Healing the Children of Fallen Heroes; LifeCampUSA with Mark and Jane NeumannHealing the Children of Fallen Heroes; LifeCampUSA with Mark and Jane Neumann
Crossroads with Jenny Bushkell
LifeCampUSA founders Mark and Jane Newman share how their faith-based wilderness camps support middle school children of fallen heroes through mentoring, adventure, and ongoing care. Their conversation highlights grief, identity, addiction struggles, and the hope they believe is found in a relationship with God.
24:33•12 May 2026
LifeCampUSA: Hope, Mentors and Faith for Children of Fallen Heroes
Episode Overview
- LifeCampUSA offers a free, one-week wilderness programme for middle school children of fallen military, law enforcement, and first responder fathers.
- A one-to-one mentoring model, with small groups and couples for girls’ camps, creates a safe, family-like environment for deep conversation and trust.
- Practical survival skills and high-adventure activities are linked to spiritual lessons, including using the Bible as a “map and compass for life.”
- The camp tackles tough issues like identity, addictions, and pornography, giving kids tools and guidance they may not receive elsewhere.
- Ongoing follow-up through monthly online sessions and Bible studies helps ensure the experience leads to long-term support rather than a brief emotional high.
“Their dads were willing to give their lives for us. Jesus gave his life for us.”
Get ready to be moved by real-life accounts of loss, faith, and second chances as Crossroads with Jenny Bushkell focuses on LifeCampUSA and the children of fallen heroes. Mark and Jane Newman share how this one-week wilderness camp is designed specifically for middle schoolers whose fathers died in U.S. military, law enforcement, or first responder service. LifeCampUSA isn’t a typical high-energy camp.
Picture ten boys and ten male mentors doing life together for a week, more like a small, rough-and-ready family holiday than a huge youth event. For the girls’ camps, five couples mentor the campers, giving space for both male and female voices to speak into their lives. Every activity has a purpose: survival skills with map and compass, a dawn “polar plunge”, fishing, rafting, and then tying those practical lessons to faith.
As Mark explains, they show the kids that “this bible can be their map and compass for life.” Many of these children come from unchurched homes and carry heavy grief and anger. One boy lost his army ranger dad in action and then his mum to alcoholism. He arrived furious, “successfully insulting every mentor” on the first night, but left hugging new friends and later chose baptism while at military academy.
Jane notes that about 90% of campers haven’t grown up in church, and that “their dads were willing to give their lives for us. Jesus gave his life for us,” making the message of sacrifice deeply personal. What really stands out is the ongoing care: monthly online meet-ups, a youth pastor-led Bible study, and mentors who keep in touch so the week isn’t just a brief emotional high.
For anyone affected by loss, trauma, or addiction, this conversation offers a tender look at how safe community, honest talk about identity, addictions, and pornography, and a clear message of hope can help kids feel seen, known, and loved. Who in your life might need to hear that they’re not facing their grief alone?
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