8/4 – Prayers & Praises

Praise God for the rain that has cooled down camp today. This summer has been one of the driest and hottest in many years.  The storm that came through this morning was refreshing. Last night, one of the counselors asked a boy at his bunk if he could be praying for anything. The reply, “pray that it would be cooler,” saw a very quick and clear response, and this morning their whole cabin was excited and remarking how immediately God answered their prayer.

This is the point of the week when campers are worn out and comfortable enough with their new environment to really begin testing boundaries if they haven’t been already. Pray that our staff would find energy from God and understand his will in how to handle difficult situations. 

From our counselors:

• ML: Praise that after lunch yesterday, the campers seemed revitalized and maintained very positive attitudes through the hot afternoon. The counselor was especially grateful for their engaging and harmonious day with one another.  This morning, extra cabin cleanup time was given because flag raising was cancelled due to the storm. This cabin created a life-sized dummy by stuffing clothes and odds and ends and positioned it in a chair right inside the door. It apparently achieved its design when the cabin inspector walked in and jumped in surprise.
• MR: Three boys from this cabin spent time with the director this morning after tempers flared during an argument. They had never had any problems before and the afternoon has gone smoothly, so pray that this would be an isolated incident and that there would be peace among them. One of the boys in particular has a short fuse, but his counselor says he has been making real strides in controlling his anger. Another boy does very well with his cabin group, but when mixed among other campers, he often gets into frustrating arguments.  Pray that they would stay awake during chapel and devotional times in order to hear the word that God has for them. One camper who is paying pretty good attention is asking important questions and has kept repeating how much he wants to come back next year and maybe serve as staff someday.  During cabin time yesterday, a camper asked the counselor if he ever cried. When the counselor said that he sometimes did when he was especially happy or sad in front of a group, a surprised camper replied earnestly, “Go ahead and cry during devotions. We’ll all cry along with you.”  
• EL: Please pray that the counselor would be filled with God’s energy. He continues to pour it out through a very long summer with few full nights of sleep. One camper continues to go his own way and refuses to cooperate if an activity or task is not attractive to him. Pray that he would be able to integrate relationally with the rest of the cabin and with his counselor. Praise that last night’s devos went remarkably well and honestly compared to nights past. One camper in particular had many intellectual questions about God’s existence and Christ’s identity.
• ER: Two boys who had gotten into significant trouble yesterday seemed to have turned their attitudes around. They were removed from the group and spent much of the afternoon and evening slowly working with the director and his staff. This morning and afternoon, they both seem to want to move on and enjoy the remainder of the week. Another boy in this cabin also has been a great encouragement to the counselor with his infectious laugh. Praise God for these blessings that have been encouragements to a new counselor who found himself discouraged earlier in the week.
• ENL: Yesterday, the counselor had a long heart-to-heart talk with a camper about his bullying behavior and occasionally disruptive attitude. Last night at devotions, that camper along with another one opened up about their own pasts and the ways in which they were put down and bullied and hurt by others as younger kids. They talked about how they sometimes try to work through that by picking on other people now, but that they really desire to do better and turn that around. The counselor remarked that it was a cool bonding moment for the entire cabin, and this morning they all seemed to be getting along very well.
• PR: Pray for two boys who seem to always put up walls during devotions. They do not engage in the conversation and stay at a distance. Pray that they would open up or that the content of the discussion would be penetrating their hearts even if no outward indication is present this week. Another camper struggled very much with homesickness last night and seems to still have home on his mind this morning. Pray that he would be distracted by the fun activities at camp and by adults who interact with and love him here.
• PL: One camper in particular has become a very disruptive presence in this cabin. The remaining boys in the cabin have overcome other obstacles from earlier in the week, which is encouraging, but this one in particular has displayed a keen determination to undermine cabin unity and counselor guidance. Pray that our staff would be wise through the disciplinary and problem solving process with this camper. The counselor asks for prayers in discerning when to call in the director for assistance and for a heart that is not only patient with this camper, but a heart that genuinely loves him.
• CR: Praise that devotions improved from the night before as far as camper attentiveness and interest. Pray for one boy who continues to work through his short temper. Pray for the counselor who still struggles with pain from a sprained ankle and for patience with his campers. Praise that important camp friendships are developing, and also pray for a camper who each night requests prayers for his dad back home who has AIDS.
• CL: Praise for a cabin who continues to lead as the older campers who are enthusiastic about camp and their faith! The counselor from across the hall (who has a cabin of 13-year-olds), shared how awesome it has been to have good role models on the other side of the cabin. He said they would occasionally peek in the door to encourage them to do the right thing when they were getting loud or off focus, and they “are looking out for them like older brothers.” Pray for the counselor from this cabin who has a bad scratch on his eye. He received medical care in Warsaw today and it will heal fine, but it continues to bother him in his sleep especially. Pray that he would be adequately rested for the remainder of the week.