Jennifer Cameron

As one of the few seemingly Native Oregonians, I grew up in the Portland area attending Wilsonville grade schools and West Linn High School. I accepted the Lord into my heart in 4th grade (10 years old) at Beaverton Foursquare Church. I still feel incredibly fortunate to have sat through sermons by the late Ron Mehl, as I could feel God’s love coming from his humble servant heart every time he talked.
I first came to Good Samaritan Ministries, via the Wednesday morning “Life Giving Group,” with my dear friend Vera Johnson in 2017 and have rarely missed that group since. It became my grounding place & my discovery of how special GSM is. The Holy Spirit is felt when you walk through the door and it has been the place that feels “real” to me, that feels like “home.” It’s a place where you can feel comfortable being vulnerable, and because it’s been so special to me, I have a deep interest in GSM moving forward, in the best way possible, with this Kingdom work, to bring the hope and light of the Lord to as many as we can, locally and around the world.
With GSM, I’ve served several years on the Mongolian Satellite, on the Banquet Committee, helped at the Youth Summit, loved being the “First Aid Lady” at Family Camp last summer, and I do a little proof reading and writing here and there. In 2022, I completed the 2 year Counselor training course and was ever so Blessed by Cindy’s expert and compassionate teaching, as well as Elsa Jane’s healing miracles. It’s been a privilege to learn of and be let in on the lives of my precious counseling student peers.
Professionally, I am a Portland State Honors Graduate in Accounting and enjoyed a career that went from public accounting with Ernst & Young, to an 8 year stint as the Controller at Steinfeld’s Pickles, to a controller in Nike’s “Air sole” division, to serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive VP of the YMCA of Portland. I was responsible for the Accounting, IT, Risk Management and HR Divisions, as well as the Teen Division and our beloved Camp Collins along the Sandy River. While at the YMCA, I was named one of Portland’s Top 40 professionals under 40 by the Portland Business Journal.
After attending their training, I also spent years volunteering at Raphael House, a domestic violence shelter in Portland, both as an in shelter worker and on their annual gala auction committee. My respect for the brave women and children escaping domestic violence situations skyrocketed. I also started the current Portland 12 Step chapter of COSA for partners of Sex Addicts (like Al-Anon is to AA). It still meets every Wednesday night.
I served on the Board of Directors for Portland’s Eastside Foursquare church, which was a Mission Based Entrepreneurial model that took the drug and prostitute den that was the Portland Travel Lodge hotel on Sandy Blvd, and turned it into a church hotel with an onsite drug rehabilitation center, church & coffee shop called “Sacred Grounds”. Hotel front desk staff were pastors and if the women chose, they were rescued out of a life of prostitution, as we had rehab facilities available for them to go to as well. I baptized my Son Tommy in that swimming pool and I stand on the promises of God for his life.
Having dealt with a host of personal and family challenges over the past 12 years, these days I’m more low key as the caregiver for my Mother and as a caring adult/ Mother figure / Auntie to several young women. Battling some spine issues, I also work diligently to be healthy in order to serve others in whatever capacity God chooses to use me.
My love for GSM grows all the time and I truly feel called here. What GSM has to offer / what Bettie started, is not replicated anywhere that I’ve ever experienced. The unconditional love that GSM shows people is so incredibly needed in such a lost world and it would be my honor to serve on the Board, to pray for, and to contribute what God gives me the energy for. I’d like to help lift up Teresa in her leadership role over this organization. It all belongs to God.
I’m a believer that vulnerability is the key to healing and joy, and I’ve never experienced that work in action, in any greater way, than the way I see it work in GSM groups, camps, meetings, etc.
I also have a passion for encouraging others and try to speak up when I notice what I see as special in others. A few spoken encouraging words can last for years to the person you speak them to.