July 28: Speaking Engagement at LA Pro-Life Youth Camp

SPL president Kelsey Hazzard here. When I was in high school, I was uselessly pro-life. I didn’t do anything about it outside of the occasional debate with friends. It wasn’t until college that I really got involved.

Not so for the high schoolers I will address on July 28. They’re part of Camp Joshua, a pro-life teen leadership camp in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It runs from Sunday, July 27 through Thursday, July 31.

Yes, it’s named for the Joshua of the Bible, but the organizers (Louisiana Right to Life Federation) are careful to point out that this isn’t a Bible camp; Joshua is just a source of inspiration. It’s not the name I would have picked, but upon reflection, it isn’t appreciably different from calling the effort to restore the right to life a “David and Goliath battle,” or saying that our work is a “Herculean task.”

This being the deep South, I do expect most of the students to be Christian. Even so, the organizers clearly understand the need to reach teens of every religious background, which is why they invited me to address the camp. Participants will also get Justice for All training; hear talks on various pro-life topics; meet post-abortive women, local pro-life public officials, and pregnancy center volunteers; and watch a live ultrasound. All around, it sounds pretty awesome. I’m excited to go to my first ever pro-life teen camp, about seven years late. (It’ll be my first trip to Louisiana, too.)

So if you are or know a teen in/near Baton Rouge, come to Camp Joshua! Registration is still open.

And if you have attended such a camp, I’d love to hear from you. What were your favorite presentations? What were your least favorite? Any suggestions for me?