Interning at Black Diamond Camp

Contributor: Elcie Martin

When I first heard the name ‘Black Diamond Camp,’ I was on my third Odyssey Excursion, which took place in Flagstaff, AZ.  I was talking with my mentor, Mrs. Jamie Harmon, about my recent degree change, as I had gone from a business degree to a hospitality degree. 

I was telling her that a requirement for my degree is doing an internship and I had not found an internship that looked appealing.  I remember she suddenly perked up with excitement and began to tell me all about Black Diamond Camp, which is located in Auburn, WA.  We talked about the internship for about an hour and I could not have guessed how my life would be changed after that conversation.

Applying and Interviewing for the Black Diamond Internship

Two weeks had gone by since that fateful conversation and since then all I could think about was Black Diamond.  After talking over all that I knew about the camp with my parents, I reached out to Mrs. Jamie again and told her I wanted to go through the interview process.  She was so excited and immediately put me in contact with the person in charge of the internship, Kaelin Lara.  

Over the course of two months I had two interviews with Kaelin and before I knew it, I got an email from her in late May saying that I had been hired for their 2024-25 internship program!  I was beyond thrilled and so excited for this new and exciting chapter of my life that was just beginning.  Summer went by and before long, August had come and it was time for me to move from Asheville, NC to Auburn, WA.

Moving Across the Country

The internship officially started on August 29, 2024 and I booked a one-way plane ticket to Seattle for August 21.  I had two massive suitcases filled to the brim with almost all my belongings and, on the outside, I looked ready to take on this adventure. 

But on the inside, I was very nervous!  I mean, I was moving across the entire country to a place I was not super familiar with.  It would have been weird if I had not been nervous!  But I found peace knowing that this was the path the Lord wanted me on and that He would be with me the entire time.  

I landed in Seattle, uncertain about this new season.  I collected my bags and waited for my older sister to pick me up, as she lived about an hour away from the camp!  The next  morning we drove to camp where I settled into the house I would be living in for the next nine months and I got to meet some of my housemates who were also interns like me! 

Eventually, my sister left to move back home and I was officially on my own, ready to take on this new adventure!  

Starting the Internship 

The first day of the internship had finally come and I was filled with endless bounds of nervousness and excitement.  I felt a whirlpool of emotions, but getting to meet the other interns and being so welcomed by everyone made it all okay!  

The first day of the internship, we were in the office, which is in the middle of the camp, all sitting around the big conference table talking about anything and everything about the internship.  What is the internship?  What are our roles as interns at the camp?  Who is our boss?  

To sum it up, the experience allows young adults to learn the ins and outs of Camp Ministry.  As interns, we gain meaningful experience as we serve multiple departments at Black Diamond Camp.  All interns are paid positions with provided on-campus housing!  With this program, interns can get their feet in the door of Christian Camping!  

My Internship Experience

The internship is a nine-month program that begins in September and ends in May.  As interns we not only get to work up front serving our guests that come to camp, but we also get to work behind the scenes too! We are the face, hands, and feet at Black Diamond Camp and we are serving God’s purpose through it all!

One super cool opportunity with this internship is we get to go to different camps and ministries in surrounding areas and help them with different things!  For example, we got to go up and help our good friends at Warm Beach Camp Ministries and help them with their event they host every December called Lights of Christmas!  It is a drive-thru Christmas lights event that goes from the beginning of December until the New Year and it is a holiday favorite in the community!  

Another really cool thing about this program is when we are not serving guests, we get to shadow each department at Black Diamond and learn what and how each department does here at camp.  These departments are led by our amazing full-time staff!

What is Next!?

We are currently in month six of the internship and I have loved every single second!  We have served so many amazing groups here at camp so far and it is only February!  

I have learned so much about myself, about ministry and camp life, and I am so excited to see what the rest of the internship has in store!  I am currently shadowing the General Manager, Ryan, here at Black Diamond and I have already learned so much from him in the short time that I have been shadowing him. 

The Lord is here at camp and I know He has got some amazing things in store for everyone here at Black Diamond Camp!