Winter Camp 2013 - Session 9. March 22-24 - 10-12 Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

As Good Friday and Resurrection day approach my heart is always turned to the Passion of our Lord and how He took so much for you and for me. That thought echoed in my mind all weekend at Winter Camp last weekend. Isaiah 53:5 played in the background of my mind, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed”.

Last summer a young man named Samuel came to Camp. When we called his group home the week before the supervisor told us that Samuel just got out of Juvenile Hall but would be coming to Camp anyway. We explained to the group home supervisor that we thought that would not be a good idea. We made the decision to wait two weeks to bring Samuel to Camp so he would have some time to adjust to being home again. I think that was one of the first times it hit me how different life is for kids that live in group homes. They are not going home to moms or dads, or even foster parents, but to a paid staff that manages behaviors with points and demerits; what a difficult childhood that would be.

Well, Samuel did come to Camp two weeks later. As you would expect for a kid just out of Juvie he was full of rage and ready to blow. But let me tell you something about Samuel. He is 6’2; 260 lbs of muscle. It was like standing next to a 50 gallon powder keg with a lit fuse. If Samuel were a little guy this would have been a lot easier to deal with but he isn’t - he is huge. As the week went on this young man became more aggressive towards campers and counselors alike until BOOM, Samuel had tackled a smaller boy to the ground, kneed him in the stomach and bloodied his nose, and all in a split second. Fortunately a couple of our larger male counselors were able to stop the fight immediately. Britt, one of our counselors, walked Samuel off while Samuel shouted at the smaller boy. Britt had a long talk with him. Samuel settled down after that incident and by the end of the week decided that he wanted to follow Jesus.

Samuel was one of the two boys at Winter Camp. Wow what a change had happened in him. He was calm; he had been going to a church that he now called his church, not just a youth group, but big church. Samuel sang the worship songs and knew the words even with his eyes closed. He carried a worn down devotional in his back pocket that he had received at Camp at the end of the week last summer and asked if we could give him the sequel that went with it. Samuel poured over the books in the front room at Camp asking if he could read books about Jesus. He is looking for a job and has joined the Jr. ROTC program at his high school. He proudly told us he was going to go into the Air Force and shared with us about how he is learning discipline. Needless to say this was a different kid. It always amazes me how the Spirit of God changes lives over such a short time.

At Camp Alandale we are passionate about seeing abused children introduced to Jesus. More than our passion though, we know that these kids are His passion; these kids are Gods passion. Jesus warns in Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea”. How he must love these broken little lambs, our Good Sheppard searches for them, binds their broken hearts, makes them part of his flock, and keeps them. His passion.

Thank you for all you do in support of Camp Alandale, giving of your time, prayers, talent, and treasure for the cause of bring the healing and life changing love of Jesus to abused Children.

Love in Christ,

Matt & Tarrah Pritchett and all the Camp Alandale Team

Winter Camp 2013 - Session 8. March 15-17 - 10-12 Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Once again we write you all with gratitude for your faithful prayers for the ministry and for the lives of our campers, counselors, and staff. After finishing our winter camp directing season on March 15-17^th we can see in full view the glory of what God has done in the lives of so many untouched and unreachable campers. Thank you for praying!

Because of your prayers and God’s faithfulness, we can almost always recall the excitement of seeing a camper come to the Lord right before our eyes. Also, because of your prayers and God’s faithfulness, we are able to see campers put their faith in Jesus and become rooted in him. One of these campers we want to share with you about is Manuel. He has been coming to camp for a long time, probably close to eight years attending both summer and winter camps. He gave his life to the Lord during one of his summer weeks a few years ago and this winter camp was his last camp. He’ll be graduating from high school in May and begin a new phase in life. For the most part, he is a pretty quiet and reserved kind of guy and didn’t speak up very much throughout the weekend. His counselor had lots to say about him during Victory circle, however, when he stood up with tears in his eyes and shared how Manuel’s tender heart toward the Lord has been growing each year. He was able to see this because he had been Manuel’s counselor several times before and could see the follower of Christ that Manuel has become. His counselor, Todd, was able to tell Manuel, as a father would to a son, how proud he was of him. Although it was hard to see Manuel go, we know and trust that the work God has begun in him here at camp will continue, and so through all our prayers we faithfully ask him to do so. Will you please continue to pray for Manuel, especially as he graduates from high school this year?

This past weekend was particularly special because we had so many young men and women that we saw are faithfully walking with the Lord in their homes, outside of camp. This is no easy task for many of the kids who live in homes where God is not talked about, and church is not an item on the menu. They have to make a way for themselves to be able to be involved in a church and get connected to a Christian fellowship, so that they don’t fall away. Many of them have done such a good job of this that we find them eligible to apply for our Junior Counselor program where they are given a chance to come back and serve at camp. We have a lot of requirements that JC’s must meet, but we find that it challenges them to stay connected and grow in their faith. We’re always thrilled to keep them for a while longer, even after they’ve graduated. Please, if you will, continue praying specifically for Dan, Vicki, Judi, Donovan, and Josh, all of which may have a chance at some point in the next few years to apply to be JCs. We know that the battle will only increase as the enemy attacks their lives to keep them from following the Lord.

We feel so blessed knowing that your prayers are with us each week! Every single weekend this winter we could feel the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of the campers as we teach the word of God and love on his children. Thanks for being part of the team that blessed the campers this winter season!

                                                                                   In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                   Jeremy & Amy Allen and the Camp Alandale Family

Winter Camp 2013 - Session 6. March 1-3 - 10-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

We’re delighted to report back to you about our exciting weekend! It was our first high school camp ever, and we had a blast. The high-schoolers, uniquely, are so committed to coming to camp, and typically have the highest level of participation and excitement than any of the other grades. This is especially true in the winter time, when all of our campers are returnees. We had a full group starting out with 13 campers and 13 counselors. It was going to be packed! By the time Jeremy made it to Ontario three of our campers had canceled, so sadly we asked two of our counselors not to come, as well as, had one of our counselors volunteer as kitchen help for the weekend. Although it’s always disappointing to see a camper not make it to camp, God always knows what’s best! We try not to question his judgment in who comes. Your prayers are a big part of that!

We had such a wonderful group of counselors and it was such a blessing to have five new counselors! Wow! Pray that God increases the love they have in their hearts for these kids so they continue to return for future camps. We always need more volunteers. They exceeded our expectations and did a great job relating to the kids. In particular, these are stories that stood out to us.

One camper, Mark, is remembered as a hard case from this past summer. Barely avoiding a few fights with other campers and staff while in the meantime giving some choice, harsh words to a fellow director, this kid was closed off. We soon learned he had pending assault charges against him, so no wonder his emotions were running high. We saw him open up and recommit his life to the Lord that week. This weekend he came back a really different kid. He was much softer, and sweet, he wanted to be a part of everything happening at camp and loved his counselor. During our victory circle time at the end of the weekend our counselors identify a strong character quality in each of their campers to encourage them. His counselor gave him the quality of gentleness. Most boys would grimace at the label, but he stood proudly knowing where he had come from and that we could all see how God had changed him. I had to choke back the tears.

Another camper, Sherry, who had only been to camp one other time, always offered her most sincere enthusiasm, but she had been questioning since the summer God’s hand in her life and if He was real. During this weekend she accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior! During our cross ceremony everyone gets to write on a special piece of paper something they want to give to God, whether it be their pain, sin, or forgiveness for someone else. They then nail it to the wooden cross and we light the paper on fire so that the campers can all see, symbolically, what God does with those things when we give them to Him. Sherry wept as she gave over her pain, hurt, as well as her own sins to Jesus.

These are only a few of the miraculous things that God did this weekend. God is slowly chipping away the walls around these special kid’s hearts and we get to see the incredible fruit of that. Thank you so much for being a part of the wonderful work God does here at camp Alandale. May God bless you for the loyal servant hood to this ministry.

Blessings,

Jeremy & Amy Allen and the Camp Alandale Family!

Winter Camp 2013 - Session 5. Feb. 22-24 - 7-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

You can’t begin to know how much we appreciate your labor of love by praying for these children. When we see the exciting things God unfolds, we often attribute the breakthrough to your prayers.

One example is Maria who returned with such beauty in her smile. Last summer she arrived for her first camp in a state of wanting to commit suicide. Long talks with her were heavy and she couldn’t believe the truth she saw clearly before her. She wanted it but couldn’t take the leap. Gang connections and deep suspicions of God hating her and not being fair plagued her anguished ramblings. The anguished ramblings were gone this last weekend but her questioning and fears of leaving her gang involvement remained. The good news is that there was a big change in her. It really was amazing for her to even want to come back to camp. Please continue to pray for her salvation and for light to enter her. She had an awesome counselor who walked her through a lot of questions and planted more seeds. One step at a time!

Most of the other campers had accepted Jesus at camp in the past. Alex, who had also tried to commit suicide last year, was a bit testy at first but we could see him give in to God and just join in on the program, answering questions and filling up on God’s truths. Ricardo, shy as ever and releasing some more of his pain, just smiled with joy over the teaching and thoroughly enjoyed camp. Hope has gone through the worse kind of abuse but she is a light at every camp with her Bible knowledge from personal study. She helped inspire the other campers with her heart as she drank deeply from the love and teaching from her counselor.

The highlight of the weekend was the burning of special papers on which campers wrote down their pain and made decisions to forgive others or to forgive themselves and confess to God. With the flash of the flames, the sound of awe signaled an important thing had happened. The special paper burns completely away. As the notes that were all nailed to a wooden cross burned in an instant and did not leave a single ash, campers understood the point of how complete God’s forgiveness is.

We had lots of snow the week previous and the camper had a blast sledding and playing in it.

Thank you so much for your devoted prayers. We can imagine at times it gets hard to pray, like walking through deep snow, when the enemy tries to stop you with distractions or heaviness. Please keep pushing through for the children. You are their lifeline to God and healing!

Much Love,

Robin and Karen Wood and the Camp Alandale Team!

Winter Camp 2013 - Session 4. Feb. 15-17 - 7-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

We feel so blessed to have your continuous devoted prayer to the ministry of serving and caring for abused children. God is doing some exciting things this Winter Camp season that we have been so blessed to witness. We hope that you are also blessed to hear of God’s goodness in the lives of these children and how your very prayers are a part of that.

This past weekend, only Jeremy and I’s second weekend of directing camps, was much fuller than the last. We had a total of 10 campers and again they were mostly boys. They were full of energy and were hard to keep up with, so for all of you who prayed for our physical and emotional energy to be raised, thank you, we needed it! Although rambunctious, they were a blessing. One of the boys in particular, Daniel, was a camper who we knew from the past summer. He had confessed his desire to exit the gang life and to begin living for the Lord after he had suffered the loss of his mother last year. His brave commitment to change was an unsure one as we saw it, knowing that leaving the gang life can prove more than difficult and possibly life threatening. He reported back to us this last weekend that he had indeed been able to cut off old relationships, to the point where he was no longer even spending much time outside of the house for fear of violence. And instead he was spending lots of time with his family and attending the boys and girls club a few blocks from their house. Daniel has the gift of leadership if I’ve ever seen it. I even told him people would follow him straight off a cliff because of his charming and brave attitude. Continue praying for his perseverance through this difficult time, grieving the loss of his mother, as well submitting his gifts to the Lord’s will.

Another beautiful camper that stood out this weekend was Maria. This was only her second time at camp. A shy and quiet girl, it seemed that she would stay wrapped in her own fears undoubtedly. But through talks about forgiveness and intimate one-on-one talks with her loving counselor, she slowly began to open up. By Sunday she had her long dark hair pulled back out of her face, was no longer wearing her black hooded sweatshirt, and was a wearing smile. She shared with me through tears several times how she knew God was telling her that she was so loved and special. At victory circle time she shared Luke 5 with the group, spurring them on to know that God loved them even more than all of creation because we were made in his image and he died for us! To see her stand in front of the whole group and share was so inspiring, as we remembered the shy girl that got off the bus only two days before! Continue praying for Maria as she faces her fears about not being taken back by her mother.

Thank you so much for your loving prayers, as you can see they really do matter, and we can’t imagine what camp would be like without them! 

Much Love,
The Allen’s and the Camp Alandale Team!