they could to help start another camp for children of prisoners. That fall a board of directors was created and Camp David of the Ozarks was incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit organization.

They named it Camp David of the Ozarks after David from the Bible. As the youngest of Jesse’s seven sons, no one expected David to amount to much (much like children of prisoners). However through the hardships he faced, he put his faith in God and became one of the greatest kings of Israel. David was known throughout history as a man after God’s own heart. This was their dream for the campers.

Friends and family joined in on the dream, and donations started to come in after they sent out their first camp newsletter.  In February, CDO received it’s first large donation of $2,000. Ben’s parents also gave Camp David ten acres to build the camp. In May, with the help of several families they started clearing trees and building.

The dream became a reality in July 2004 when Camp David of the Ozarks had their first two weeks of camp with 18 campers. The new facilities included an above ground pool, cook shack, shower house, two covered wagon cabins, two outhouses, and a 24X36’ revival tent. God has continued to grow and bless the camp each year since and much to everyone's joy, children of prisoners are finding hope and meaning in life at this little camp with a big heart.