So Summer Camp is not just in your imagination...

Here is a video made by one of the teams that came to help with camp and some pictures below.  Grateful to Hammock Street Church in Florida for making this video!

First week group picture

Free time activities

Daily announcement and entertainment time with
Allison, Isaac, and Sarah (summer interns)

Volunteer helping with academic time

Middle schoolers at the “#1 exhibit on #2!” in a local museum

Friendly competition!

Reading with middle school boys

Camp and what's next

Been waaaaayyyy to long!  Sorry for not keeping up with the blog for the last few months.  God has been good to me through the summer in challenges and fun moments.  I had a really busy summer with helping to direct a summer camp for kids here in Clarkston.  The camp was for 1-8 grade kids/teenagers. Working camp was really refreshing in one way: I loved being around people most of the day.  I have missed that about teaching, and got a taste of it this summer.

A different volunteer group came each week to help with activities and love on the kids.  Interns (mostly college students) provided stable leadership for the kids all summer.  Each day the kids participated in academic time, music, crafts, and character education teaching.  We had the opportunity to share the good news with several children as well as remind them about being grateful, honest, and compassionate during character education.  Now we have the opportunity to follow up with families we made contact with through camp.  Thank you for your prayers!

Here are some pictures from the funnest week of camp!  We took the kids to Camp Wesminster, just outside Atlanta.  They got to ride horses, climb the wall, and then decide whether to zip line down it!  Some were more courageous than others.  We also had swim time each day and go fishing or canoeing.

I'm taking 2 classes at a local seminary extension.  I'm hoping to catch up with some relationships I've been too busy to keep up with over the summer.  Also, I continue serving within Mosaic Fellowship to help lead worship and sometimes teach Burmese youth that we meet with on Friday nights.  I have needed reminding that God is faithful and is my joy and delight.  I prayed even this morning for the "spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline" Paul encourages Timothy about.  Pray for peace and patience to keep waiting on the Lord in all of life.  Pray God's heart for His kingdom will be in me.  May He direct my paths and work through me.

Update from Clarkston

Egg hunters the day before Easter!

Church 

          It continues to be evident to me that the work of proclaiming the gospel and discipleship must be done within and by the Body of Christ.  A healthy church is a sending point, training ground, and necessary support for those working directly to share the Gospel with the a community. The health and unity of the church is so important in the world knowing Jesus, that Jesus Himself prays,

          “²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  -John 17:22-23

I am seeking God for wisdom on how to better equip myself for ministry in the church.  I am growing in hunger to receive focused, intensive Bible training.  This week, I’m in California to visit two seminaries.

Prayer for Joy

            Lastly, I have truly experienced much spiritual warfare in the last few months.  Seems that the evil one has tried so hard to distract and discourage my heart.  Since I moved last June it has been challenging in new ways to be diligent in my own walk with the Lord.  Making new friends, seeing where I fit in the kingdom work here, and learning to work with others in harmony has been a good exercise for me.  The Father has been gracious in many ways and certainly is refining my understanding of myself and His kingdom.  I don't say this for your pity, but to say that the work here has not been as glamorous one might expect.  Each of us has these struggles, yet this year I've learned how consistent and strong a temptation there is to grow discouraged in the work of the Gospel.

 Hanging out in the park!  

From left: Mom (“Ama” in Nepali), Son, Daughter (recently arrived from Nepal), and a Burmese friend. 

Easter Egg Hunt, Fellowship, and Volleyball! 

Kids enjoying the festivities!  After this egg hunt, "suprises" inside the eggs were used to tell the Easter story to American, Iraqi, Sudanese and Nepali children.

Kids enjoy a game of real "football"!  Beautiful to see American and  Burmese children playing together in a game that unites the world!

Which one looks like he belongs on the court?

Action shot

Enjoying the festivities!