Week One and Two: Junior Camp

     The first two weeks started out with a lot of excited campers and staff.   This was the first year where we had a half week of training with the staff before the beginning of camp and we were pleasantly surprised how much our team was able to bond and get geared up before camp in those short few days.  God put together the exact team we needed this summer to grow and work to the best of our abilities and that is such an incredible thing to see! 

     The both weeks we had around sixty 3rd-6th graders. It is so exciting to me how many different kids we have the opportunity of reaching with the gospel every week! It is also obvious that Satan does not want us to reach these children.  Despite everything from running out of propane right before breakfast to a fight between a couple campers and the constant threat of wildfires in the area we know that the message of Jesus was continually proclaimed and received.  Both weeks we had at least one or two children receive Christ for the first time and many more made commitments to love their families more, treat others with respect, or read their Bible's and pray more.  Now, I remember going to camp when I was younger and making commitments like these.  I know I wasn't always able to follow them exactly or sometimes I would even forget them all together. At the same time I look back on those many camp experiences and see God's hands at work in my life shaping and molding me into the woman I am today.  It is a beautiful thing to witness the Lord's work in these young lives.  That is why we are here...and to actually see lives change is incredible!

-Jenni

p.s. I have come to realize this is a lot of what we are responsible to do at camp...plant those seeds.  Sometimes we get to water them...and even see the plants come up.  But even if we never see the fruition of our work, we still are responsible to keep planting the seeds...  

Be encouraged!  God asks us to plant the seeds!  He alone is the one that will draw people to Himself.

What...over already?

For the rest of you, I understand that you have had a summer...

For myself, it feels like yesterday I woke up and was ready to go for the start of camp, and this morning I woke up and it was over...but what an incredible summer it was!  

Because I went through some sort of time warp...;)...I was not great about letting everyone know what was going on this summer.  This is about to be rectified.  In the next few days I will be posting about each week of camp, and the incredible things we saw God do week to week.  We saw Him provide food, we saw him bring water, we saw children saved and lives changed...not to mention a LOT of fun in between.  

I can't wait to tell you all about it, but for now I will just say, thank you to all who shot up a prayer or two on our behalf this summer, and also to all of you who so graciously served with or for the camp this summer...we couldn't have done it without you!

Ready or not...

 It feels like yesterday that I was posting about the camper we are living in this summer and all of the things we were leaving behind to follow the Lord into camping ministry with Adventures in Christian Camper (ACK for short).

Well....here is is!

This is our home...named "Old Blister" for the lack of any sort of air conditioning.  Although that may sound horrible, it has actually been very pleasant as it cools off during the evenings quite well.  

And what a view!!

We are almost through our staff training this week, getting ready for the campers that will begin to arrive on this coming Monday.  I am still just blown away by how time flies.  Just to give you a quick idea of what Adam and I will be doing, along with our duties in assisting the staff and offering administrative support, Adam will be teaching the kids how to throw Tomahawks, and I will be leading a drum circle, as well as helping in the kitchen and cleaning bathrooms.  

God is already working in and on our staff and us as directors.  He has allowed us to grow together  and has given us excitement and a love for the campers that we can't wait to be able to share!  Also, he has proven himself faithful in very visible ways.  We needed lunch for the campers and drivers that are coming from Omaha tomorrow.  A wonderful couple from Hope Evangelical Free church graciously agreed to purchase and supply a meal for these hungry kiddos.  Praise the Lord for his willingness to provide in even the small things!

If you are reading this, please take just a moment to pray for hearts of campers that are open to the words of Christ and strength and wisdom for the staff who will be working and loving hard these coming weeks.  

God bless you all :)

Why?

Why would someone leave a steady paycheck, many beautiful friends, and a roomy apartment for a life in a camper in the middle of no where Wyoming and a salary that isn't even there yet?  It doesn't make sense.  It doesn't seem practical.  So why?  


All for the love a child.  Or many children for that matter...and a ministry that is undeniable.  Adam and I have the most incredible opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ to hundreds of lost and hurting children from all over the Midwest.  These kids come from orphanages and reservations...happy homes and broken ones.  Some of them go to church every Sunday, and some of them have never been.  We have taken the first step in following where the Lord is leading us. After Adam graduates from Denver Seminary in May, (PRAISE THE LORD!!) we have agreed to become full time staff of Adventures in Christian Kamping, an organization that began by faith in the 80's in Casper, Wyoming.  From a small one week kids camp, it has grown into an 8 week span of camps that serve kids from the ages of 1st and 2nd grade, all the way up through high school.  


It is difficult to put into words what an amazing/totally scary feeling it is to step out in faith, knowing that this is where the Lord is calling you, but not knowing exactly how it will all come together.  


So why would you leave a steady paycheck, friends, and a great living situation?  Because He says so.  How can you argue with that?