Week Two: Our Stories

Song of the Week: We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters

Here are a few stories about who the faces of Yona are and how we met.

In 2004 Chris Price and Drew McIlreavy met on a mission trip to pour the foundation of a church in Belize. Drew, a new ROW staff member, and Chris, a ROW Trustee, continued to cross paths over the next four years. In 2008 they began to plan the foundation for a girls camp in Georgia.

While in Belize, Drew and Chris began to turn the mound of dirt pictured above, into a solid foundation- a task they will once again attempt to create their vision for Yona.

Camp Yona has a diverse and accomplished set of directors. Each of them have skill and a passion for our mission.

Pictured above is our Board of Directors: Chris Price, Mary Martin, Monica McGurk, Drew McIlreavy, Scott Colbert, Yaisha Harding, and Britt Boyd.

Rivers of the World (ROW) has been a common thread among many of the people creating the vision for Yona. Their President, Ben Mathes, has guided and encouraged Yona throughout the process. Yona will forever love and appreciate Ben and ROW for all they have done and will do in the future.

Pictured above is a symbol of ROW's bold and audacious personality.

The 126 acres that Yona now calls home, was purchased from The Powers and The Reynolds. Both families have been instrumental in developing the camp. Not only have they treated us like family, but helped to create our home away from home.

The house in the picture is the Saggus Place - an old farm house that sits on the property and will soon be the camp office.

Katie Malik is a Marketing Major from Mississippi State. She has a passion for kids and youth, and spent several summers as a youth ministry intern, and has also been involved with camps for many years.

The picture is of a photo album from a ROW trip to the Mamano River in Venezuela where Katie met Drew and soon after began helping with the camp.

Chris met Marisol in Nicaragura, while traveling with ROW. Overtime their friendship continued to blossom, and we happily celebrated their marriage this past December. We are so happy she is now part of the Yona family.

The clock was a gift from Marisol to Drew. It is a map of Nicaragua.

We are so blessed to have so many people willing to use their gifts to help us. Our volunteers are the driving force behind our efforts. We love and thank you all.

The map in this picture was created by the wonderful and talented Aleah Holland.