Alomar, Dennis

Dennis is from the Bronx New York. He is a Cook on the Kitchen Staff. This is for the summer Camps and throughout the year. Dennis received Jesus Christ as his Lord when he was in his teens. Not wholehartadly because he returned to his old sinful ways and habits. He really didn't understand the full commitment behind serving Jesus Christ. All he knew was that he would have to give up everything he loved doing like party's, drinking, hanging out and all his friends. "Once I returned to Him, He blessed my socks off."

Here at CBF, Dennis has come to learn that Christ has replaced all those things he thought he enjoyed with better things. He no longer desires the things of the world. He knows that Jesus has a purpose for him and his life means something today. "I know that my life here on earth is only preparation for a better life, eternal life, with my Lord, WOW! what a wonderful thing."

While attending Bronx Bible Church in NYC, Dennis asked for prayer one night. He was looking for a job as a cook. His Pastor told him the we were praying for a cook at CBF. Dennis came here with his Pastor and never left. God has given him the desires of his heart. "He loves me, He provides for me, I ask Him for things and He answers all my prayers." The wod of God says in Luke 9:62 - He who puts his hands on the plow and looks back, is not fot for the Kingdom of God. "I pray that I never look back".

Butcher, Heather

Heather grew up in a variety of places due to the fact that her father was in the Air Force. Those places include New York, New Jersey, Texas and Germany. In 1986, her family moved here to the Hudson Valley. In those 20 years, Heather has lived in Dutchess, Westchester and Putnam counties. In the summer of 1995, mainly through the witness of a co-worker, she received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior in her grandmother's basement and became a committed Christian. Educationally, she has attended Westchester Community College, The Word of Life Bible Institute and in the Fall of '06 plans on finishing a bachelor's degree at Nyack College.

Heather first heard about the ministry at CBF while (Uncle) Jim Wickliffe shared at her church in Yorktown Heights. Heather was excited about how God was working in the lives of the kids in New York City. She says that her heart has always been in NYC. Later, she brought a small group of teens to CBF one Saturday to help with a mailing and also to see the city from a missionary's point of view. From here her burden grew to be a part of the ministry of CBF.

Heather is currently the Teen Ministry Director at Camp Joy. She has worked with the teens at Camp Joy since the summer of 1999. Her responsibilities include directing the teen program during the summer, staff and camper recruitment, discipling teenagers and children during the school year through home visits, Bible studies, retreats, outings, and weekends at Camp. Heather also serves at Beacon Bible Church in the Bronx, helps with the Camp Joy Choir, and does bus driving. Her passion is to see young people come to know and love Jesus, grow in Him and serve Him with their whole heart -- wherever God leads them.

Cohen, Gail

Gail is part of our Camp Hope Team. Gail serves on the Hope team. She is so thankful to her Savior, who drew her to Himself while she studied elementary and special education at Slippery Rock State, and called her to teach others (2 Tim. 2:2). Since 1975, Gail has enjoyed loving the children, teens and adults at CBF since 1975 through first the Hope Town Christian School, ACTS and the Camp Hope Adult Bible Conference, and now full-time at Camp Hope, and seeing God do His work in the lives of individuals and families.

Commins, Laura

Laura came to know the Lord as her savior at the age of five with the assistance of her Mother. Her family had lived in many places as she grew up. She has lived in Danville, IN, Louisville, KY, Jenison, MI, and Grand Rapids, MI. She graduated from Cornerstone University with a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Music Technology with an emphasis in vocal performance. After her first summer with us in 2001 as a counselor with Camp Joy she came on staff as the Head Female Counselor. Her responsibilities include (as part of a team) program development, counselor and camper recruitment, Joy Choir co-director, and camper Discipleship. She now lives in the Bronx working from her home and spends her summers here at Camp.

Doughtie, Denise

Denise works in Camp Ministry. She was saved at summer camp when she was 8 years old. But, she never knew Christ in a personal and intimate way until the age of 32. After a disabling accident and a minor stroke, she was diagnosed with a number of other chronic medical conditions, yet our God remains the Great Physician. Though the doctors told her family she would not walk, she came to Children's Bible Fellowship on two feet, without any assistive devices. Her health continues to improve and she knows that it is simply God's grace and mercy that saved her and has brought her to CBF. She desires to use her experience and trials to give God glory and to help others. Denise was a student at the BMA Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX before she came to CBF. She has ministered to various ages of children and teens through churches and other Christian organizations and loves to share Jesus with them. One of her passions is encouraging and helping others. She especially loves working with those in crisis and those who live with overwhelming circumstances. Her desire is to use her gifts at CBF to help change lives, as they attempt to reach the "Forgotten Fields" of the New York City area.

Eldredge, David and Cindy

David is the Business and Operations Manager and Cindy is doing Administrative work for Camp Ministry. Being in full time ministry is new for David and Cindy. David spent 18 years working as an Asst. Vice President in a large commercial bank. For several years he was feeling God pulling at his heart to be more involved in His work. Although David had been very involved in his church in many capacities (teacher, director of Christian Ed., Trustee, Deacon), he felt that this was not enough. Jim Wickliffe (President of CBF) approached David and expressed the need for a person to take over the position of running the Business office. Although David never explored the idea of going into Mission work, he knew immediately that this was what God had been preparing him to do all of these years working in the field of Banking. Once coming on staff, to better facilitate the mission, David was also given the responsibility to oversee the operations of the mission. “What a blessing it is to be using my gifts and experience to the glory of God!” Not long after coming on staff, Cindy stepped up to help out in the Camp Ministry office using her skills taking care of the many administrative tasks that are required. Carl (their son) is currently pursuing a career in Architecture at the University of Hartford. He has been able to use these skills to help out with some of the building designs at CBF.

Johnson, Bryan and Amy

Bryan is the Director of Discipleship and Camp Ministries. Amy does Administrative work in the Business Office.

Bryan, Amy and their three daughters, Hannah, Morgan and Grace, began their work with CBF July 1st, 2004. Almost three years before, they had been praying that the Lord would lead them where ever He wanted. They prayed specifically that He would give them a ministry for their whole family. In February 2003, the Lord began to lead them down a path that would take them far from their home. He has been faithful to answer their prayers.

As the Director of Camp Ministries, Bryan has the opportunity not only to serve as ministry leadership, but also to directly minister to children and families in need. Amy has the challenge of not only homeschooling the girls, but to serve in the Business Office, teach crafts during the summer, and help with retreats on occasion. Their family prayer is answered as they open their home on many weekends to kids from the city to come and stay with them.

Bryan, from Arkansas and Amy from South Carolina, met at Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, TN. The Johnson's moved to New York from Arkansas after being a part of the bookstore ministry of Christian Supply Store in Conway for over 13 years. Bryan has served as pastor of two churches, interim and supply for others, and assistant at Christian Supply. Amy served as bookkeeper and manager of the gift department at Christian Supply along with volunteering at Conway Christian School where the girls attended.

Mathewson, George and Trudy

George is on our Camp Hope Team and Trudy is an Office Assistant. They have been here 18 years. Trudy grew up in the cornfields of Fleetville, PA, in a Christian home and came to know the Lord at an early age. Later went to and graduated from Appalachian Bible College in 1965. Trudy spent some time living in Indiana and Ohio and then came back to work at the College. While working at the college she met George. They lived in Indiana, Texas, New Jersey and are now here with us in New York.

George grew up in Mishawaka Indiana. He went to South Bend College of Commerce and Indian State University where he graduated with an Associate in Accounting. While working in Mishawaka at the age of 27 George came to know the Lord as his Savior and forever friend. While working in the Appalachian area attended a Christian conference at Appalachian Bible College here he met Trudy. They took a job in Texas and later took another job in Wayne New Jersey. Here he began to search the heart of God and put his résumé out to Christian organizations. CBF interviewed him and brought him on as business office manager in 1989. After the summer of 2005, George changed gears and left the business office to join the Camp Hope team.

Meyer, Richard and Becky

Rich is the Director of Technology and will be helping with Co-Directing Camp Ministries and Becky is involved in many aspects of the ministry during the year. Rich came to faith in Christ as a teenager. It was not too long before God began drawing him to children's ministry. After hearing of Rich's desire to serve as a camp counselor in a summer camp his youth pastor began plugging him into children's ministry opportunities in the church. While serving as a camp counselor Rich realized that the camp setting is ideal for effecting change in lives. He was pointed to Children's Bible Fellowship when he was 18 and served that summer as a camp counselor for the second time in his life. While serving at Camp Joy he met his future wife Becky Wickliffe who was serving in the kitchen. They were married after he graduated from Word of Life Bible Institute. As a married student he earned a BS in Bible from Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit PA. Through most of his college years Becky and Rich spent summers serving in several different aspects of the summer minsitry at Children's Bible Fellowship. In 1995 their first child Elizabeth was born. In 1997 they were accepted to begin serving here. The intent was that over a several year period Rich would be given the position of Director of Camp Ministry. Since then the camp has grown in staff and his role has changed a couple of times to meet the changing needs of CBF.

Mohl, Jeff and Rachel

Jeff is part of the Urban Ministry Team. Jeff was introduced to CBF while attending Word of Life Bible Institute. There were opportunities to participate in ministry work in the heart of NYC, specifically in the Bronx. He became heartbroken for the masses of people he saw firsthand that needed the saving knowledge of Christ. His burden for the lost remained and he began his association with CBF in 1993. During a time of deputation in 1994, Jeff was engaged to Rachel. She took a camp counselor position at Camp Joy that summer. In the fall of that same year, Jeff and Rachel were married and together became part of CBF’s full time staff.

Throughout the year, Jeff helps with CBF’s Project Genesis program by leading church and college groups to do ministry work in the Bronx. Every summer, he leads an urban team of five or more young adults in the same way. Their burden for the lost in NYC and in their own home town increases through many group prayer and worship times. The groups share Christ through park programs and evangelizing door-to-door. Street and subway evangelism are also effective. Much time is spent just reaching out to people in need with Jesus’ love. Jeff has an active role in a healthy growing church in the Bronx called Beacon Bible Church. He enjoys being part of the worship team, children’s church program, bus ministry and various other church related evangelism ministries and prayer meetings. Rachel spends most of her time as a homemaker and loves home schooling their three young children. She helps wherever needed in both CBF and Beacon Bible Church. She is a helpmate and prayer warrior for Jeff.

Jeff and Rachel, along with their children, desire to see the Lord glorified first and foremost in their lives as they diligently seek to serve Him.

Oppel, Kerry and Pat

Kerry and Pat serve with us at CBF. Kerry heads up our Maintenance Team and is our Grounds Keeper. Pat teaches the Baking class to our campers during the summer and she also runs the Camp Joy snack shack and tends to the pools, keeping them clean and clorinated. They have two children Garret and Katie.

Pat was raised in a Christian home and came to know the Lord at age five. Kerry and Pat went to the same school and church in Berwick PA. When Kerry was a teenager he asked Christ to forgive him of his sins and come into his heart at a youth group meeting. After high school Pat went off to Messiah College in Harrisburg PA and earned her BS in Nutrition. Kerry worked for thirteen years for Shultz electric then he and his brother began a business together where they recycled used anti-freeze. Kerry and Pat were married after Pat had finished college in 1985.

While attending a mission’s conference at their church Pat began to understand that the Lord wanted them to go into missions somehow. Not too long after that Kerry came to CBF to do some volunteer work for a weekend with a group of guys from their church. It was here seeing the property, being used of the Lord, hearing the stories and envisioning a little bit what the Lord could do through him, that he began to think the Lord would have him and his family go into full time ministry with CBF. They have been faithfully serving the Lord here at CBF for several years.

Shirley, Reggie

Reggie is part of the Maintenance Team. Reggie has been on the CBF staff for many years. He loves the outdoors and spends many hours tending to the grounds. Raking, weed-wacking, pruning, etc. He takes great pride in the work that he does and his work is done to glorify and honor God.

Wickliffe, James and Carole

Jim is the President/CEO of CBF and Carole is his Administrative Secretary. Rev. James R. Wickliffe, Sr. is the Director of Children's Bible Fellowship of New York, Inc. His burden is to reach the unreached through all means available so that they may know and experience the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Jim is a graduate of Philadelphia College of the Bible. His major was Christian Education. After graduating in 1968, Jim spent many years in "part time" ministries. These ministries included: Interim Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Bus Ministry, Yourth Director, Vacation Bible Schools and work with homeless teenage boys. In 1978 God led Jim and his wife to full time service with Children's Bible Fellowship of New York, Inc. Since then Jim has worked in many areas: Street Evangelism, Bible Clubs, Rallies, Clowning, Teacher Training and he directed Camp Joy. Jim's burden is to realize God's vision for Children's Bible Fellowship, which is "Making Disciples of New York City's Forgotten Fields". Those forgotten fields include the saving of the poorest of poor, lost, hurting and broken children and their families in New York City.