Here we sit, on the precipice of summer camp. In just 38 hours the campers will be making the turn off of Springboro Rd to Tecumseh Bend Rd and then down the hill into camp. I just completed two straight weeks of staff training with no break. For the most part, I feel very ready. Before those two weeks were two straight weeks of prep. Prep included mowing, arena cultivating, riding, tack fitting, tack room cleaning, lots of ordering, updating schedules, adding new twists to familiar games and activities plus keeping up with the regular chores of feeding, cleaning the mini-farm, and working weekend trail rides. Whew! Then there were winter and spring time brain storm sessions and post card writing. All in all, everything we do leads up to this one point.....the start of summer camp. A 9 week circus! Yes there was sweat, frustration, tears, and downright exhaustion. There are times when you wonder why you do it. Why do you give up your summers, vacations, and time for yourself to work yourself ragged, all for someone else? That's it. We don't do this for ourselves, we do it for God and for the kids. We are here to be instruments of His mission, to show His love, and to be a living Bible for others to come to know God. While we only have a week with most of these kids, this will be a week that they will never forget. Some will come here and find someone who will listen to them, love them, and care about them like no one else around them has ever done. Sure they come from good families, but now they have an adult, a cool adult, listening to them and caring about their opinions. Do not underestimate the power that this can have in a young person's life. I think that this song encompasses what a lot of our mission is about.
Sidewalk Prophets-Live Like That
This Friday morning, Amie and I (along with several of those in leadership positions for camp) participated in a chapel. Staff training started with a viewing of the Butterfly Circus in an attempt to show that they, as counselors, were the ring masters and are there to help the kids have a "butterfly" moment. Their "aha" moment. A moment where they were transformed. They wanted to end with a chapel were folks were up on stage with a "cardboard testimony". The "before" on one side then flipping it over to show the "after" on the other. I had to think long and hard as to what my camp butterfly moment was going to be. Turns out, my moment came in my first year at camp. After I came to camp, I finally felt the freedom to be me, no matter how "not normal" that was. Not that I wasn't being me before, but camp changed me on the inside and I wasn't afraid that I'd be judged for being me, a new me. You can't put people in a box, religion in a box, or God in a box. He's way too big for that. There were several people who gave their silent cardboard testimony and the amount of raw emotion in the room was amazing. Words weren't needed at the time. It was time to move on from staff trainings, being taught how make schedules, teach a clinic, run trading post, organize a chapel, handle the kids, give devotions, do a lost swimmer drill, rules and regulations, and go on sleep outs and cook outs, and just get those kids here. These counselors will undoubtedly experience an "aha" moment in their 9+ weeks here and those kids will remember this experience forever. Pray daily and often for strength, wisdom, and endurance. Sleep when you can. Find God in all the little moments. Here we go.....Summer Camp 2012!
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