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!
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