Camp Alandale Prayer Update
Session 9, August 15-20, 2011
There are moments in time that make you so happy to be in the right place at the right time. Session 9 was one of those moments. One comment that kept coming up at counselor prayer from the counselors was that this was the best camp that they had ever been to. What they mean by that is the campers were amazing and were really soaking in all they could, and having a ton of fun. It was really a memorable camp in that regard. The thing that was most impressive was that a couple of the counselors that said that had been coming to camp for more than 10 years. I know for me it was an amazing camp filled with a ton of fruit. I hope the stories in this update really encourage you that your role in this ministry is so vital.
This last week of camp was just super sweet. We had quite a few returning campers who were eager to learn more about God and His love. Many of the counselors shared that their campers were asking great questions and wanted to understand God and the Bible more. For one of our campfire talks we ask the campers to come up with the topic. This week, they sure took us up on this challenge. There were so many questions that we didn't have enough time to address them all, and we went to bed super late. Some of the questions were: "Do you think teenagers know what true love is in relationships?" "What is the easiest way to share the gospel?" "Does dating mean you're disobeying the Lord?" "Is there a sin that God doesn't forgive?" "Is God angry if I have doubts about him?" and so on. We trust God answered each question for each camper and that they truly grasped His goodness and love and great plan for their lives.
Isaac was just one of these campers. He has been to camp a few times. However, he is so shy and to himself that you really don't know if he is having a good time or receiving the love. As the week progressed, a smile appeared on Isaac's face that everyone noticed. He just couldn't keep it in any longer. He was having a great time, bonding with both campers and counselors. Isaac wrote on his camper evaluation at the end of the week that his favorite part was having Doug as his counselor, and being on the Red team. Our favorite part was having Isaac at camp.
Ana was new to camp this week. She also started out quiet and somewhat shy. As she got to know everyone, she opened up. She shared her confusion about the Catholic church and the difference between it and Christianity. But what she saw was a love that covered her confusion. She was very moved by the love and care she saw and felt at camp from everyone. By the end of the week she didn't want to leave and she even wants to come back as a junior counselor some day.
Cheyenne is a camper that we have known for a number of years now. We have watched her grow into a young woman at camp. As we watched her this week we noticed something that had definitely changed in her. She told her counselor early in the week that she wanted to be a JC and that she wanted to not get distracted with boys this time at camp, but that she wanted to focus on God. It is such a joy to see a teenager put their focus on Christ. At one point she was acting so much like a JC that she was encouraging the other campers on her team to focus on God and accept Christ. It was amazing. It also shows the work that God does in these campers lives in a week of camp.
The hardest part of any summer is watching the campers go home each week. It is especially hard the last week of summer because the realization starts to sink in that summer is over. What amplified it for us this last week of summer was having such an amazing week with an amazing group of campers. God reminded us of His amazing goodness. It is His power and His love that we sent home with the campers. It will be His relationship with them that will sustain them and grow them into the young men and women He wants them to be. Our comfort and the victory this summer was remembering that we serve an amazing God who is more than able to accomplish the work He started in the campers lives. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Thanks again for all the prayers this summer. You were a part of God's work at Camp Alandale this summer.
Love in Christ, Mike Towler, OC Camp Director, Camp Alandale
