South Africa to Mississippi: A Journey of Music, Ministry, and Vision

When Caleb Zola boarded a plane from Cape Town, South Africa, bound for rural Mississippi, he never imagined the journey would lead him to something so deeply meaningful. This summer, he served as a camp counselor for the Music Conservatory at Camp Hidden Lake in Lexington, Mississippi. Caleb may be a long way from home, but he’s right where he belongs

“I never thought I would be in Mississippi,” Caleb says with a warm smile, “but I am very, very glad to be here.”

Caleb is the child of Salvation Army officers and a proud product of the mission and ministry that have shaped his life. “My blood bleeds red, yellow, and blue, because I am a Salvationist through and through,” he says. That identity runs deep. When his parents heard about Camp Hidden Lake, they immediately saw an opportunity not just for their son, but for their ministry back home. They inquired if Caleb might attend, not only to serve, but to learn and bring back a renewed vision for camps in South Africa.

During his summer in Mississippi, Caleb served as a counselor for the Music Conservatory where he taught trombone lessons and mentored young musicians. His passion for music is matched only by his passion for helping children discover their own creative gifts.

“I love watching kids surprise themselves,” he explains. “Many of them have never had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, and when they come to camp, we get to expose them to these new horizons. We strive to guide these kids to see the potential in themselves that we see in them so they can have something creative and great to take home with them after camp.”

But the impact of the summer stretches far beyond the campers. For Caleb, this entire experience has become a source of inspiration.

“Being here in the States and at this camp have been a cool eye-opener,” he says, “because now I can see what the camps back home could be. It just gives me ideas about what could be done in South Africa, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to learn.”

At its heart, Camp Hidden Lake is more than a place for summer fun — it’s a catalyst for transformation, not just for the campers who come through its gates, but also for the leaders who serve them. Caleb Zola is living proof of that.

As he teaches music, guides campers, and dreams about the future, Caleb is planting seeds — both in Mississippi and in South Africa — for a new generation of creative, confident, and Christ-centered youth.