Onto Junior Camp...

WOW!!!! Another week is already done and I am now sitting 20 minutes away from camp to catch up on things and prepare for the next week ahead. The Intermediate camp is complete and the Junior Camp is coming in soon. The Junior camp, for those that do not know the Camp Otyokwah lingo, is for people going into the 3rd and 4th grades. These kids are coming into camp for the first time both on their own and for longer than a weekend time frame. Nearly hitting the halfway point of camp I am noticing, including in myself, that the endurance camp called camp is starting to get at some people. Some of the staff is starting to get tired, and I took a step back at times this week to catch up on rest and get refreshed for the energy that I enjoy bringing out to the camp environment. I am now close to my 10th summer in a row with camp ministry, and it is a job that I constantly have a joy and passion for. I remember this week for a few things...

1. The camp staff was ready to work together. There were no separations between the camp and volunteer staff. There was a unity this week that has not been shown in many others.
2. God really used the staff in many different levels. In many different ways, but the gifts of the Spirit were shown at different times.
3. Energy. Even in the times when the staff was getting tired we pulled together, prayed consistently, and pressed onward toward the goal.

It was sad this week that a staff member had to go home early due to some situations, but it was neat to come together and just pray for that person while they were on their way home and pressing on in their life. The biggest highlight of the week was the fact that last night the power went out in camp (and I believe that it is still out at this point in time). Even through that happening the staff rallied together and adapted to the situation by continuing with the evening and going to plan B in the programming scenarios. John 3:17 was a verse that came to my head that really fits with this week, but also in the past weeks with campers and staff:

For God did not send His son to CONDEMN the world, but to SAVE THE WORLD through His son.

God had a purpose and plan for His son to be on earth. It was shown a few times in the Old Testament (especially in Isaiah 53) and through the words that were given to people in that time frame for what was to occur. God did not have to do any of this but because of HIS GREAT LOVE for us He chose to go through the punishment and death in order that we have the chance to have ETERNAL LIFE. I know my blog isn't that long this time but it has been a crazy week with a lot of things happening, but I know that God is still in control and He has His hands in many different areas not just at this camp but in all of life!! Be blessed everyone!

Halfway Point Between Camps and Guest Groups...

A lot went through my mind after my walk/run that I take every Sunday during free time. As I was hitting the point between the tree line and the open fields I realized something that was just a light to my mind. The junior high camp left on Friday and as I am typing this message the intermediate camp is coming in (the 5th and 6th grade campers). After this camp is over there is one more week and then the camps that Camp Otyokwah offers is complete. Once that point hits the guest groups that Oytokwah is able to bring in begin to arrive and the staff become fully facilitators, programmers, and on call for most of the day. It seems like the other day that I was arriving onto the Camp Oytokwah campgrounds where I was planning for the staff to arrive. I sit here realizing that the Otyokwah camp season is going strong and that the staff has been bonding in an effective manner. There have been a lot of things taking place from serious prayer circles to training kids on how to become "minions." The free time this weekend was much needed as I felt myself needing some R&R in order to maintain the energy that I am personally able to bring forth to both campers and staff. I have loved seeing how the staff team has been able to gel together and bring forth the talents and skills needed for an effective camp program.

Looking back through the summer I realize that this camp season goes far beyond the programming, facilitation programs, and the games that all of the campers have the chance to be involved in. Some of the events that have come forth this summer have brought the staff and campers as a body to pray, discuss serious issues, and coming forth to Jesus for the first time. This summer has been an effective summer ministry wise and that is where the true meaning of camp ministry comes into play. I remember seeing kids climbing up the rock wall (some for the first time) that did not think they could make it up and some were able to hit the top. That has been my main job this summer facilitation wise, which is to belay people off the rock wall. For those of you that do not know what belaying means that is the lifeline for all climbers. I have total control of the rope, amount of slack, and in a way how far the camper can go. This facilitation has brought me closer to Jesus and how He works with us. In a ropes course the facilitator talks about "challenge by choice" where the facilitator encourages the participants to reach their limit, but at the same time it is nothing forced. This is the same aspect of how Jesus works with us. Jesus gives us a challenge by choice element where He does not push us beyond what we can bear, but there are also times where He knows we can do something as long as we have the FAITH and TRUST in what He is doing. As I was sitting at lunch today I was looking at a verse that I am placing in my head for the rest of the summer...

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
(Matthew 24:35 NASB)


Everything in this world that is around us will eventually die away but the promises, prophecies, and words of the Father that we serve will live on and on and on and on (do I need to go on any further). Each camp has been a character of itself, but at the same time every one of them have shown to have the aspects, tools, and the encompassing value of the fruits of Jesus Christ. As I look forth to Intermediate Camp there is going to be a topic about music and why we do certain things in worship through music (like raising our hands, clapping, closing our eyes, etc.). Be blessed everyone, and pray for God's guidance and control on the upcoming week!

Senior High Challenges...

Well, now is the time to say that... THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF CAMP IS COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!!! What an amazing week is was and seeing the campers leave was bittersweet. A lot happened this week that was truly a blessing and at the same time was a time to just pray with the people that were around. The leaders from Grace, Indiana Wesleyan, and around the Ohio area were an extreme help and were able to put together a blessed program. The staff that I am helping out with and myself kind of took a step back this week and mainly worked on the facilitation of program areas that needed various groups of people together. Pioneer Camp was a different kind of camp for it only had half the amount of campers that lasted for a 48 hour period (some of the campers even had their families with them). This camp on the other hand was a week long that provided more opportunities for worship, growth, spiritual maturity, and to connect with one another. I had the opportunity to meet with the volunteer leaders that came together to help with senior high camp and they were wonderful people to chat with, being used by the grace of Christ.

A verse that summarized the whole week came to my mind last night during a personal bible study...

"Where o' death is your victory, where o' death is your sting?" (Hosea 13:14)

This scripture struck out to me last night and after thinking about the context of the verse could truly put this verse and place it through the entire week. There are two points why I feel that this is true:

1. There were a lot of opportunities to connect with Christ, some of the people coming in also had never heard the Gospel message before.
2. There were many opportunities that "the enemy" did not want us at camp to do the ministry that we were striving to do.

What does all of this mean though (that the enemy did not want us to do what we were doing)? There were a few occurrences through the week that people needed serious medical attention but it was more often than usual. What got my attention about these occurrences though was that they happened at various time frames and they all ended up with people coming together and leaning on one another. This particular week showed not only the campers but the staff that we truly need to rely on Christ in everything that we set our minds to. What was truly bittersweet was to see the campers coming together to form prayer groups when something happened and even used the myself and the other leaders to get these groups together. Seeing the campers come together and form these types of groups was so amazing and a WOW factor that God was able to use. 

Throughout most churches in today's society there is not a lot of teaching about the enemy or any type of spiritual warfare. Even though that in scripture God teaches that there is no power that the devil can use there are times where the enemy can be used like a leach and effect the mindsets and attentions of people. Temptations can sink in and all kinds of false mindsets can begin to take over. What was mentioned this week was that the enemy has no foothold on any of us and we need to rely on Christ with one another and live in the areas that He desires for us. There is a verse in Isaiah that I just opened to when trying to find another verse that speaks truth about us as people in the mindset of Christ...

"They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." (Isaiah 61:3)

MIGHTY OAKS!!!!!! The God that created all of us sees us as a mighty oak. In North American forestry the oak tree is resembled as a tree of strength, longevity, and excellent wood sources and properties. Oak trees are the most common tree in North America and is even the national tree for America. We are called Mighty Oaks by Christ, a being of EXCELLENT STRENGTH, WONDERFUL PROPERTIES, and AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF LIFE! The campers this week realized the wonderfulness that is in Christ Jesus and that nothing can be done by our own power. Paul, in writing a letter to the church in Ephesus, talks about us as people being DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES, but because of the grace and love of Christ Jesus, HE HAS BROUGHT US TO HIS NAME and if we rely on Him HE WILL RELY ON US. The phone is ringing for every person, it is up to each one of us to pick up the other line and follow along. Be blessed everyone!

Start of an Endurance Race...

IT IS OFFICIAL... CAMP OTYOKWAH STAFF TRAINING IS COMPLETE AND CAMPERS ARRIVE TODAY!!!!!!

That's right, after a week of preparation, training, devotions, and great times it is now time to host the first camp of the summer for the 2nd and 3rd graders called "Pioneer Camp." I am sitting here writing this after working on some last-minute projects before the campers arrive and everyone is pretty much on call. Two people are making welcome signs, one guy is listening to a Christian radio station with TobyMac currently playing for the entertainment, and things are pretty much coming in order.

Earlier this morning I was leading a devotion (my third one of the summer) and I took a different approach to the devotion. I used this devotion as a type to commission the staff and myself for the endurance race ahead. This devotion involved placing our hands in water, learning about scripture that deals with both darkness and light, and praying for one another. God has definitely placed a call on this summer for His purpose and this summer is definitely coming together. At the same time I can also tell that the devil has been on the prowl. There has been a couple of instances where the staff and even myself have had a few hiccups, but through Christ we were able to pass by these obstacles. There a couple of scriptures that come to mind when dealing with these types of situations...

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT ON your own understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7)
• And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME." (Hebrews 2:13)

The Lord will guide the steps of many this summer and the trust and guidance must be there for all people to make sure this happens. The Lord will guide where He wants, we as people need to have faith and trust! Be blessed everyone and continue to pray for the upcoming summer months ahead. This summer will not be a sprint but an endurance race (lesson I learned from Camp Crosley YMCA last summer).

What Faith Can Be...

Welcome to Camp Otyokwah... a place to learn, grow, mold, and enrich a life for the glory of Jesus Christ!

As I sit in the camp office and look at the welcome poster that I made for the staff this summer I look at the three words that I put up on the poster: LEARN, GROW, MOLD, and ENRICH! This is what we are really here for when it comes to working with you in the faith-based setting. Nearly two weeks ago I was sitting with a wonderful group of people through the Journey Fellowship of Students in Indianapolis learning about one another in a deeper level (even high up in the air) and learning to work as a team. Not only did all of us learn how to work as a team together but how to take this work and work in the jobs that were in our near futures. About a week ago I arrived to Camp Otyokwah where I now have no cell phone service and limited opportunities to be online with everyone. This is definitely different from the past months but at the same time I have come to realize that I do not necessarily miss it to the point where I need technology. I have come to a point where walking around camp, being around with people, and enjoying the beauty that Christ has made has been huge growing atmospheres. 

This past week has been an opportunity to grow as a person and a member of a wonderful team. I had the opportunity to look at all of the people that I will be the Program Manager for and at the same time had a chance to grow with them as a body. Paul mentions in scripture that the body of Christ is a UNIT! Each member of the unit is not working for themselves but rather each one serves a purpose for their partners. I have seen this fully in the past week as the group and I have been team-building, ministering to one another, and pointing each other in the directions that are ahead in the coming summer. I still reflect back on some of the opportunities I had to walk and run when the staff had times to reflect and have alone time with Christ. I always remember getting a walk and run in and praising God for what He has been able to do. This summer so far has taught me to rely on Christ in all complexities (even in the greatest of times). I truly love over and over what the Psalms in Psalm 107 teaches over and over, but here is one verse that contains the phrase...

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; 
He delivered them out of their distresses. (Psalm 107:6)

Multiple times in this Psalm did this phrase appear: the people cried out to the Lord in their times of need and the Lord brought the people out of their distress. This is encouraging to know because from this scripture we as people can realize that through anything God is on our side. I had the great opportunity to participate in high-ropes training in the later parts of the training week and I remember doing obstacles where I needed the Lord and He was able to stand right there with me. I was able to reach the top of a rock wall (something I have never done before) and I was also able to learn techniques about how to keep people safe in the air and different knots to know in various elements. This week has been a total blessing and there is only more good times to come. Be blessed everyone!!