The next morning, after spending our night on the Ratcliff's couches, we headed to Gold Hill, prayed with some members of the church that Darrin pastors, and then went to the service. Before Darrin's sermon, he brought our team up in front of the congregation and they all prayed for us. We had to leave at that point because we had to get to Camp Praise at a certain time. So yes, we missed Darrin's sermon, which was very sad. But! It was ok! Because he was the speaker at Camp Praise that week. Yes, that's right, we got to spend an entire week doing ministry with Darrin Ratcliff! I have to say it was a huge blessing on all of our lives :)
Anyways, and so, we got to the camp and settled into our cabins. Now Camp Praise was the exact opposite of Mt. Gilead, and it shocked us. We really didn't know what to make of it. But we all had to realize that it was just a different week. It was all going to be just fine! My cabin's name was Guy Womac (Don't ask. I still have no idea why to this day). It was another high school week and I had Joe, Nick, Mack, Howie, Morgan, Nathan, Ceder, and William in my cabin. One of the things we noticed immediately was the incredible about of hurt in that camp. It was the first week we realized that we all needed to really lean on God.
When we got to Darrin's house, he told us that he would be going through Colossians that week. But the coolest thing happened. During chapel worship time, I remember looking back and seeing Darrin scribbling in his notebook. When it was time for him to speak, he got up and announced that the Spirit was leading him to speak about Jesus this week, and thus the theme of the week became "Just Jesus". And so the Spirit took over that place. Usually at camps, the speaker builds the messages up to a last night "alter call", but this week, just like that, Darrin felt lead to give it on MONDAY NIGHT. By lights out on Monday evening, my entire cabin had accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior!!!
That was the night I had my first experience leading another person to Christ. :) Now, I wasn't sure what to do with myself after that chapel. Kids were going in different directions with different counselors. Suddenly William came up to me and asked if we could have our one-on-one. I went to the guy in charge of schedule, Troy, and asked if I had the time to do it. He said yes, so I went back to William and sat down with him. He told me that he had been coming to camp for a few years, but had never trusted anyone. However, he trusted me. (Mind you, he had known me for only a day!) He said that he wanted to ask Christ into his heart, and that he wanted my help and guidance. So I lead him through the a few passages and prayed with him. It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it... God is so good!
And so, after that powerful night, the whole camp atmosphere changed. For Matt, Katie, Lisa, Rhianna, and I, we came together as never before. The staff were bonded together. So many of the kids' burdens were lifted. GOD WAS AMONG US. It was amazing! So after that change, the Lord focused our attention to building the kids up, so that they might leave stronger, and, hopefully, solid in their faith. And God did.
As the week went on, we had lots of fun! The pool was a favorite afternoon activity, along with the field and rec room. The games were pretty good, though to be honest, it was hard coming from Gilead's amazing activities program to Praise's, but I didn't mind :) It was the night games that were really awesome that week. Games such as Bible Smugglers and Capture the Flag were awesome and favorites of the kids. And I started to realize that week that though games are fun for campers, I definitely had more fun playing as a counselor than I ever did as a camper at the camps I went to as a kid and in high school :)
Then there was the day I got to sit down with Darrin and talk about life. Being able to talk to that man one-on-one was so amazing... Darrin was the guy who spoke the first time I had visited Ecola the winter of my senior year before I attended. Essentially, he was the man who sold me on Ecola. His "Life of David" class is still one of my favorite classes of the entire year. In fact, David and I are listening our way through it when we can this year! Anyways, being able to get inside the way he thinks was so great. I wish I had talked to him during the two times he taught at Ecola. Just a plug for him: His sermons are free on iTunes, so just look up "Darrin Ratcliff" :)
This was the week I started to realize that exhaustion was going to start becoming just our way of life during the summer. I napped every day that week because I was so tired. Going to bed late and getting up early became just the way life was, and it would continue through the summer.
Before we knew it, the week was over. Once again, those deep connections we had formed were about to be left behind once again. The kids we had grown so close to weren't ready to go back to real life. But life goes on...
So we all packed up Martha and once again headed north up I-5 towards Washington, where our next camp would be.
For more photos, go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camp-Praise/205558762805928?sk=photos and go to "High School 2011!!!!!" :)
This is John Friend signing off for now! :)
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