The summer when Elisa Salyer was 9-years-old was a life-shaping season for her. That June, she enrolled in the Enter His Gates camp in Enid, Oklahoma. Salyer spent a week at camp learning to ride a horse, doing archery, going on nature walks, hearing Bible lessons, and more.
“At first I thought it would be a week during the summer. But I fell in love,” Salyer says. “I went back the next summer, and the next summer. And I started riding during the fall, winter and spring.”
As a teen, Salyer began volunteering at Enter His Gates. She goes back every summer because she enjoys investing in the kids and working with the horses.
Each June, the Enter His Gates program sees approximately 100 kids—locals as well as those from across Oklahoma and out of state—divided among four, week-long sessions. Volunteer and board member David McCreary says that the program brings kids from all walks of life together at camp to learn important life lessons.
“The ordinary kid today doesn’t get the experience of riding horses, fishing, canoeing, swimming and spending time with other kids,” he says. “It gives them a chance to disconnect from technology and provides them an opportunity to learn to interact with one another.”
McCreary initially got involved because he loves horses. He had a horse that wasn’t being ridden and donated it to Doris Williams, Enter His Gates founder. A former missionary, Williams started the program in 2008. It’s her belief that horses demonstrate unconditional love naturally, and this makes it easier for kids to understand the unconditional love of Jesus.
Along with a variety of outdoor activities, a local youth pastor comes to camp and does a daily Bible lesson with the kids.
“A lot of kids say that’s their favorite part of camp—you’d be surprised,” Salyer says.
Until recently, the camp property had no electricity. But a K-UP grant through Kay Electric Cooperative Community Foundation has changed that. K-UP donated $1,830 to Enter His Gates and installed an electric line to the camp site. Having electricity on the property will make things much easier for camp volunteers.
“We won’t have to haul water out there. We can have a refrigerator for the kids’ medicines and sack lunches. And we can install a security light and lighting in the tack shed,” Mc- Creary says. “It can be very hot at camp in June. Now we will be able to have a fan too.”
Now ...
