Union College student, Piedmont member, and College View Trailblazer Pathfinder, Matthew Toews, attended the 2019 International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he witnessed a play that left a lasting impression on him. Sitting in the crowd with his dad, Matthew thought, “Man, that’s what I’d like to do someday.” The idea of being on stage stuck with him, but there was a catch. To audition for the roles, actors had to commit much of their summer to practice at Andrews University, something Matthew couldn’t do because he was involved in Kansas-Nebraska Broken Arrow Ranch summer camp ministry.
After the camp season ended, he had the opportunity to join the staff working at the 2024 International Camporee for two additional weeks. Excited, he signed up and headed to Gillette, Wyoming.
Upon arrival, he was met with a surprise:
they needed extras for the play.
Matthew decided to volunteer, even though he knew the competition would be tough. The staff conducted marching drills and other activities to find the best Pathfinders for the roles.
Around 50 people tried out. In the end, only a small number, between five to ten, were chosen to be extras—and Matthew was one of them.
Suddenly, Matthew found himself on stage as a soldier in several acts, including one where he carried Moses’s jewels during the scene where Moses is introduced as the Prince of Egypt. Every afternoon, Matthew also gave backstage tours, still amazed at how he got to be a part of the production.
Reflecting on the experience, Matthew shared,
I was excited to be able to be a small part of showing God to so many people, in a way that I had previously thought would be amazing to get to do.
For Matthew, being on stage wasn’t about being “in the spotlight.” Instead, he felt blessed to have the opportunity to bring the same wonderful experience he had five years earlier to thousands of new Pathfinders. “Yes, I had almost forgotten about that dream,” he said,
but this was about sharing God’s love in a meaningful way.
