Camp Alandale Prayer Update

Session 7, August 1-6, 2011
 

    Session 7 was our first High School camp. We look forward to High School camps because we get to spend a day longer and we get to see campers that we have known the longest. This week was a little different in terms of the mix of guys and girls. We had 11 boys and 5 girls. Most of them had been to camp before, but with that many boys we knew it was going to be a rough and tough, testosterone filled week. The guys did not disappoint.

    Dionte was new to camp. He wasn't new to Christianity. As he shared his testimony one night, it was clear that God had started the work in this young man's heart long ago. Through some bad choices that his parents had made, and a few of his own, he wound up in the system in a foster home. He knows that he was fortunate to wind up in a foster home for a boy at his age. Usually boys 15 years old get placed in a group home. Dionte was well aware that God was giving him a chance. This led to some amazing searching by this young man all week. His table became the Bible answer table. His counselor and the other counselors at that table did an amazing job of answering even the toughest of his questions. Isaiah 55:6 says: "Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near." (NLT) Dionte did his fair share of seeking this week and God did the finding. Dionte prayed to receive Christ toward the end of the week on his one-on-one with his counselor. Please Pray the Dionte finds a good church to go to and grows in his new life in Christ. God is good.
    There aren't many campers that come to camp that escape receiving Christ. Especially when they come back year after year. Alfredo is an escape artist. He likes being around the love of God, and loves being around camp, but when you ask him, his heart is not ready to receive Christ. I would love to tell you his story this year ends up with him receiving Christ. It doesn't. In fact Alfredo, or Freddie's story at camp is a mystery. One thing is for sure, God continues to show Freddie His love. It seems our job in Freddie's life is a planting one. Planting the seeds of Christ in his heart that we pray will one day spring into eternal life in Christ for Freddie. Despite his subtle non-acceptance of the claims of Christ we had a great fun week with him. My children Charlie and Gracie spent a lot of time after meals playing with him in the field area. Freddie has a neat heart, we'll keep praying that God brings him to Christ in His timing. God is still good.
    This first High School camp was filled with a lot of boys. It was also filled with Christ's love reaching out to those boys. One thing that we saw was Christ reaching these campers hearts through play. Whether it was Basketball, Ping Pong, Scatter ball, or Hiking, these boys loved to play. Pool times at one point consisted of 3 people because the rest of the boys were playing basketball. Of course they jumped in the pool after to cool off during the last 10 minutes of pool time. The greatest thing about sports and games is that they soften the hearts and build respect amongst the counselors. We saw God use the simple, to confound the wise when all it took was play to open the hearts of these young men who we were blessed with. God is good all the time!


Love in Christ, Mike Towler, OC Camp Director