Finally Back Home

Sunday evening my family and I returned home from a long five weeks working at a children's Bible camp. It was such a wonderful time seeing God providing the needs at our small camp and working in the hearts of campers and staff.

My summer in brief summary:

• June 23-July 2: Christian Youth In Action training school. 10 days of learning how to share the gospel and teach in Bible clubs and time spent actually going out street witnessing and working in a 4-day Bible club for kids. Much time spent in learning, singing, praising the Lord and talking with many fellow believers. My group had the opportunity to share the gospel with more than 30 young people!
• July 3-6: Four days spent celebrating Independence Day and my brother's 19th birthday. Also lots of time spent packing and planning for the rest of the summer.
• July 7-11: I got to drive the 2 1/2 hour up to the camp I worked at the rest of the summer. I made new friends and spent lots of time cleaning up the campground and preparing the program for staff and kids to arrive.
• July 12-16: Teen Camp for ages 13-16. We had 17 teen campers one of whom was my sweet sister Miss Bea. I enjoyed being a counselor on the girls side and helping to share God's plan of purity, modesty and Christ-likeness with the girls who came. The staff for the week all came from one local church and the fellowship that week was great!
• July 19-23: Junior Week 1 for ages 8-12. My mom and brother joined my sister and me to add their helping hands. My mom and I were counselors for the 10-12 year old girls. Miss Bea was a counselor for the first time ever with the younger girls ages 8-9. Our brother Andy was a counselor for the boys side and our camp was very full! There were many problems with obedience that week and several campers who were homesick but the Lord helped every step of the way even when it seemed that Satan's interference was very strong! I also enjoyed getting to know our camp missionaries who serve the Lord in Uruguay, they taught us a lot about the culture and a few Spanish choruses/songs. What a blessing!
• July 23-18: My Birthday! My father came up for the weekend (as he did most weekends) and celebrated my 23rd birthday! I was so blessed first by many campers singing and wishing me "Happy Birthday" and then to spend time shopping and dining out with my family on the weekend and attending a local church with them. I got some lovely old-fashioned gifts!
• July 26-30: Junior Week 2 for ages 8-12. I got a break and spent the week working in the camp office. I made many signs and typed up many lists and made many copies. I answered phone calls and took notes, and filed many papers! I did miss working hands on with the kids but was quite occupied with office work. Most of our staff that week all came from one church and we had lovely fellowship that week!
• August 2-6: Junior Week 3 for ages 8-12. A very full week for campers and very low on staff. So low our camp director had to be a counselor with my brother Andy on the boys side. I enjoyed being a counselor for girls ages 8-10, and got to answer the many spiritual questions they had. This summer wasn't so much a time for salvations as it was time for spiritual growth for the kids who have made salvation decisions in past years. I also got to teach a craft class that week which I always love doing!
• August 9-13: Day Camp for ages 5-8. We had 17-16 younger kids from 9am-4pm each day and really enjoyed going on Bible Safari with them. I got to lead a team of boys and girls and it was so much fun, they are so cute at those ages! Also only having half a day of camp leaves time for fun and relaxation after campers go home.

It is great to be home, but I'm afraid our house looks quite like the picture above as we start to unpack after landing home Sunday night.

I learned so many things this summer about trusting God even when the work seems long and unending and you can't see God in a given moment. God works in ways we can not see, the most important place is in the heart of a child, God can do great things there! I've been reminded of how much I have grown in the last two years - in my own abilities, confidence, maturity and spiritually too. I even had one lady I knew from past years at camp say she liked me a lot better this year than she had liked me before. I found the comment quite funny but realized I have become less shy and more decisive and assertive lately. God is good!

I've been home a few days now and had time to get rested up. I've been thinking over many things and praying for what the Lord may have next from me. I think He wants me to go to Bible School and I even sent in an application this summer and was accepted but I have neither the money nor the correct paperwork (because the school is in Canada) to go this Fall. Maybe in January from the Spring semester. I'd appreciate your prayers as I seek the Lord's will.



And now it's time to get busy posting again! I have many things to post about even in the past few days!

Hope you all had a great summer!

Miss Laurie :)