At Camp: Friday

Our last moments of camp. We had breakfast, quiet time and of course pack up and sign out. Our students were incredible as they efficiantly did what they needed to do to get our bus packed and ready to go. We then went to our last Celebration. The student were really into the final team competition. we didn't win, but I think we were the loudest and most entusiastic, by far. We took our last pictures and hopped on the bus for our trip home. We stopped of at Indiatlanic Beach, just east of Melboune. We had pizza at this amazing beach pizza joint then had Cold Stone and Starbucks. We arrived home around 5, just as planned. I must say I was very happy to get home. God was good to us this week. I believe our students are more connected to each other and Jesus than they were last week. Student Life did a good job of programming and study.

At Camp: Thursday

The day began in the cafeteria with another breakfast of pancakes and lots of other carbohydrates. We moved on to Quiet Time, Celebration (from Colossians 4) then to our Mission Site. Our teams did a great job of organizing and coordinating various activities, games, etc. We purchased a basketball goal from Walmart (I made 4 visits there this week!) and the Maintenance Team installed it in place of the old dilapited former hoop. This pleased the children and of course our host Miss Althea. The Rec Team put together a sweet game of kickball, then of course some basketball and toped it all off with our specialty game Medic Dodgeball. I think the kids at the Boys and Girls Club were more impacted by this game than anything else we contributed. The Program Team did a great job of alternating with the Rec Team the children in thir age groups. This made for an easier time of games and skits. At the end we all came together to have a "talk". One of our student leaders whom I have been discipling and mentoring for quite a while now, told his story and how Jesus has made an eternal impact on him. He did a great job, I was so proud of him. How cool is it when you see fruit from your ministry like that? ANyway, the children were blown away by this. We eventually said our goodbyes and went back to the Stetson campus. I took a group to the pool (a pre-shower) then went to dinner. We had a few surprises today: Aaron Mondok (Bryons son), Roger (a for ministry intern) and Nathan M. (a campus ministry guy). They all came to camp to hang out with our students, it was quite a treat for them! Our evening ended with Celebration then church time. I decided that we would treat the students to Sonic since we dont have any in SoFlo yet. I bought a bunch of chili dogs, burgers and fries. We had a great time chowing. I then shared with the students the nessecity of commitment from here on out. That camp shouldnt be a "one week stand" with Jesus, then back to your world of selfishness. I challenged them then opened up the time for them share what the Lord did in them this week. Cool stuff. The evening was complete with me getting in a litte trouble with the dorm RA. Yes me. I had bought an electronic whistle at the Mart. I thought it would be funny to blow it in the hallway. Well students thought it was the alarm and so did the RA. She called the campus security, etc. I confessed, appologized and it was over. I was embarrassed.

At Camp: Wednesday

I "slept in" a little bit this morning. Got up at 6:30 AM. Breakfast was good (the line was decent too) and we then had our Quiet Time, then Celebration. Wade Morris is a great communicator, as he quickly and I mean lightning fast, shared that salvation is the foundation, but there was an expectation of us to grow after this. Basically, grow up. Todd Agnew did a good job leading us in worship (he is not the most dynamic worship leader though; I think we are spoiled!). Our team ,Gold Rush, didn't win the Mission Team of the Day (yet!). We headed back to our Mission site. Last evening we put a plan of action together for today so that things would have an even flow to them. Our Maintenence Team had a few projects to jump on, the Program Team put together some skits, games and other inner active activities to engage with the Big Brother & Big Sister chidren. The Recreation Team put together a program for the outdoor activities and we were able to introduce the children to OUR game, Medic Dodgeball. All and all the Mission time was a god experience today. I felt like the children have connected with our students and our students have made an amazing attempt to serve the children here. We got back to the campus more exhausted today than yesterday. On the way back to campus, on the bus, I put the song "I Walk the Line" by Cash on the bus loud speakers and then "Hurt". Our students were more quiet and reflective at this time than the whole day. There was a sense of sacredness, kinda weird to me, it's Cash, the man in black. Someone asked on another blog, "what is the song for your generation?" I think the students answered that question today. After dinner we had an incredible Celebration with Todd Agnew and Wade Morris. Some of our students were really challenged by the message. We moved on to Church Group and had a time of sharing , downloading and strategy for tomorrows ministry on the Mission Site.

To follow camp from a students perspective go to the Calvary Students Blog

At Camp: Monday

I have been involved with summer youth camps for almost 20 years. At 15 I worked my first summer camp as a maintenance guy at a sweet northeastern mountain camp. For the past 3 years I have kept my camping experiences closer to home here in the state of Florida. The camp that I have really been enjoying has been StudentLife Camps. They put on a great program and focus on the Bible from beginning to end.

Monday: We left Jupiter at 8 am to drive 2 and half hours north to the small town of DeLand where the small liberal arts college Stetson University calls home. This is the location of our camp. We arrived around 11:45 (we stopped a couple of times!) and got right into the swing of things. Wade Morris is the camp pastor. He's a very gifted communicator who loves Jesus and the Bible. The students really enjoyed his first session as a couple of our guys made commitments to Christ. Todd Agnew is the camp worship leader. His style is very different than what our students are used to, but he is very gifted and he effectively leads into God's prescience. You can tell that the staff here has really prayed over the whole camp week and the students attending. We are on the mission "track" of the camp so we will be involved in the DeLand community serving children at a Boys and Girls Club.

To follow camp from a students perspective go to the Calvary Students Blog