Day Camp '09 - just around the corner!!

One week from tomorrow and we will be starting another summer of day camp. This will be my 5th summer here at HPCO! Hard to believe. I love that I am able to watch kids grow. Some of my first campers are now in high school and I still am able to see them on a regular basis...and it all started with 6 weeks of being their day camp teacher :)

We have 3 interns coming this summer. Dominique is returning from last year and is assisting me with directing. We also have two interns from Grand Rapids who will be arriving this week.

Here are some prayer requests I have for the summer:

1. Because the grant we usually receive from United Way was not offered this year, we are running the camp on a very low budget. But PRAISE THE LORD we have already seen Him provide in amazing ways. Please pray that we will have the sufficient funds to run camp this year, pay our staff and also send kids to overnight camp. If you would like to help sponser a kid to camp, check out our website at http://www.hpco.org/ there's a link on the site to send in a donation

2. Over the last few weeks, we have been able to connect to some new kids down the street who will be attending camp for the first time this summer. I'm so excited about all the new kids we will be reaching please pray that God would use camp to change their lives for Him!

3. As I said earlier, we have three interns coming. Pray that this summer will be a life changing experience for each of them. For two of them, this is their first experience working camp as well as a new experience in the city. They will not only be serving here, but also living in the community and learning about God's heart for the city, the poor and also learning about racial issues. Pray also that we will have unity as a staff team and strength to not just make it through the summer, but see each day as a new opportunity to share Christ's love to the kids and our community

4. And lastly, pray that would receive all the glory in all that we do this summer. May our lives be a reflection of His love and grace...and may oaks of righteousness be planted and growing in Highland Park!!

My weakness=His strength!

As I sit here thinking about what to write, I keep asking myself how to write everything I'm thinking and feeling with out rambling on and on and potentially losing everyone's interest!

I don't know how to begin to sum up the last few months here, but I do know they have been a testimony of God's faithfulness and pouring out of grace and strength. I was listening to an old Steven Curtis Chapman song this morning called "His Strength is Perfect". One of my favorite lines says "We can only know the power that He holds when we see how deep our weakness goes. His strength in us begins when ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cries and proves again...His strength is perfect" The thing is, experiencing the fullness of our strength means we have to be fully aware of our weakness, and that can be painful. But what a sweet growing experience! Ministry here in the city has been challenging over the last couple of months- at the same time, I wouldn't trade any of it for what God has taught me and the relationship with Him that has deepened.

This week alone has been filled with both sorrow and rejoicing. On Tuesday, we lost our dear neighbor to a heart attack. Her health has been slowly declining over the last couple of years. Watching her family go through this grieving has been difficult as our hearts go out to them. My heart especially breaks for her eight year old daughter. I spent some time with her yesterday and listened as with tears, she shared memories of her mother. She expressed to me that she's only eight and no longer has a mom. How hard that is to hear a young child verbalize that. I am thankful for her dad, who has been a strong pillar in that family as he has cared for his wife, children and grandchildren. I am praying that God pours His grace out on all of them in a special way and that this very hard experience brings Him glory and deepens their faith and walk with Him.

The rejoicing has come in two different situations. One was watching a family who chose to follow God and keep integrity in a situation where they were told on all sides to be deceitful (and could have easily gotten away with it) and then in return be blessed in amazing ways by watching God provide. They could have chose the "easy" path to receive what they wanted and what they definately deserved. Instead, they chose God's way and are reaping the rewards! I'm excited that their children have this kind of Godly example displayed before them!

The other came when I received a phone call today from the grandmother of a large family in our program. She told me her granddaughter is graduating from 9th grade and receiving an award for her achievement at the graduation. Watching all that this girl has experienced in the last 3 years and knowing this did not come easy is definately a reason to rejoice. Her grandma invited me to her graduation which will be tomorrow. I am so honored to be able to share in this happy occasion with the family and look forward to being there to celebrate with them.

On top of all of this, we are in the process of planning our summer day camp. Please be in prayer as we are already behind financially due to not receiving a grant we normally have each summer. We are also short staffed this year. Yet, we move forward in faith knowing God will provide. I believe He has great things in store for us this summer and am LEARNING (notice, I haven't fully achieved!) how to continue trusting Him

Thank you friends! I am thankful for each of you, thank you for taking time to read this and for your prayers. God is at work in this great city :)