Monday, July 15, 2013

Youth Camp 2013 Friday


Day 5 – Make it Last

The last full day started with a little extra sugar boost for breakfast.  Not that Coco Puffs are short on calories but the cinnamon rolls really hit the spot on top of eggs and potatoes.  We discovered that chiggers are the official bugs of the Rocksprings metro area and they have an itch that demands a scratch (see the pics).   Morning rec for the high school team was the Super Swing.  This particular incarnation of the 3-man giant swing was people powered.  The entire team got the chance to participate in each ride and once again observe physics in action.  A large drum roller in the top of the tower was rotated by the kids, similar to oxen in a grist meal (without the grain pouches), to raise the swing to the launch position.  After release and requisite screams by the riders, gravity worked its magic and the trio became a giant pendulum.

On the backside of an awesome lunch, the high schoolers play Bassball  - a water game in which points are scored by knocking a small soccer ball off of an elevated tee.  It more resembled a water based version of dog pile than baseball and extracted every ounce of spare energy out of the participants.  The last rec for the day for this group was a long hike to the bluffs for rappelling. Most of the team members were able to overcome their fear of the rope breaking, losing their grip or having the entire rock face of the cliff fall into the Nueces River and proceeded to jump (well - slow walk) their way down the face of the 85 ft. drop.

The middle school team rappelled in the morning.  Once again, almost all of the students took the plunge and jumped down the mountain under the watchful eyes of the Camp Eagle staff.  After lunch this crew took a break for Bible study in the coffee shop before ending the rec time with a group kayak time below the spillway.

Lessons for Friday centered around the life and times of Joseph in Genesis 39-45.  They explored the trials Joseph endured for the sake of others.  They saw how his faithfulness through many highs and lows was instrumental in saving his family and nation from starvation.  Our life is also marked with this rollercoaster pattern and we are called to be faithful.  Students were challenged to examine their walk with Christ in light of Joseph’s example.  In the 10 ft for 10 minutes morning session, they focused on the one thing that God is leading them to do when they get back to family, friends and the “real world”. Their challenge verse was I Corthinians 10:31 “… do all to the glory of God.”

In the first evening service, Micah presented Paul’s direction to the Galatians (5:1) to avoid becoming entangled with the world and take what they experienced at camp and keep the fire burning.  Following a meal in the former Garden of Eden consisting of various staples of fried cuisine, chocolate cookies and ice cream, the kids had a 20 ft - 20 minute session to explore God’s specific near term direction for their life.  They shared these messages from God in the group debrief on the tennis court.  To a person they agreed to be accountable to the group for the decisions and commitments made at camp.

The final event was a time of praise and worship (full Psalms style) in the Pavilion after which (most of) the students headed to their cabins to go through piles of clothes and packing for the return tomorrow.

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