Round Two

Time flies when you are having fun, right? We have spent the past two and a half weeks watching God work - in both the big and little things. For the first camp session, I was at a camp. What a joy it was to watch God bring together a diverse group of believers and unify them together with the purpose of sharing His love and truth with German teens. I so enjoyed getting to know and work with this group of staff.

I have always said that my favorite part of this ministry is the people. I love getting to know both the staff and campers. One of the special joys for me this summer has been working with returning staff who I already knew (some for several summers!) and some former campers who are now staff. Lowell is the man who directed the camp I was at. He has recruited for English Camps for several years, and is part of my story - God used Lowell to bring me to English Camps and to Europe. Maggie was a part of my CU teams in 2005 and 2006, but her father led the first CU English Camp team that I was a part of in 2001. Jenny was a camper when I met her in 2005, and this is her third summer as staff. She has been our intern this summer and has been an AMAZING blessing and help to us. I could go on and on - God has blessed us with so many amazing people who pour their lives and hearts into these camps for two weeks (and beyond - most staff keep up relationships with campers after camp via email, Facebook, etc.)

On Saturday, the campers left. On Sunday, the first session staff departed and the second session staff arrived. They have spent the past few days getting ready for the campers who arrive tomorrow. Today the staff is enjoying a sightseeing trip into the Alsace region of France (about an hour's drive from here) - I just saw them off.

Many of you know that I am very hard on myself, have an (sometimes stubborn) independent streak, and don't always understand the importance of rest like I should. God has long been teaching me about these things, especially recently. And I oh-so-slowly starting to learn these lessons. The latest part of this lesson? Over the weekend I came down with a cold. Usually I can fight them off pretty well, but not this time. My body succumbed pretty quickly. And I'll admit - I was frustrated. What horrible timing. I did NOT need to be sick. I did not WANT to be sick. But slowly, I began to realize that maybe it was my body telling me it was more worn down than I was admitting. And I have been learning the lesson that it is okay to let people help me. (Of course, I don't easily let them help me. I have to put up a fight first.) When I step back and realize that if the roles were reversed, of course I would do the same thing for them (such as a 4am airport run) and not let them do it! So yes, little by little God is working on me. And He is so good to me, in the ways He provides for me, and in the people He has put in my life.

Here's just a small glimpse into the first camp (more pictures later!):

Steve, Maggie, and Jenny - EC veteran staff and blessings to me!

Emily (staff) and Lea (camper) are anything but fierce, but they tried to be on Superbowl theme day!

All of the EC3 campers - yay HBR!

Maggie is back for her fourth summer as staff!
Signing t-shirts - an English Camp tradition!On the last night, we have a banquet and the staff serve the campers. Here I am with Angie and Hanneke, ready to serve. As the German staff pointed out, the towels are NOT classy/fancy, but they are English Camp. :)

Thank you for your prayers - God is using you mightily in that way. We couldn't do this without you standing with us in prayer. Please keep praying - for the first session campers as they have returned home - that the seeds that were planted will be watered. And for the second session campers as they arrive tomorrow. Pray for health, safety, unity, and for God's Spirit to be at work in both the staff and campers.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow,...

As I type, our North American staff are on planes coming over the Atlantic. We will welcome our first staff here tomorrow, and the first campers on Thursday. This past week has been FULL of preparations, but we are amazed at how, in the end, God always provides. We are excited to see how He is going to work in lives this summer. Please be praying with us and for us! We can't do this without your prayers!

One Week...

Our first group of staff arrive next Sunday (July 12th), so this week is full of final prep details, as well as many hands-on tasks (setting up bunk beds, grocery shopping, etc.)

*Please pray for our Coordination Team, that we would prioritize and accomplish our "to do" lists well.

*Please pray for our staff who are coming - for their preparation (especially spiritually), their safety, and their health.

*Please pray for our campers. Even now there are changes - cancellations, people from the waiting list being allowed to come, etc. Pray for softened hearts, and that God would begin working even now.

This is a spiritual battle we are fighting, and prayer is our most effective weapon. Thanks for lifting us up.

One Step At A Time

So here at Grand Central Station...err I mean English Camp headquarters....err I mean the top of the JTeV building (I'm beginning to think there might be a reason they put the crazy North American English Camp team on the top floor...if only they knew the half of what happens up here...:) we are busy getting ready for this summer's camps. In a mere ten days, our first staff arrive. We are excited, and also busy busy busy with final details. We have been staying at the office long after other JTers have gone home (even the ones that we sometimes suspect live here because they are here so much:). And our offices reflect the status of our busyness with materials piled here and there as we get ready. It takes a lot of materials (Sports, English, Kitchen, Chapel, etc.) to run camps for 190 campers, and so our limited space tends to get crowded this time of year.

I don't think my co-workers know what to think of my office. The pictures below show its current state, as I work on putting together 6 sets of English materials (one for each camp location).

My stress level has been a bit of a rollercoaster this past week, as I have fluctuated between #1 - remembering that God is in control of these camps - they are His camps, not mine; #2 - trying to reconcile the fact that God is in control with the fact that He can't put bunk beds together or laminate English materials (but He sent an AMAZING intern named Jenny who is sacrificing her thumbs cutting lamination); and #3 - at times living like these camps depend on Kari Sue for success, which sends my stress level through the roof.

God is providing. Over and over and over again He keeps reminding me that HE is in control and that He is working in mighty ways to provide for these camps. What is my response? To trust Him and thank Him and keep plugging away one step at a time with the lamination, bunk beds, English materials, shopping lists, etc.

Yes, it is possible to get to my desk...it is just a bit tricky. (Don't worry, Diane - I'll have it cleared out and finished before you get back next week!)

See - they are actually piles! There is organization and systems in the midst of seeming chaos!