Mission M25 has worked for over 35 years, tearing down barriers that destroy many children’s hopes and dreams, even in the Kingdom of God. We work to destroy racial, social, and economic barriers in two basic ways.
FREE CAMP
In 1990, at Christian Heritage Church in Amarillo, TX, Free Camp was born. It was a camp free for the rich and poor of all races. The camp was fully funded in those days by partnering with local businesses to break the chains that had fettered our children and made them strike out in violence and vandalism.
Due to the camp reaching church and unchurched children, we had to fully reconstruct what a church camp looked like. Broken into small groups (platoons); cadences when they traveled from one site to the next; group leaders consist of adults and older, mature teenagers, while the younger teenagers were assigned jobs including assisting the group leader, cleanup, hydration teams and other various positions that teach the teenager to serve and lead.
The standing rule was if one child gets something, every child gets the same. Therefore, all snacks were given, not paid for. If a parent brought a child a candy bar, they were required to bring enough for the whole camp.
Every child left with a T-shirt which had the theme of the camp on the front and sponsors on the back. This gave an identity to the child and advertising for the business. It was always great seeing those shirts at the local schools the next year.
Free Camp has consistent camps in South Carolina, Virginia and Texas, but has also done 2 Free Camps in the Philippines and one in Africa.
WAR HORSE GIVEAWAY
In 2014, the Lord broke our hearts for the Native Americans on Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. After the run, Pastor Paul McElroy at Mountain Family Fellowship in Helena, MT, asked me to join them at Crow Fair, one of the largest Pow Wows in the USA. At the end of the weekend, Pastor Paul asked if we could give away a Harley-Davidson like we do at Biker Sunday. Without any hesitation, I said, No, but we could give a horse away. Little did we know that a horse would be given away every year to a young person. The first was to a home with a special needs child, and the horse had been used for equine therapy.
After several years of giving a horse away, a ‘Spiritual Chief’, a Christian voice that carried much weight in the Northern Montana Tribes, made this statement to Cory Jones and I, ‘you did not know it but you brought back the “Buckskin Renaissance”, an effort after the civil rights movement in the 60’s to give the Native Americans pride again. We knew we were helping young people who had been beaten down, humiliated, and ‘thrown away’ hope again.
Cory Jones, a full-time Mission M25 missionary in Dodson, MT, began finding Mustang horses. These are horses that have been rescued and given a home and a new destiny. He would give the horse to the winner of a dance by young people, dressed in street clothes or the full regalia of the Pow Wow dance. While transferring the horse’s ownership, Cory would proceed to connect the Mustang horse to the brokenness of the Native American and tell them there was a destiny that could change the trajectory of their life.
In 2025, we will give a horse away to an adult at Rocky Boy Pow Wow and a horse away to a young person who wins the Indian Relays Youth Division at the County Fair in Dodson, MT.
BASKETBALL CAMP
In 2024, Pastors Steve and Yvonne Dow from All Nations Church in Tallahassee, FL began a free Basketball Camp in Dodson, MT. They have taken teams from their home church and Christian Heritage Church in Amarillo, TX. It is a weeklong camp in June to help the youth with basketball skills, but it is also a time to shine the light of love, God’s love in these children’s lives.
In 2025, they had over 125 children come to the camp. The school has been so receptive and included the Dows in their effort throughout the year to help these ‘ball players’ to be all they can be.
The team made the state playoffs for the first time in years this past season, and the Dows flew in the winter months to Montana and attended the games. They wanted the children to know they were important.
A town 30 miles away asked if Pastor Steve would bring a camp there. We are so grateful for the impact that is going on in Montana.
Again, another outreach to our children, giving them hope of a new destiny.
LET’S PARTNER – COME JOIN US
We would love to assist anyone desiring to do a Free Camp. We know how to overcome obstacles like limited facilities, no showers, and financial needs.
We would invite you to be a part of the Native American outreach. There is the firewood ministry, basketball camps, and the War Horse Giveaway.
Place of Hope. People of Promise.
News
