Investing in Children!

Wow! If you've never spent a week working at Children's Camp, you've missed a blessing! I was asked to spend the week as Camp Photographer and ended up taking over 1,600 photos.

The first camp was comprised of 1st thru 3rd graders and the second camp, 4th - 6th grades.

All the campers arrived with suitcases full of clean, freshly folded clothes. Most remembered to bring things like bedding and towels. They also brought a lot of energy and excitement. It was so exciting to watch them as they came in the dorms and tried to see if they could find an upper bunk. For some reason, they liked the upper bunks! When you're my age, the lower bunk in more friendly and safe!

Some of these campers live from year to year to go to camp. They love being with other children from the district and participating in all the fun games and activities.

The major reason that some of these children love coming to camp is to escape the reality of everyday life at home. My heart broke because of the history behind some of these children.

There were two little girls in my dorm who are being raised by their grandparents. When the youngest was just a few months old and the older girl was less than 2, their grandfather went to check on them and found that they'd been left alone for at least 12 hours. Their parents had been doing drugs and left the babies alone. The grandfather took them home with him and 3 days later, the mother showed up wanting her babies. When the grandfather would not give them to her, she called the police who came and got the girls. To make a long story short, the girls were given to the grandparents. Since then the mother has died and they are required to have visitation with their father. These little girls are very hyper and out of control. There were more stories similar to this, where the children's lives had been greatly affected because the parents either drank or did drugs. My heart breaks for these children.

I pray that the few days the children were at camp will make a difference in their lives. I pray that they will know that God loves them and has a special plan for their lives. I pray that they'll learn that they don't have to go down the same path their parents have chosen. They can be different and live a Christian life.

This was Rachel's last year as a Children's Camper because of her age. Next year she will go to Teen Camp. I will continue to work at Children's Camp.

Beth