Dear Prayer Partners,
It's Tuesday morning and we are starting our first full day of camp. Yesterday, the kids arrived and we had a great "half day" to start off the week. We were blessed with some clouds and a little light rain shower as well. Unfortunately, the humidity was very high in the afternoon and evening so we were all smelling a little "unfortunate" by the end of the day. :)
As think about stories from camp, I want to go back to a few weeks ago at our 2nd session. A counselor told me this story that I loved and wanted to share with you.
This camper was a challenge in different ways and said he did not want to come to camp. His last camp experience (not ours) didn’t end well as he was kicked out. All week, the camper would refuse to take his hat off at chapel, or anytime during a prayer. Mark explained how it was a symbol of respect to God. But of course God can do great things, and by the end of this July camp week the boy was saying, “Why do we have to go home? Can’t we stay two weeks?” Then an even bigger miracle happened at the church during the ending program. Mark looked back to where the camper was sitting with his adoptive parents and when I began the prayer, the boy took his hat off. As the boy was in the car and the family was driving out of the parking lot, the parent stopped, rolled down the window and said to Mark, “He’s (the boy) is about to lose it (cry).” This was a very touching moment as Mark saw God working in this boy’s life that week. It wasn’t easy to pour so much energy and effort into a boy who didn’t even want to be at camp. But God was faithful in the end.
I love that story how it shows the impact our counselors can have on these kids even in just a few short days.
Another story I heard last night involved a young girl that arrived yesterday at camp. This is a great story of how God gave a counselor wisdom and understanding in a moment of need. As the camper was laying in bed, she kept saying, “My tummy hurts.” After a little while the girl was on the verge of tears. With wonderful wisdom the counselor said, “Do you want to see your sister?” knowing she was down the hall in another room. The girl was glad and of course agreed. They went down the hall, the two sisters hug and say good night. Back in their room, the counselor and camper go to bed never to talk of a tummy ache again.
Again, a story that shows the compassion and wisdom our counselors have at camp. Continue to pray for us today.
Thank you for your prayers!
Darren
PRAYER REQUESTS:
This was a prayer from one of our counselors that I wanted to pass along to all of you:
"I pray that I can be present in every single moment, not worrying about myself but giving everything this week to God."
