We’re excited to welcome Jeremy and Janessa Hostetler to Camp Friedenswald! Jeremy is serving as Facilities & Land Stewardship Assistant and Janessa as Food Service Assistant. Here are a few words from them – to you – as a way of introduction!
Greetings everyone,
We are both extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve here at Camp Friedenswald! There were a number of things that led us to Camp Friedenswald. We were both formerly employed at Greencroft Goshen Healthcare, in the maintenance and food service departments, and were looking for a change of scenery. It seemed very fortuitous that camp was looking to fill positions in both maintenance and the kitchen at the same time. We had also put in multiple offers on houses in the past few months, but lost all of them to higher bids. And finally, at our church campout in the fall, before we were aware of either position opening, one of our pastors told us she felt led to ask us if “we had ever considered camp ministries before?” Maybe that helped plant the seed of the idea? Some people may call them coincidences, but to us they were signs that we were being called to be here.
We enjoy being outdoors, which is one of the things we look forward to the most about our time at camp. We each grew up in rural settings, but for most of the past decade have lived in downtown Goshen. Walking the millrace trail is one thing, but we missed being surrounded by nature. At our previous residences we did not have a space to plant and garden. Now that we have the space, it’s hard not to get carried away in planning the first year of having a yard and flowerbeds to tend to!
During our free time, both of us are full-time crafters who love working with our hands. Crochet, jewelry making, woodworking, macrame, and quilling are just a few of the (way too many crafts) that keep us busy. Since we’ve moved to camp, we also have more space for our creative projects. We hope to be able to participate in some craft and art shows in the future as well! These, along with our aforementioned love of working outdoors, leads to many enjoyable evenings in Camp Friedenswald’s peaceful environment.
Some things we are both looking forward to during our time at camp is learning new skills and being a part of a small, close-knit team. It’s a whole new experience for both of us to work at a place where we know every team member on a first name basis. The positive energy flowing through camp is contagious! The feeling of being welcomed and accepted by the staff and volunteers has been a real blessing. We are grateful to be here, where we have the opportunity to interact with and serve future guests and campers.