Geoff Caldwell has been involved in Christian Camping with the Baptist Church for 28 years and was behind the vision that has now seen Baptist Camping Victoria grow to 76 staff, four sites, 23,834 annual campers, and thousands more attending ministry camps every year. Geoff has seen it all in that time, but COVID-19 was a particularly tough season for the ministry. The pandemic and lockdowns hit at a critical time for Baptist Camping Victoria, who had just taken up a new loan and expanded into a new site. “We couldn’t put petrol in cars, that’s how bad it got for us,” said Geoff.
“The relationship with BFS and the Baptist Union of Victoria meant we were able to keep the business afloat. By helping us manage our finances and assisting us with reduced interest payments, they ensured we didn’t have to lay off our staff, which was critical to ensure we could rebuild after the pandemic,” he said.