Week 4 - Great Race - Monday

This week Pre-Teen Camp 2 began with a race between two teams, one of boys, and one of girls. The boys' team was able to take the win from the girls, and while there was some bragging on the part of the boys, the girls took the loss gracefully. One of the girls commented,  "Yes, you played really well. Congratulations!” This humble response curd the bragging from the boys quickly.

Dinner that first night was a

blessing for the kids. Many of them were excited to see just how much food was available. Two of the boys in particular were surprised at the amount of food and were overjoyed at the idea of getting to be able to get some of everything. One of the boys commented that this was the biggest meal he had ever had. All in all, it was a great blessing to pass onto the children!

Week 3 - The Beach - Thursday

Today we headed to the beach at Truman Lake for a relaxing afternoon. Girls had their choice of activity. Some chose to swim in the lake, others chose to get buried in the sand, while others chose to simply lay in the sun. We came together at the end for a picnic.

When we returned to camp, we had optional activities and girls had lots of new experiences. Some camped out for the first time, some learned new skills like archery or cooking. As Thursday came to an end, you could see tiredness in the eyes of many campers. It's been a long, hot week, but that didn't stop nighttime devotions from ending in long conversations about our God. We're excited to see what our last full day at camp brings us!

Week 3 - Hot, Hot, Hot! - Wednesday

Wewh, another hot day and we made it! It's been a hot few days actually, but with a lot of water and activity rotations in cool, shady areas, we are finding ways to stay cool.

With the banquet approaching on Friday, girls have been working hard on their crafts and dances to present to the whole camp. It's fun to hear the stories of campers who've learned to dive for the first time, or swim, camp out or be in a lake for the first time. It's clear that this week will be one of new experiences for many that will not be soon forgotten.

We're praying that the conversations, would also not be forgotten. Each night ends with long conversations about our Father and how that affects how we view our friends, family, schools, neighborhoods and every facet of life. It's been fun and we're excited to see what the day brings us tomorrow!

Week 3 - Egg War! - Tuesday

The second day at Teen Girls was a blast with the infamous Egg War!  The girls headed to the woods, were sprayed with bug spray and waited for the instructions of the fun to be had. The blow horn signaled the girls and staff to begin.  Everyone ran deep into the woods to hide their "Queen" and prepared to find the "Queen" of the opposing team. Three rounds ensued, with a final round of campers versus staff. Egg residue stayed on camper and staff arms, legs, ears, neck and hair for the next activity rotation.

The day was packed with activities, from choir to crafts to jumping on the lake trampoline. With only a few minor obstacles, we had an great day. More than anything, we are excited about the opportunities we've had to share the Gospel with our campers. Late night devotions have been awesome and the girls are understanding more and more about our great God, which has been such a sweet reminder of why we are here!

Week 3 - Teen Girl's Camp - Monday

Teen Girl’s camp is under way! Two bus loads of girls arrived from the city yesterday and we could not be more excited for their arrival. Staff has been working really hard since Saturday to prepare for the week. We have a dynamite staff this year. We are excited to have 7 staff with us who have been campers, 3 of whom are counselors this year.

As girls arrived, we headed to the dining hall and started the day’s activities. Some swam for the first time while others showed off their mad diving board skills. In the evening we headed to the lake for a cookout and water activities. The night ended with girls in the chapel, learning about Jesus and how the Gospel sets us free. It was an exciting way to start the week off as we continue pouring the love God has given us into our campers.

Prayer requests from counselors:

• Wisdom and opportunities to speak to girls in meaningful conversations
• God to soften girls' hearts to the Truth
• Rest for the girls
• Healing and guidance with girls

Prayer requests from campers:

• For a good school
• For family situations to get better
• Illnesses in family
• Trouble sleeping at camp

Thank you all so much!

Week 1 - Camp CUMCITO is open for the summer!

The first day of camp has come and gone, and the staff members are as tired as always....but they are happy to be!

The counselors are already saying their campers are becoming best friends.  One counselor said while they were on the playground that a camper wanted to swing but was having trouble getting on them, so another camper helped him.  After that, although they had just met, those two were playing like best friends. Another counselor said that the as soon as devotions were done the kids went straight to bed and were out like a light! 

It is clear that so far their favorite part is swimming, whether in the pool or the lake. Craft time and canteen is what everyone looks forward to in the afternoon. All in all, the campers are always excited to do participate in all the activities scheduled.  We are seeing lots of bright smiles -- and that’s a really good thing!

A Summer in Review

What a Camp season!  It was the HOTTEST & driest in recent years, but it was also a high point spiritually.  Every week, the joyful participation in chapels from children of all ages was evident.  Kids praising God, memorizing verses and learning about their King Coming! 

We served 470 campers this summer and had 49 salvations reported!  On Monday, June 25, 88 Jr campers and 36 Tots came rolling in on the buses for a wonderful week. The next week was Teen Girls.  We had 52 teen girls enthusiastically try to drown their teacher/director/friend – Kalie, all week on the battle barge and do some deep soul searching.  After a week for our families from our Christian Life Program – (the only ‘cooler’, rainy week all summer!) the HEAT and campers returned. 

On July 16, 89 Pre-Teen campers and 36 more Tots arrived for the Great Race to carnivals.  The following week, we had 91 Primary campers and 34 Tots roll in for another hot week, in which our main ice machine went down (and stayed down for the rest of the season.)  Our final week was for Teen Boys.  We had 44 young men who enjoyed lake activities and first chapel around the campfire, the annual EGG WAR, CUMCITO Olympics and the huge water balloon fight on Friday.

All of this would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteer camp staff.  Their dedication is so much appreciated.  Some volunteers spent a week, or two, or even up to 6 weeks filling staff positions.  There willingness to serve allowed campers to enjoy a week away from the city and discover more deeply the love of Christ, so well demonstrated through each of the volunteers. 

Our annual Fall Retreat is scheduled for the end of this month and we are anticipating a weekend of fun activities and relationship building for some of our campers from the summer.  There has already been much excitement from camp staff about coming to the retreat and re-connecting with campers.  Please pray for God to do amazing things on this weekend of relationship building.



Submitted by Peggy Ramsey, Camp Specialist at City Union Mission