Yep, we started out our summer here at Camas Meadows Bible Camp with the Senior High Teen Camp last week. It was an amazing week and difficult to put to words. Skits and pranks and long heart-breaking chapels. The dark mania of nightgames and the sweltering hot of lake day all mixed up with snacktime and singing and playing zombie re-ball in the lodge. In a word…camp.

With my boys a little older now, I was able to attend staff meeting in the mornings. I got to watch the counselors stumble into Choco’s house in a sleep-deprived daze because they had spent all night talking, making cookies, or weeping with their campers. I got to see prayers answered and kids reaching outside of themselves to someone in need. I watched those with no strength left do great and wonderful things because they didn’t need strength, the Lord used them just as they were and He accomplished His work in powerful ways.

I can’t sum it all up. This week was too big. But I can give you just a glimpse. A glimpse of a camper who could not participate because of physical issues. A glimpse of a counselor who sat with her during night games, just talking. A glimpse of the person that the whole camp was looking for during nightgames stumbling into this camper and giving her the points for finding him. They won cabin competitions that day. And then when the counselor stepped back a moment and gave the rest of her girls a chance to serve they stepped up. They looked for their cabin mate during chapels and activities. They sought her out and they welcomed her in and they found creative ways to make sure that she was a part of it all, even though she couldn’t run or hike. Put all of these small moments together with hurting kids and the many people who weep and work to show them love, with the ache of delving deep into God’s word and the joyous agony of honesty and an open heart and you will have a bit of what this week was like. Thank you everyone. You have given of yourself and God has made something beautiful, despite all of our many failures and insufficiencies, I saw His glory this week and it was a lovely sight.

Boo Boo