The Gift

What a gift I have been given!  When people who care about you give you their time and spend their money on something you care about, it is a gift.  So as friends from my church depart and other friends from Tennessee arrive, I am so thankful.  I am overwhelmed by their generosity.

Our group from EBC came and worked in several different areas. They got to experience the beauty and the peace of this amazing place.  They got to know the people who will be here for the long haul. And they left three fine young people to labor in the lives of our campers.

This week we did an "ice-breaker" activity with all the people here at camp.  We called it "Trip Down Memory Lane."  During this activity we told each other stories about our lives.  It was such a great time to get to know each other.  I learned lots of things that I didn't know about this group.  It was a way of connecting and communing.

One of the topics we had to choose from was to tell about the most adventurous/dangerous thing you had ever done.  Little did they know that several of them would embark on the event that may prove to fit that category perfectly.

Wednesday night the summer staff took off for a night in the "bush."  (The "bush" is what they call the wilderness in Canada.)  Tents were set up in a remote part of the lake, and they canoed out after supper to begin their adventure.  Doused with bug spray and with much more in tow, they left in high spirits.  They were accompanied by Johnny, an experienced outdoorsman, and he had several fun activities planned for them.  They had hoped to see the northern lights, but they did not appear. They did, however, see beavers, eagles and loons.  They saw an amazing sunset, and they woke in the morning to a delicious camp breakfast prepared by Tirzah.  It was a special time.

Mallory heads up her canoe, although it might be Tirzah calling the shots.

The guys are trying to keep pace with the girls.

Daneil and Brelyn

Emily and Megan

Just as I received the gift from the presence of friends from home, the summer staffers also received a gift.  They received an adventure to keep in their memory and in their hearts.

The staff has been thoroughly trained, and all are ready for campers on Monday. Friends from church should be safely home.  Jason Dildine and family arrived this evening and a group from Signal Mtn. arrives tomorrow.

An exciting week lies ahead.