A level three atmospheric river hit San Diego County while dozens of Point Loma Nazarene University students gathered for Kamp Love, an annual spiritual retreat focused on deepening faith, building community and worship and prayer last month.
The retreat, held in Julian, Calif., on Nov. 15 and 16, received a significant amount of rain, with the National Weather Service reporting a total of 2.59 inches by 6:06 p.m. on Nov. 16. With tents flooded, fields muddy and plans constantly shifting, the trip’s organizers had to rethink nearly every aspect of the weekend.
Jack Trepus, a third-year biology-chemistry major and the spiritual life director for Kamp Love, guided the vision and logistics for the retreat. With a major storm forecasted, he said the organizers had to make a tough choice whether or not to cancel Kamp Love.
“Friday night, we had a leader meeting in the Fermanian Garage,” Trepus said. “And right before [he and two other directors] got together, we had called the fire department, and they said, ‘You guys are up against a major storm. We can’t advise you to do this, but we also can’t tell you no.’”
The organizers decided to proceed, setting clear contingency plans in case conditions worsened. By Saturday morning, as the rain peaked and students began arriving, the team had to adjust their intended plans and schedule.
Quinn Bentley, a second-year business management major and member of the facilities team, worked with teammates to set up tents, redirect floodwater and create safe spaces for worship and activities. The team had initially pitched a massive wedding tent to serve as the main worship area, but the rain posed a bigger challenge than anticipated.
“We changed our plans probably every five minutes,” Bentley said. “Everything was flooded, so we were digging trenches for the water to go out. We tried to get this massive tarp over, and the rain just had different plans, and everything broke.”
Despite the setbacks, Bentley said the leaders approached the weekend with determination and joy. He and the facilities team, along with other volunteers, improvised to keep worship services, small groups and activities running.
“Despite plans failing, we were still able to create environments where people were able to experience God, and that’s all that really mattered,” Bentley said.
Mabry Cole, a second-year graphic design major, was one of the many students who, despite the weather, attended Kamp Love. She said that though the conditions were uncomfortable, once she leaned into the experience, her perspective shifted.
“I honestly had a little bit of a hard time at first worshiping, just because it was really cold,” Cole said. “But once I really got into it, I could just feel the Lord’s presence. Looking around and seeing everybody in the same environment as me, but continuing to have joy and worship the Lord, was really impactful.”
The shared struggle, Cole said, made every moment of connection feel deeper and more intentional.
For organizers like Trepus, the storm helped clarify the purpose of Kamp Love. Trepus said that the retreat was about creating space for students to encounter God’s love in a real and unfiltered way. The weekend’s challenges, he said, only stripped away expectations and made room for a more honest, wholehearted encounter that he hoped students would remember.
“I think that this is probably the most difficult Kamp Love we’ll ever have, knock on wood,” Trepus said. “But I also think it may be the most unifying and fun experience that we’ve had the opportunity to be part of.”
Olivia Roberts 
Witney Garcia