Jen Cobb and her family have served at Drift Creek Camp through Mennonite Mission Network’s SOOP (Service Opportunities with Our Partners) program almost annually for a decade.
In 2013, our family took a leap of faith and signed up for a short-term mission trip through Mennonite Mission Network’s SOOP program. We were matched with Drift Creek Camp, a Mennonite camp in Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon. Three of our children, Sydney (8th grade), Ivan (5th grade), and Garrison (3rd grade), joined us, while Emma (9th grade) attended Mennonite Convention.
The week at camp was spent in the kitchen, preparing meals for campers and staff. Our experience working together as a family was unforgettable. We have made ten more trips since that first week, deepening our connection to the camp and its community. Powered only by batteries and a generator, Drift Creek Camp taught us the value of simplicity, teamwork, and service.
Every trip has stories of funny mishaps, quiet moments, and small lessons, all of which have lingered long after each departure. Over the years, our time spent there has grown from an annual short-term mission trip to a cherished family tradition. Drift Creek Camp is a place we fall in love with every year.
The first trip was quite the initiation into camp life. We cooked for over a hundred campers, and every meal — fresh bread, tomato soup, and more — was made from scratch. Sydney was the only one of our kids who joined us in the kitchen while our younger two children, Garrison and Ivan, spent their days exploring the camp with one of the caretakers’ sons. Adam and I never quite knew what adventures they got into, but they always managed to show up for meals, covered in what could only be described as “camp.” Mud, dirt, and pine needles followed them like a trail, a small but constant reminder of the freedom and wonder of camp life.
In the kitchen, we were under the watchful eye of Glen Oesch, the food service director, who carefully put together the week’s menu and offered advice in the busy kitchen. We didn’t know it that first week, but Glen became one of the many unexpected gifts God gave us at Drift Creek Camp. His guidance and wisdom helped us survive our first week and shaped how we approached each subsequent visit. Over the years, Glen became more than a mentor in the kitchen; he became part of the Drift Creek Camp family we grew to love.
Many of Glen’s recipes showcased his signature humor. According to the recipe, we needed to say, “I love you, little guys,” while placing dinner rolls in the oven, to “agitate until thoroughly annoyed (either you or the ingredients, whichever happens first)” while making a favorite breakfast casserole. He was meticulous about portions, too, and always gave us tips on how to ensure we had enough food for everyone.
By the end of our first week, we were exhausted and exhilarated. But as we packed up to leave, one thought kept returning: Emma needed to experience this, too. Emma loved to bake and had shown an interest in becoming a dietitian. What better place to nurture that passion than in a bustling camp kitchen where everything was made from scratch? We left Drift Creek Camp the first year, sensing God was calling us back with our entire family.
We returned two years later with all our children, who each had their own role at camp, but when Emma met Glen, something shifted. Upon learning Emma was interested in becoming a dietitian, the kitchen hierarchy changed instantly. Glen saw a fellow foodie in her, and from then on, she became the head baker. He treated her as an equal, not just a volunteer. That recognition sparked a close relationship between them that would continue to grow in the years ahead. It reminded us that God sees our children’s gifts long before they are fully formed, and places mentors in their path to nurture them.
Our children’s camp experiences have grown with each trip, as they’ve each found their own way to contribute and grow while there. Emma served as a counselor and completed a kitchen internship with Glen one summer, developing her leadership and food service abilities. Sydney had to step up her baking game when Emma burned herself or was unable to attend, learning resilience and independence in the process. Ivan has stepped into leadership, also spending time as a counselor, and last year brought along his fiancée, Alyssa. She quickly fell in love with camp life and eagerly jumped in to help alongside the rest of us in the kitchen, even before she felt confident in her kitchen skills. Garrison, happiest outdoors, loves hiking daily in the forest. When it comes to meal prep, however, he’d much rather run the dishwasher than cook!
In the kitchen, our family learned to work as a team, each contributing differently. We can all tackle anything from washing lettuce and chopping onions to sautéing and roasting. Emma typically takes the lead on the yeast breads and desserts, though she happily shares some cookie-baking duties with her siblings. Together, we’ve discovered that even in the busiest kitchen, there’s room for each of us to serve and learn as we work together.
These personal journeys were encapsulated two years ago when Garrison was baptized in the camp creek, a moment that felt like the heart of Drift Creek Camp: simple, sacred, and surrounded by God’s creation. That creek is more than water; it’s a holy place where God met our son. I truly believe our children encounter God at Drift Creek Camp, through the forest, water, work, and relationships that make it such a special place.
Each experience, whether in the kitchen or the woods, has become an avenue for God to teach, guide, and meet us as a family. Our children have all encountered God in their own way through Drift Creek Camp, as each memory and story ties us closer to the camp. It’s a place where our family has grown in faith, skill, and love for one another.
Our story wouldn’t be complete without naming some of the many mentors and friends who have made Drift Creek Camp a second family. Over the years, we’ve built deep friendships with the camp directors, Brenda and Tony, whose steady leadership and warm spirits have anchored Drift Creek Camp. Our children are similar in age, and we have bonded over shared parenting experiences. We look forward to connecting and sharing stories with them each year as we fellowship around the dinner table.
There are also the caretakers, each bringing their unique personality into our story. Chris Colvin quickly became part of our crew — so much so that we “adopted” him into the family. Gabe Barnes then joked he had been trying to get “adopted” by us for years and couldn’t believe Chris beat him to it. Little moments like these remind us how wide the Drift Creek Camp family is.
We’ve also been blessed to work alongside counselors, many of whom were campers during the very first week we arrived at Drift Creek Camp. Watching them grow from wide-eyed campers into leaders has been a gift and a reminder of how God nurtures faith across generations. Through Brenda and Tony and the counselors, God reminds us that our holy family is much bigger than our own flesh and blood.
Personally, the opportunity to unplug and work next to my children has been one of the ways I have been drawn closer to both God and my children by God’s hand. Now that Adam and I are empty nesters, our weeks at Drift Creek Camp have become a way to reconnect with our family while renewing our faith. It’s a blessing that God grows our faith as a family while serving together.
There’s something profoundly moving about connecting with God while surrounded by the towering trees, creek, and hum of camp life. Hearing our children’s stories and enjoying family fellowship as we work in the kitchen is just as meaningful. Drift Creek Camp has become a sacred space where family and faith have come together in ways we could never have planned.
Looking back over the years, it’s incredible to reflect on how much Drift Creek Camp has shaped our family story. What began as a short-term mission trip has become an intertwining of service, relationships, and renewal. We don’t know how many more times we’ll take the winding road to camp, but we know Drift Creek Camp will always be part of our faith and family. In the end, it’s not only our story, but God’s story. One that has taught us that when serving with open hands, God gives us joy, found in the dough, the sound of the creek, and the faces of God’s people.
Looking to find your own foundational service experience? SOOP has service placements across the United States that can meet your scheduling needs! Visit MennoniteMission.net/SOOP to learn more.
