Back in April, I got a phone call from my former pastor, Bro. Dave Shelley. He asked if I would be willing to do a music program one night at All Nations Camp in the summer. I told him I would love to and I asked if I could just come all week and help. He said he needed a teacher for the middle school age group, so I was set to go.
I had been wanting to some kind of mission trip this summer that I could take my children also. Our church had a group go to Savannah, GA for a mission trip, but my kids were too young to go, so I was thrilled when I received this call. However, this was before I found out I was pregnant. I have had some major not just morning sickness, but ALL day sickness for the last month. I was concerned that I wouldn't feel well at camp, especially in the heat. Thankfully, I felt okay most of the time.
When I was in high school and college, our church had groups to go to All-Nations camp to serve as counselors. I always enjoyed going then and looked forward to getting to go again. There are many different nationalities represented in this camp, and it is good for me and my boys to see and talk to people that are different from us. You see, in our small town, there isn't much variety☺ Lucas came back from bible class one day and told me about his new friend with a blue shirt with a brown face. I just laughed my head off!
I got the privilege to teach the middle school class. We had some wonderful, in-depth discussions, and I pray that that time spent together helped them to grow in the Lord in some way. I enjoyed getting to know them. There were several in the the group that were extremely knowledgeable in lots of Scriptures. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. They actually participated and discussed openly to what I was asking. Landon and I teach the high school class at our church and sometimes they just stare at me like I am an alien. It is much more enjoyable when the class participates☺
It was also great to get to work with Scott Foshie all week. We really miss him at Bear Cove, but I know that God called him away to serve in another church. We just really didn't like it or approve of it!! He is truly a man of God with a servant's heart. He is quite an example for us all in the way to love others.
It was also great to work with Bro. Dave as an adult. He left our church not long after I was married. He has a heart for children's ministry and has a gift for recreation. It was interesting to see him working with the kids from a different perspective. I grew up with him, his stories, and his games because he was our pastor for around sixteen years.
Games, games, and more games...they were divided into four teams for competitions all week.
Logan and Lucas' team. Lucas didn't do too much playing, though.
He liked to watch the big kids.
It was also great to see Ryan Shelley. I babysat him from the time he was in diapers until I got married. He moved shortly after, and I don't think I have seen him since. I would not have recognized him if I saw him in public! I have lots of fun memories of when he was little. He is now 21!! Man I feel old!
Soccer was amazing to watch. I guess I am used to watching little kids play, but I was impressed with the skill of many of the campers. Also, if there was ever any free time, there were people playing soccer. Watching some of them play barefoot made my toes cramp up.
The older kids championship game was exciting to watch. They went into overtime and Bro. Dave said the next score wins because they were tied. This kid scored an amazing shot to win it for his team.
Who knew tether ball was so much fun???? Logan loved it and wanted to play it all week. I want to set up one in our yard it was so much fun. How Napoleon Dynamite would that be?
On Tuesday morning, Logan came running into the cabin to get me frantically. He said Lucas was bleeding! I ran out to see him with the nurse with a bandage on his head. Of course he was crying and I was just trying to figure out what happened. There was a boy chasing a girl and she fell onto Lucas' head. Her tooth cut him on top of his head.
The really bad part of it was the girl cracked her tooth. Scott took her to the dentist the next day in Sparta. She ended up having to go home because she had to have an oral surgeon remove it due to the fact it was broken to the gums. She was such a sweet and bubbly young lady. She was in my middle school class, and cried because she didn't want to go home. I felt so sorry for her!!! I told Lucas he must have one hard head.
He recovered rather quickly and that evening, our children's choir from church came to perform our musical we have been learning all summer. I was so proud of them all! It was their first performance and they all did a wonderful job!! The campers all loved it and were a gracious audience.
I don't know what got into Lucas. During practice at church he would barely sing even though he knew the songs. When he was in front of an audience, he was a ham singing his heart out! It was really cute!
Logan was Goliath...a little unbelievable, I know. When we perform for our church, he will be up on a platform so he looks taller and more threatening. I was thrilled to hear Logan say he actually enjoyed choir and he was looking forward to doing it again in front of our church. He didn't want to even be in children's choir, but he didn't have a choice because I am the teacher....it's good for him☺
Well, if you have made it this far after such an enormous post, you will hear the best news of the whole week! Twelve campers made a first time profession of faith this week. I don't know if they are all genuine or not, but time will tell. I pray they will be nurtured in their home churches and grow in the Lord. Since I am not able to go on a foreign mission trip right now, this was the closest I could get. It was a blessing to be a part of this week!
“Go into all the nations preaching the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15
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