We've spent a relatively quiet week here in Kandern since closing up shop at Maugenhard last Sunday. We held on to a dorm van (big blue for you veterans) to take care of some details on Monday after new staff conference meeting were over. We also snuck in a trip to Schliengen Pizza Grotto, home of the Monday night 3 euro (now 4.50) pizza, a meal shared with a family that worked at the Swiss camp. I foolishly left the van's lights on and ended up with a dead battery. So the Kraines'got to make some more memories, pushing big blue through the streets of Schliengen and finally successfully popping the clutch before cruising back to Maugenhard for final camp inspection (we did well, by the way).
Diane spent some time online with our campers since getting back to our house on the hill in Kandern. The upshot is one of our campers has already arrived for a visit (JB) - he's got nothing but good to say for all aspects of the camp (quote for our cooks: "the eating at English Camp is Paradise"). Those veterans of te last few EC6 camps at Maugenhard - pray for this guy as he continues to process the love he received from staff and the love God wants to extend to him, pray that he'll realize none of us ever starts out good enough or valuable enough for God -that it's God that makes us good and valuable in Him. Pray that he'll get into the Word and vice versa.
Our location in Germany could turn into many opportunities for follow-up like this time with JB. In the meantime BFA staff conferences start on Monday and then we're off on the next whirlwind.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
The end - not!
Monday –
Saturday the goodbyes began. Campers don’t want to leave, they just don’t. Some are returning to fine situations, some are returning to some rough situations – neither population wants to go home. Diane has been on Facebook with a few of our campers already and it sounds like they’re making plans to come and visit within the next few days! (for EC veterans S.O. and J.B. may be spending some time with us). And then it’s Sunday and goodby to the staff – if you personally know a staff member pray for them now – it’s a hard transition back to the real world.
We’ve been perusing the camper evaluations of camp – the reviews are in! We did very well in the campers eyes. Teachers, cooks, counselors, Activities leaders and even the Bible teacher got some really positive feedback. From the staff’s point of view, I think we saw some real spiritual progress with the campers (which many also self-reported - 9@”first step with Jesus”; 8@”fresh start with Jesus”; 18@”took a new step with Jesus” and if you do that math you’ll figure out that some kids indicated more than one choice but I’m so pleased so many were stirred spiritually).
It’s been the usual end of camp whirlwind over the past few days – you’d think once the campers left it would ease up but there’s tons to do to wrap up camp. If you plan that the tasks will take X time, you need to then multiply by a factor of 3 to get the accurate estimate.
Our clean-up went fairly well and the day was perfect for the visit to Freiburg. The train trip itself is only about 5 minutes long but that was plenty of time for about half of our folks to nod off. Early Sunday I made the first of two runs into the Basel Train station to drop folks off for the direct trip to Zurich airport. Apparently I’ve set a new record for getting two different folks to the trains with 30 seconds to spare – nothing like a shot of panic and adrenaline to end a camp.
We arrived back at our home in Kandern about 6PM last night – absolutely spent – we slept well last night – and today new staff conference began – time to change hats.
May God continue to grow and bless the fruit of English Camp Maugenhard ’08 for years to come – to His honor and glory – AMEN!
Saturday the goodbyes began. Campers don’t want to leave, they just don’t. Some are returning to fine situations, some are returning to some rough situations – neither population wants to go home. Diane has been on Facebook with a few of our campers already and it sounds like they’re making plans to come and visit within the next few days! (for EC veterans S.O. and J.B. may be spending some time with us). And then it’s Sunday and goodby to the staff – if you personally know a staff member pray for them now – it’s a hard transition back to the real world.
We’ve been perusing the camper evaluations of camp – the reviews are in! We did very well in the campers eyes. Teachers, cooks, counselors, Activities leaders and even the Bible teacher got some really positive feedback. From the staff’s point of view, I think we saw some real spiritual progress with the campers (which many also self-reported - 9@”first step with Jesus”; 8@”fresh start with Jesus”; 18@”took a new step with Jesus” and if you do that math you’ll figure out that some kids indicated more than one choice but I’m so pleased so many were stirred spiritually).
It’s been the usual end of camp whirlwind over the past few days – you’d think once the campers left it would ease up but there’s tons to do to wrap up camp. If you plan that the tasks will take X time, you need to then multiply by a factor of 3 to get the accurate estimate.
Our clean-up went fairly well and the day was perfect for the visit to Freiburg. The train trip itself is only about 5 minutes long but that was plenty of time for about half of our folks to nod off. Early Sunday I made the first of two runs into the Basel Train station to drop folks off for the direct trip to Zurich airport. Apparently I’ve set a new record for getting two different folks to the trains with 30 seconds to spare – nothing like a shot of panic and adrenaline to end a camp.
We arrived back at our home in Kandern about 6PM last night – absolutely spent – we slept well last night – and today new staff conference began – time to change hats.
May God continue to grow and bless the fruit of English Camp Maugenhard ’08 for years to come – to His honor and glory – AMEN!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Almost finished
Friday-
I think we are finishing well. From the feedback sheets the kids turned in to the strong connections between campers and staff to the questions raised I think this little battle in te spiritual war for the universe was well fought to the credit of the God who has motivated and empowered those working with and for Him. As I write the kids are making smores around the firebowl and having just a grand time enjoying each other. Earlier I challenged them on two fronts. Once again I asked if they were ready to live dangerously for God and added the challenge that living dangerously for God means you give yourself away to others. We listened to two great songs (The Last Jesus, and Declaration) from Kirk Franklin’s new CD The Fight of my Life – great songs really underscoring so many of the points God led me to raise over eight nights of teaching – te cool thing is I had never even listened to them before Wednesday and it’s as if they were written to preach the last night’s message.
Tomorrow they leave – it will be a long morning of long goodbyes and lots of cleaning. Debriefing is also on the agenda – it’s so important to reflect on what God’s done, what to expect as we reenter the real world and what we need to do with our experience. In the afternoon we take the train to Freiburg for sightseeing, souvenirs, and German chow.
Guten Appetite!
I think we are finishing well. From the feedback sheets the kids turned in to the strong connections between campers and staff to the questions raised I think this little battle in te spiritual war for the universe was well fought to the credit of the God who has motivated and empowered those working with and for Him. As I write the kids are making smores around the firebowl and having just a grand time enjoying each other. Earlier I challenged them on two fronts. Once again I asked if they were ready to live dangerously for God and added the challenge that living dangerously for God means you give yourself away to others. We listened to two great songs (The Last Jesus, and Declaration) from Kirk Franklin’s new CD The Fight of my Life – great songs really underscoring so many of the points God led me to raise over eight nights of teaching – te cool thing is I had never even listened to them before Wednesday and it’s as if they were written to preach the last night’s message.
Tomorrow they leave – it will be a long morning of long goodbyes and lots of cleaning. Debriefing is also on the agenda – it’s so important to reflect on what God’s done, what to expect as we reenter the real world and what we need to do with our experience. In the afternoon we take the train to Freiburg for sightseeing, souvenirs, and German chow.
Guten Appetite!
Pure contentment
Thursday-
To the pool today – the first time I’ve not been sweating all week. The plan to open up the schedule worked out fine and it was great to enjoy the cool waters of Kandern’s spring fed (and therefore refreshingly cool) pools and slide and relax for a bit while the kids kept themselves entertained. Camp has really achieved its unique flavor and energy as we proceed into the last days.
Tonight we had our talent show (or should I say “talent” show in some cases) and it was pretty much the usual hoot. The quiet campers all of a sudden become outrageous extroverts and the staff does embarrassing things – all I all what you’d expect if what you expect is expert teachers and counselors spitting toothpaste-frothed water at each other.
Tonight’s message was about the sufficiency we have in Christ (Colossians 2) and the power of pure contentment (Philippians 4). Some of our counselors are experiencing the great breakthroughs that I asked you to pray for in my last entry. We’re seeing the hand of God at work over time preparing the counselors to be in the right place of mind, heart and experience to be ready to handle the questions and concerns they’re receiving. And it’s not just the counselors. Teachers have formed some strong bonds and have had great chances to speak into these kids hearts and lives.
Tomorrow is the last full day. Pray that we will finish well.
(Sorry about the late posting - internet down last night)
To the pool today – the first time I’ve not been sweating all week. The plan to open up the schedule worked out fine and it was great to enjoy the cool waters of Kandern’s spring fed (and therefore refreshingly cool) pools and slide and relax for a bit while the kids kept themselves entertained. Camp has really achieved its unique flavor and energy as we proceed into the last days.
Tonight we had our talent show (or should I say “talent” show in some cases) and it was pretty much the usual hoot. The quiet campers all of a sudden become outrageous extroverts and the staff does embarrassing things – all I all what you’d expect if what you expect is expert teachers and counselors spitting toothpaste-frothed water at each other.
Tonight’s message was about the sufficiency we have in Christ (Colossians 2) and the power of pure contentment (Philippians 4). Some of our counselors are experiencing the great breakthroughs that I asked you to pray for in my last entry. We’re seeing the hand of God at work over time preparing the counselors to be in the right place of mind, heart and experience to be ready to handle the questions and concerns they’re receiving. And it’s not just the counselors. Teachers have formed some strong bonds and have had great chances to speak into these kids hearts and lives.
Tomorrow is the last full day. Pray that we will finish well.
(Sorry about the late posting - internet down last night)
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Adventure Day
Wednesday –
After last night’s entry and gain this morning I’m getting reports from my counselors that God is working in the hearts of many of out campers. They’re beginning to exhibit their hunger for truth and practical applications of these truths as they impact a relationship with God. This is always a great time at camp but also a time where prayer is welcome to hold back the things that would discourage real growth.
Adventure Day has happened. I got to lecture on Lewis and Clark, the kids watched some video on it, lunch was eaten with team members hands tied together (I don’t remember that about L&C but OK, and a long hike was undertaken. The kids arrived at the designated cookout site on time and wolfed down 80 hamburgers and 30 hot dogs (the kind from a jar – I know, sounds nicht gut but they’re not bad. Afterward the joint worship service was held with the other camps at a local church and it was back to camp. We’re letting the kids sleep in an extra hour tomorrow morning and, if the weather cooperates, compressing our English classes into the morning so as to have the whole afternoon at the pool. Speedo time guys – I know TMI!
We’ll just have small groups tonight before bed. I’m praying for great discussions and breakthroughs and also some good sleep afterwards.
After last night’s entry and gain this morning I’m getting reports from my counselors that God is working in the hearts of many of out campers. They’re beginning to exhibit their hunger for truth and practical applications of these truths as they impact a relationship with God. This is always a great time at camp but also a time where prayer is welcome to hold back the things that would discourage real growth.
Adventure Day has happened. I got to lecture on Lewis and Clark, the kids watched some video on it, lunch was eaten with team members hands tied together (I don’t remember that about L&C but OK, and a long hike was undertaken. The kids arrived at the designated cookout site on time and wolfed down 80 hamburgers and 30 hot dogs (the kind from a jar – I know, sounds nicht gut but they’re not bad. Afterward the joint worship service was held with the other camps at a local church and it was back to camp. We’re letting the kids sleep in an extra hour tomorrow morning and, if the weather cooperates, compressing our English classes into the morning so as to have the whole afternoon at the pool. Speedo time guys – I know TMI!
We’ll just have small groups tonight before bed. I’m praying for great discussions and breakthroughs and also some good sleep afterwards.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Bulletproof
Tuesday-
A perfectly normal day at camp. Meals served, classes held, activities run, shopping done, testimonies given, message delivered – a perfectly normal day. Our prayer is that it is anything but normal in the hearts of our campers. Some of the walls have come down and the camp seems to have gelled into its particular personality. Tonight we spoke on living in God’s promises of peace, provision, joy and suffering. The heroes of Hebrews 11 did and it took faith to integrate the seemingly dis-similar promises of joy and suffering, and if we do it and understand God’s perfect and eternal plan His promises render us bulletproof. How dangerously can you live when you’re bulletproof?!
Tomorrow is Adventure Day – Lewis and Clark, hiking cookouts and joint worship with the other camps. I’m tired already.
A perfectly normal day at camp. Meals served, classes held, activities run, shopping done, testimonies given, message delivered – a perfectly normal day. Our prayer is that it is anything but normal in the hearts of our campers. Some of the walls have come down and the camp seems to have gelled into its particular personality. Tonight we spoke on living in God’s promises of peace, provision, joy and suffering. The heroes of Hebrews 11 did and it took faith to integrate the seemingly dis-similar promises of joy and suffering, and if we do it and understand God’s perfect and eternal plan His promises render us bulletproof. How dangerously can you live when you’re bulletproof?!
Tomorrow is Adventure Day – Lewis and Clark, hiking cookouts and joint worship with the other camps. I’m tired already.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Turkey!
Monday-
Christmas has come and soon will be gone. The staff opened the day serenading the campers with “Chestnuts Roasting on an open Fire…” and each camper received a handmade stocking full of sweets after breakfast. Classes and activities ran as usual – if anything is ever usual while Herr Director (Russ) Team Leader (Diane), and a few of the counselors went off to town to food shop for the trip and take part in what’s been dubbed “Manpri Monday” – the search for cheap guy capris – all the Euro-rage. The great laugh in this is that the only one to find a suitable (although not in Hannah’s eyes) pair was Herr Director (€3.98) – I know, hard to imagine! Lunch was turkey with many of the “fixins” followed by turkey soup for dinner. The kids were well fed today and the cooks are doing a super job.
Tonight we do some How To’s on spiritual warfare – the full armor of God and such. Pray that the kids will be open to what God has for them here this week and that we’ll be sensitive enough to them and to God to act in providing it.
Christmas has come and soon will be gone. The staff opened the day serenading the campers with “Chestnuts Roasting on an open Fire…” and each camper received a handmade stocking full of sweets after breakfast. Classes and activities ran as usual – if anything is ever usual while Herr Director (Russ) Team Leader (Diane), and a few of the counselors went off to town to food shop for the trip and take part in what’s been dubbed “Manpri Monday” – the search for cheap guy capris – all the Euro-rage. The great laugh in this is that the only one to find a suitable (although not in Hannah’s eyes) pair was Herr Director (€3.98) – I know, hard to imagine! Lunch was turkey with many of the “fixins” followed by turkey soup for dinner. The kids were well fed today and the cooks are doing a super job.
Tonight we do some How To’s on spiritual warfare – the full armor of God and such. Pray that the kids will be open to what God has for them here this week and that we’ll be sensitive enough to them and to God to act in providing it.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Sunday
We made it to church on time and the kids seemed to enjoy it largely due to today’s speaker, Larry Parsons, a former ER doc who now teaches science at BFA. Larry spoke on “Why I am not an Atheist” and really engaged those listening in either German or English.
After lunch the camp viewed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe followed by a snack of Rudy’s (one of our teachers) birthday cake – now her second birthday in a row at English Camp. Then off to the soccer field. Camp seems to be reaching the point where the kids are mostly very comfortable with each other and the staff is exhibiting the craziness necessary to make camp memorable. We’ve been laying a running game of “Assassin” (everyone give a straw and a victim – if your assassin catches you without your straw in your hand – you’re dead and need to identify who you were supposed to kill so the carnage can continue.) – and it would surprise you how well mature kitchen ladies can adopt the role of cold-blooded killers! All in fun – I died when I put my straw behind my ear in order to assist one of the dishwashers who then, of course, killed me.
We continued on the topic of spiritual warfare – looked at Acts 19, the story of the founding of the church in Ephesus – what a crazy story starring the Apostle Paul who is such a dangerous guy that even fellow believers thought he was too much. With this story in mind what the book of Ephesians has to say about spiritual warfare takes on a cool dimension.
Right now the gang is decorating for tomorrow’s theme, Christmas. We sent the kids off with a reading, complete with interpretive movements by the Activities gals, of the Night Before Christmas – now if they’ll all QUIETLY snuggle in bed, we’ll have it made.
After lunch the camp viewed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe followed by a snack of Rudy’s (one of our teachers) birthday cake – now her second birthday in a row at English Camp. Then off to the soccer field. Camp seems to be reaching the point where the kids are mostly very comfortable with each other and the staff is exhibiting the craziness necessary to make camp memorable. We’ve been laying a running game of “Assassin” (everyone give a straw and a victim – if your assassin catches you without your straw in your hand – you’re dead and need to identify who you were supposed to kill so the carnage can continue.) – and it would surprise you how well mature kitchen ladies can adopt the role of cold-blooded killers! All in fun – I died when I put my straw behind my ear in order to assist one of the dishwashers who then, of course, killed me.
We continued on the topic of spiritual warfare – looked at Acts 19, the story of the founding of the church in Ephesus – what a crazy story starring the Apostle Paul who is such a dangerous guy that even fellow believers thought he was too much. With this story in mind what the book of Ephesians has to say about spiritual warfare takes on a cool dimension.
Right now the gang is decorating for tomorrow’s theme, Christmas. We sent the kids off with a reading, complete with interpretive movements by the Activities gals, of the Night Before Christmas – now if they’ll all QUIETLY snuggle in bed, we’ll have it made.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Baseball Day
Saturday
Baseball day today! Pennants, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” performed by the staff at breakfast, hot dogs (from a jar!) for lunch – but on bakery buns and baseball in the afternoon. (If this makes no sense at all, I’m trying to write it before the evening meeting while sitting in the room while “Cotton-Eyed Joe (techno party version) is playing, along with kids line dancing, billiard balls clacking, another camper banging away on a different tune on the upright, ping pong and foosball. The there are the conversations held at a decibel level loud enough to compete with all of the above. It’s the golden hour between dinner and the evening meeting I which I’m supposed to get focused on what I’ll be sharing as Bible teacher. As you might get it’s not so easy to gain that focus but the good side to that is I have to leave it up to god to direct my thoughts and words. Tonight we speak of spiritual warfare in general terms – how we live in a dangerous world and have no ultimate choice except the ultimate choice to join God or His enemy. All else flows from that. I thought much about war as a metaphor for the Christian life as well as the fact of Christian life. It really helps you get things in perspective. Here are some things we looked at:
We live in a state of spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We live in enemy territory
1 John 5:19 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
We act as infiltrators
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
We can win because God has won.
1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
You are at war
War is by nature dangerous, confusing, frustrating, exhilarating, sometimes boring, sometimes too much at one time.
War is episodic – battles form and conclude, some are won, some are lost and all the while the war continues.
War has major conflicts and minor skirmishes.
War has casualties - dead, wounded, missing, captured.
War can be hard on family and friends who love the soldier but don’t understand the nature of the war. War tests the heart of the warrior.
War is so much bigger than the individual warrior. “The fog of war” describes the difficulty in making sense immediately of the mess you’re in.
Tomorrow we take the gang of 47 to church – and you thought it was tough getting your family out the door!
Baseball day today! Pennants, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” performed by the staff at breakfast, hot dogs (from a jar!) for lunch – but on bakery buns and baseball in the afternoon. (If this makes no sense at all, I’m trying to write it before the evening meeting while sitting in the room while “Cotton-Eyed Joe (techno party version) is playing, along with kids line dancing, billiard balls clacking, another camper banging away on a different tune on the upright, ping pong and foosball. The there are the conversations held at a decibel level loud enough to compete with all of the above. It’s the golden hour between dinner and the evening meeting I which I’m supposed to get focused on what I’ll be sharing as Bible teacher. As you might get it’s not so easy to gain that focus but the good side to that is I have to leave it up to god to direct my thoughts and words. Tonight we speak of spiritual warfare in general terms – how we live in a dangerous world and have no ultimate choice except the ultimate choice to join God or His enemy. All else flows from that. I thought much about war as a metaphor for the Christian life as well as the fact of Christian life. It really helps you get things in perspective. Here are some things we looked at:
We live in a state of spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We live in enemy territory
1 John 5:19 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
We act as infiltrators
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
We can win because God has won.
1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
You are at war
War is by nature dangerous, confusing, frustrating, exhilarating, sometimes boring, sometimes too much at one time.
War is episodic – battles form and conclude, some are won, some are lost and all the while the war continues.
War has major conflicts and minor skirmishes.
War has casualties - dead, wounded, missing, captured.
War can be hard on family and friends who love the soldier but don’t understand the nature of the war. War tests the heart of the warrior.
War is so much bigger than the individual warrior. “The fog of war” describes the difficulty in making sense immediately of the mess you’re in.
Tomorrow we take the gang of 47 to church – and you thought it was tough getting your family out the door!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Friday - first full day
Today has been a relatively quiet day. Overcast and cool which is actually perfect for the first full day of camp where everything happens indoors anyway and it’s way more comfortable than the 90Fº of the last few days running up to camp. All programs are now in place. The teachers had a successful first day, the counselors seemed to establish a good initial rapport with their kids and everybody else seems on the ball.
Tonight, after team cheers, signs, etc., we talk about Gideon. Gideon, the “Safe”, Gideon, the “Dangerous”, and Gideon, the “Reckless”. It will also serve as an entrance into the fact of the “unseen reality” that believers often have to deal in and with but sometimes forget is there.
Tonight, after team cheers, signs, etc., we talk about Gideon. Gideon, the “Safe”, Gideon, the “Dangerous”, and Gideon, the “Reckless”. It will also serve as an entrance into the fact of the “unseen reality” that believers often have to deal in and with but sometimes forget is there.
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