Summer's end

August 24, 2013

Together with family in July

 We did get to spend some great time with our kids and grandkids early in the summer.  As you may have seen in our last post we then returned to Germany for English Camps.  These camps are so great wherever they are held.  North American and national staff members meet with their campers and wonderful community is achieved while lives are changed - and some English gets taught as well.

 One of the cool things at this year's camp was that two of our (any previous staff that has served with us check it out) former campers served as Group Leaders for our camp this year!

Above the whole Camp, below our three English class groups

   After camps were over and we took care of many a post camp detail we did get away for a time to
Austria (four hours by car) and rented a small vacation apartment for a week.  Our goal was to rest after an exhausting even weeks.  Hiking and reading were pretty much the agenda.

First day's hike

High meadow

Morning bun service!

Second big hike

My health continues to be great - the hiking and my repeated medical evaluations underscore this.  We're both back into our work with both feet as Diane continues to direct language initiatives for TeachBeyond worldwide and I prep for another year's teaching.

God is good!

Camp almost done

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It is the last full day of our English Camp here in Kandern.  Our staff of 16 has hosted our 32 campers for a week now and tomorrow the campers depart leaving another day for up to pack up, clean up and debrief.  Most of us (code phrase for all of us) are pretty tired.  Check out the schedule below and multiply it by 7 straight days with minor variations and imagine yourself doing it.

7:30                Staff Devotions

8:00                Campers Up

8:15                Breakfast (it’s noisy!)

8:45                Clean Up (all the kids have chores)

9:15-45          Quiet Time

10-12:00        Morning English Class

12-12:30        Free Time

12:30              Lunch (it’s noisy!)

1 – 2:00          Clean Up/Free

2-3:00                        Afternoon English Class

3:00                Snack

3:15-5:00       Activity (we’ve had a record heat spell here!)

5-6:00                        Free

6:00                Supper (it’s noisy!)

6:30-8:00       Free

  (7-7:45)       Staff Mtg.

8-9:30                        Etwas Mehr  (this is the evening praise and Bible teaching time)

9:30                Snack

9:45- 10:15   Room Time (where small group leaders host their groups)

10:15              To Rooms

10:45              Lights Out

11:00              Quiet!

Yeah, we’re tired but on the other hand:

We’ve achieved community – if you’ve ever been involved in this sort of thing you know what I mean.

We’ve learned why the (thankfully few) difficult campers are that way and can better understand and reach out to them and they have made great progress.

The gospel has been proclaimed and kids who already have a relationship of faith have been challenged to grow in their reflection of God (see 2 Corinthians 3:18)

We have a final night to bless and be blessed.

We’re tired – but it’s a “good tired”.  There’s just nothing else like English Camp!

Photo Scavenger Hunt shots:

 Making the no stopping sign at the no stopping sign

 Spelling BLUE for the Blue Team

The Director owning a round of "Honey I Love you"