Why four years as a Zona Camp student weren’t enough for this crew member

On the last day of Zona Camp, Grace Ponzo is exhausted but excited.

She’s no stranger to that Zona Camp effect.

Last year, she was a student at Zona, newly graduated from high school. This year she is back at camp to serve as a member of the college-aged Zona Crew. 

“Knowing how impactful Zona is, I wanted to be part of helping it be impactful for some other kid…” Ponzo said. “I want to serve and make a difference for these kids and bring them closer to God, because I know that helped me when I was a kid.” 

Ponzo attended Zona Camp as a student for four years with Mountain View Baptist Church in Tucson. The summer after her junior year of high school, she rededicated her life to Christ at Zona in a decision that still influences her today. 

“Zona really helped my relationship with God,” said Ponzo, 18. “During high school, I tried my best to be a good Christian, and it was really hard with all the influences of high school and different people. … The first couple years of camp were really good, and I had the camp high, but then two years ago after my junior year, I rededicated my life to Christ. … I’ve grown so much because of that one Zona.” 

As a member of the Zona Crew this year, Ponzo connected with middle and high school students over henna, volleyball, gaga ball and conversations throughout the day. She also prayed with several students during the response time and got to “see the burdens be lifted off of them,” she said. 

Thanks to Zona, Ponzo also connected with Christian Challenge the summer after her senior year of high school and got involved with the campus ministry when she moved to Northern Arizona University for college. 

“It gave me built-in best friends…” Ponzo said of Challenge. “I just felt so welcomed so quickly and doing all the events and always hanging out at Challenge brought me so much closer to God.” 

Like Christian Challenge, Zona Camp receives support from the Arizona Mission Offering, which allows camp organizers to keep costs down for students, said Chad Murrell, the Zona Camp director. 

“What we see as a result coming out of Zona — we’ve already had salvations and so many rededications to the Lord…” said Murrell during camp this year. “Zona also has a very long history of students answering a call to ministry. And we can look throughout our state and point to many of our pastors and youth ministers and children’s ministers who answered a call to ministry here at Zona.” 

The goal for the 2026 Arizona Mission Offering is $225,000 with $32,142 going to seven distinct areas of ministry, including Zona Camp. The theme for 2026 is We Connect, based on Galatians 6:2. 

“Keeping this camp going, it’s going to help so many people come to Christ and help these future generations make a difference,” Ponzo said. 

Serving on the Zona Crew has deepened Ponzo’s own faith, giving her a behind-the-scenes glimpse of God at work at camp as she has prayed for and connected with students. 

“You see Him changing (students) and bringing them closer to Him…” she said. “You can see God moving rather than just knowing He is.” 

Learn more about the Arizona Mission Offering at azmn.org/amo

Johanna Moore is the Arizona Mission Network’s director of communications and the editor of Connect. She is a member of Mountain View Baptist Church in Tucson.