Saturday, August 9, 2008

We're BAAAACK!

All my promises of writing more when we got settled at camp were for naught! There were simply not enough hours in the day. The days began with a 6:00 alarm and off to a counselor prayer meeting at 6:45. Then breakfast, chapel, 3 skills classes, lunch, office work, camp games and flex time, dinner, chapel, camp games and flex time, bed.... that is for the campers and counselors. We were up after their bed times making sure they were NOT up after their bed times.

After our first week of camp, we soon realized that the current schedule of midnight lights out was not working, and that time was shifted back to 10:30 for the oldest campers, 11 pm for staff. Amazingly, this was a popular decision, as the counselors were every bit as tired as we were! There were some grumblings about the "new rules" we put into place, by both returning campers and returning staff. Bill and I feared we would face a mutiny for a few weeks, but the end result was a very positive experience for both campers and workers, with a very few exceptions. God is good.

But now to the best news of all. The Lord was truly moving in the hearts and lives of all those at Camp Pinnacle this summer. There were over 130 first time decisions for Christ, and countless re-commitments, and dedications to walking in His service. We know that this was a work of the Lord, because so many times we were simply amazed at the responses by campers who had been the most outspoken and dissatisfied with the changes in camp. Praise the Lord, He worked in spite of us, and allowed us to be a part of what He is doing.

Now we are jumping back into our "real world" jobs. I'm back to school as of Monday, and the girls go back Tuesday. Our exchange student from the year before last is visiting us this week as well, so it's a fast paced return to reality. Thank you so much to those of you who have been praying for us. Your prayers were heard.