Paulin Guirgi and Jeanne DamasioGermanyAug 26, 2026, 10:17 AM
Five people were baptized and about 40 more came forward during Hope Camp 2026, a week of family camping at Friedensau, Germany, that drew a record 720 participants from five countries, August 4 to 9.
The camp runs as an open, non-denominational event, designed for families with little or no prior connection to Christian traditions. It is organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany in cooperation with Hope Media Europe, and it is held at the campsite of Friedensau Adventist University.
This year, participants came from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and included approximately 280 children. They chose from 150 workshops and activities.
The schedule included sports, archery, creative crafts, woodwork, forest rallies, and programming for specific age groups. Families shared meals, worship, and long conversations, while children explored faith alongside their parents.
Keynote presenter Miodrag “Miki” Jovanović spoke through the week on the life of King David, dwelling on his crises and failures rather than an idealized figure, and the evening stage productions retold the same story, including David’s confrontation with Goliath and his friendship with Jonathan.
Alongside the full schedule, the camp made room for something quieter, space to meet God.
Five people were baptized during the week. One of them spoke openly about his past and the freedom he found in Jesus.
“I have sinned a lot against God and against my family,” he said. “But Jesus forgave me and gave me the greatest freedom, the freedom to start a new life.”
During an appeal, participants were invited to respond. Those who wanted to prepare for baptism, and those already baptized who wanted to renew their commitment, were asked to come to the front.
About 40 people stood and walked forward. Some expressed a desire for baptism for the first time, and others renewed a decision they had made years earlier. In a week full of movement, laughter, and activity, dozens of people left their seats to make a private decision public.
Hope Camp began six years ago with about 300 participants, reached 640 in 2025, and set its record this year. The regional daily Volksstimme described it in an August 8 report as one of Germany’s premier family gatherings.
Event coordinator Frederik Woysch said the camp aims to make fuller use of the university’s campus while widening its reach. Organizers have set the seventh edition for August 3 to 8, 2027.
The partnership between Hope Media Europe and the Seventh-day Adventist Church joins two parts of the same work. Media reaches people at a distance and opens a door, and a week of shared meals, tents, and conversation gives what follows somewhere to grow. Both were visible at Friedensau this year, in five baptisms and in the 40 people who walked to the front.
