Overnight camp

This past Friday, we returned from a week of camp at Bay Shore Camp, which is located in the thumb area. Being able to attend this camp was such a blessing. We were looking for a place to send our camp when this opportunity came up for our fifth and six graders. We were able to bring 10 of them this week at a wonderful discounted rate!
Not only did God open up the door for us to attend camp, provide the money and kids who could go but He also provided at the last minute when Mario, one of our staff who was suppose to come with me got sick. My friend Josh from GR was here helping with day camp and when he found out Mario couldn't come, immediately volunteered to stay another week. I didn't realize at the time how much I would need some one else to come along and be at camp that week...and how much our guys would need a familiar face!
The week was a learning experience for all of those involved. I am always stretched each year at overnight camp. My preference is always the day camp style...where I can come home at night and sleep in my own bed and get the rest I need! It's always a learning experience in selflessness and self-sacrifice!

We discovered with in the first few days of camp that our kids were feeling overwhelmed. I think it was them not sure how to respond to the new setting combined with exhaustion that produced a lot of up and down emotions. I felt for them as they were put into a situation where they were the minority both in race and background. Even though everyone at the camp was very warm and friendly, I could tell they had problems adjusting and feeling like they fit in. We made extra effort to reaffirm them and it ended up producing a lot of meaningful conversations as they would come to us with their struggles.

The most meaningful part of the week for me was also the hardest. One of our girls came to me and shared about her home life when she lived with her mom. It was so hard to hear how she had been treated and all that it had done to her emotionally. Even though now she is in a much better situation, her past has left many scars. I cried with her and just held her as she shared with me. Silenty I was praying that God would give me the strength and wisdom to know what to say. As she shared how she could no longer trust her mom, she also told me that she did trust God. I asked her if she had ever trusted in Christ as her Savior and she said that she had- the last day of Day camp! Praise the Lord! I could tell that she truly understood what it meant to be a Christian. I prayed with her and tried to reassure her of how much God loves her and that she can count on the fact that He will NEVER let her down.

At the end of the week, I could tell that over all, the kids had a good week. I truly believe that God worked through it all and that they were able to also have a lot of fun. As you can see from the pictures- we were able to do a lot of fun stuff such as canoeing, the zip line, swimming at the beach, miniature golf, etc. The kids loved these experiences!!