Camp Alandale Prayer Update

Session 8, August 8-13, 2011

 

Dear Prayer Supporter,

We are blessed to share with all you of the amazing miracles that God did this past week. As the High School campers unloaded the bus on Monday, they were re-united with hugs. For returning campers, this week was a time of discipleship as they learned to stand firm in God's truth. This week was Jeremy's 4th year at camp and it was clear that he had grown in his faith in Jesus during the past year. He would play worship on his guitar around camp and demonstrated a heart that was filled with joy. However, as he shared during testimony time on Tuesday night, there was still pain in Jeremy's heart that he needed to surrender to God. He shared his struggle with forgiveness and trusting in God during the trials in his life. Sharing his testimony was an important step for God's continued healing work. Throughout the remainder of the week, Jeremy was able to encourage other campers who had endured similar pain to put their trust in Jesus and him to take the pain from their lives. It was a blessing to see God's continued work in the camper's lives as they continue to return to camp.

    In John 4:37 Jesus says "One sows and another reaps." Here at camp we sow and water a lot of seeds, and I am so thankful that God has chosen us to be workers in His field. That being said, I am always so blessed when I am allowed to reap. This week was Jason's first time at camp, and I quickly noticed that he was very shy and never started conversations. It's always a blessing to see campers come out of their shells when they are submersed in the loving atmosphere of camp, and he was no different. On Friday night, on our last one on one as we were sitting and talking I felt that I was supposed to give him a hug, and just as I was going to ask him if that was fine with him, he turned to me, opened his arms, and said Brian, give me a hug. His knowledge of God was very limited and he called himself a Catholic only because that's what his mom was. As we talked throughout the week I could see him becoming interested in God, and as we were one on one that night I gave him the opportunity to accept Jesus. When he said that he wanted to I told Him I was going to pray and that he should repeat after me. After I prayed the first line, I waited with my eyes closed for about 10 seconds waiting for him to repeat my words. When I finally opened my eyes and asked him what was wrong he said that he wanted to pray for himself. He proceeded to pray a heartfelt prayer that brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. Jason has a new life in Christ!

     Although he wasn't my camper, Robert still had an incredible impact on my week. He was at my table and every morning I was greeted by him shouting in my face and trying to get me riled up and upset. Robert has been involved in gangs since he was about eleven; violence and hate was all that he knew. He had been coming to camp for a few years, and we had interacted together, but he had never really taken camp seriously. By the end of the second day, he had attached to me and had confided in me. I felt that I was able to provide him with a correct model of what a female figure could look like. Robert did have a problem with expressing his anger, and when he was upset, he would shut down and not talk. He would often sit by me at camp fire, and so on the last campfire, he got very upset about something his sister who was there had said. He shut down and wouldn't talk or touch anyone. As the testimonies continued, he slowly relaxed and leaned into me. By the end of the campfire he was crying onto my shoulder. His slow relaxation into his pain and his ability to embrace it and then grief; but to come to a conclusion of relief was a perfect demonstration of change. When in the beginning of the week he wouldn't let anyone see anything but his facade, to being able to cry onto my shoulder proved to me how powerful God is and how He can change each person's heart; not just at camp.

With Christ's Love, Summer Staff 2011