Camp 2008 Week 2: A review of the week!

The second week of camp was another great one! We had a full camp which is always exciting...the downside being that the second week is always hotter and busier than the first. This week we had lots of kids from rough and broken homes which is harder to deal with as well.

With many of these kids they have never heard the Gospel (which is why we are so pleased they come to camp to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ) and need to know just basic principles, even in just being nice and kind to one another.

I taught the youngest group of campers; second and third grade which was a real treat for me! I just love that age group and my class of kids. I had 21 in my class, so it was a full bunch and I challenge for me at times to keep their attention.

In the gym where I taught both weeks, we had an unlikely visitor almost every morning: a frog. That was the first thing the kids would spot when they came in, so I would have one of the boys put it outside, which was a real treat for them.

Not too long after I would get started teaching, I would see pairs of eyes and little hands pointing to something behind me...our little visitor was back. Therefore I taught them a new rule for our Bible class: Don't watch the frog! Which then I was bombarded with from one of the boys, "It's not a frog, it's a toad." And then one of the other boys, "No, it's not. It's a frog." And then one of the girls, "I think it's a frog."

I came to the conclusion, "It's a reptile. Just remember that you're are not to watch the reptile...frog...toad...whatever it may be....that thing hopping on four legs." That made our Bible class....well...a little more exciting than others, I guess. :) I never knew I would be incorporating this reptile into the story of Ruth, but that I did! :)

I always look forward to the two weeks of camp and being able to make an impact on the lives of the campers that are there. Not only do they learn many things during the week, but it never fails that God has something to teach me as well. It's a wonderful opportunity that God allows me to minister and be a witness for Him those two weeks.

As the second week draws to a close, it's always a little sad to see the two weeks go by, knowing that it will be another year until we are back. But the prospect of being able to sleep in my own bed, not swamped in heat and sweat for most of the day and a little quieter of a day never sounds so good by the time Friday rolls around. And once I've had a few weeks break from camp, I'm ready to go back again! :)

Here's a review of the week and you can see more photos here.

teaching in the gym

The oldest girls had a massive shaving cream fight! :)

Jena and her girls played with balloons and shaving cream!

One of my little tag-a-longs for the week - Luke!

memory verse prizes and footprints

Shannon and I