From one thing to another

I think a more appropriate name for this blog post could be, "I was a sponsor at Jr. High camp....and survived!" Truth be told, I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a blessing to see these kids worshiping and praising God during the evening church services, some with hands lifted in connection with God. I also had a chance to pray with these kids about their needs and concerns.  I am not exactly sure of the exact numbers, but a large number of teens made decisions concerning salvation and lifestyle changes. Most people would have heart failure at the thought of dealing with this age group, but I was tremendously blessed by them, even the onery ones.  Camp was also very exhausting. The students were kept busy with crazy games and challenge courses. I had the opportunity to ride a zip-line and a simulated flying experience. I got to bond with the kids by swimming (translation: get pummeled and nearly drowned) with them. All in all, I think I was more blessed by these kids than they were by us. I am kind of sad, as this was the last time I was able to take some of these kids to camp, as most of them are moving up to high school camp next year.  FYI, I do not do high school camp.

We came home on Friday, and I instantly jumped into prep for VBS, starting tomorrow. Our theme is "Cave Quest," and my co-teacher and I are teaching the lessons for this week. We don't merely teach these lessons, we transform our classroom into another world, bringing the Bible to life for these kids, allowing them to become a part of the Bible story.  We truly feel that if they can experience the story, they'll remember it for life. In addition to the Bible lessons, I'll also assume the character of "Clark Cavern," a cave explorer who will learn throughout the week that the exploration of God's Word has many more benefits than what this world can offer. Please pray for stamina, as I'm still a bit tired from camp.

2 weeks from today, I'll be in California, worshiping at the Ocean View Church, and preparing to cross the border into Mexico. I have truly missed the people of Ocean View Church, and especially the children at the Colina de Luz orphanage in Tijuana. I have waited for this time to come for over a year. The next 2 weeks will probably crawl by, as waiting is going to be hard. This trip will be my 4th and final adventure of the Summer. After that, I'll be readying myself for the re-start of school.

It's yet again time for another set-up session for VBS. I'm truly pumped! I am praying that the kids will experience God in a whole new way, and that God will move in their hearts. I'll try to update soon with a report on what God is doing in VBS.

Thanks for reading, and God bless!