Summer 2010 - Weeks One and Two

Well, I haven't gotten around to writing about what's actually been happening this summer at camp yet. I had actually forgotten that I had planned to do so. I'm going to have to start with PreCamp and slowly work my way through to tomorrow to catch you up on three weeks' worth of stuff.

Precamp started on the second of July, a Friday, in the middle of the afternoon. We had no nurse for the first week and were still "short" on male cabin leaders but we had all our other staff here ready to begin their training. In fact, just a few days before, we had only one male cabin leader and one potential maintenance turned cabin leader. Then were blessed with not one, but two male cabin leaders, one who only found out he was coming 24 hours before precamp started.

During the week, we were praying daily for the nurses and male cabin leaders we needed and God provided. We still had no nurse for the first week, but Aunt Sid was able to step in with Siren helping her on Sunday afternoon at registration. Partway through the week, LarryBoy told us that we might be getting another male cabin leader, but he wouldn't tell us who it was, so that night we prayed that "Agent X" would be able to join our team. The next day, "Agent X" arrived in the form of one of our previous staff, Mustang. Though he has another job that takes up some of his time, he is able to join us for most of the week and we are very blessed to have him. Precamp was a really great week, though very hot and while not physically tiring, it did sap a whole lot of energy.

Week One was a week of learning for a lot of the staff. We have had quite a large turnover of staff from last year and so many of them had never actually experienced being a staff member during a week of camp. We had an especially difficult challenge with one camper who had to be sent home. Everyone was very disappointed that the camper wasn't able to make it through the week, but the situation got to the point that it was a detriment to all the other campers to keep the one at camp. We made it through the first week and we had great health and safety. Aunt Sid did a great job doing quite a number of jobs during week one. Not only was she the nurse, but she also has to be the Food Services Coordinator and the Registrar. She also taught two classes of scrapbooking. Please pray for Aunt Sid as the summer goes on. She injured herself in April of this year and her right knee is in very bad shape. She seems to be doing really well right now, but we need to continue to cover her in prayer and ask for healing.

Week Two has been a wonderful week. The challenge this week has been homesickness. Last week we had a one or two, but this week there were many. One of them got to the point where they left and though we made the family aware that they could continue as a day camper, they chose not to come back to camp. Another one of the campers DID become a day camper, but all the other campers, though they were homesick, managed to make it through the entire week.

Week Two was also the LTP(Leadership Training Program) week and we had six LTPs this year. They are all previous campers and they have done an excellent job in their program. Mushroom is really pleased and we are excited and hoping to see them again next summer as staff.

Please continue to pray for us here at Mill Stream. Next week is Safari week and we will be having fun in the grasslands of Africa!

Preparing for Summer 2010 Part 2

Well, we're in full swing with preparations for summer camp. We had the Little Britain Community Baptist Church here on the 13th for their annual church picnic and though the day started out looking a little grey, it turned into a beautiful sunny day and they even braved the pool. Speaking of the pool, it wasn't filling up properly and Larry noticed that when he turned the pump on, there was a specific place that started to get soggy and fill with water, so he got the volunteers digging and they spent all day Monday looking for the leak. We had hoped that it would be right at the edge of the deck and easily fixed so they began their digging right there. Unfortunately, the leak was elsewhere, though they were able to discern which direction to start looking. They had to cut some holes in the pool deck and dig down the six inches to the pipes and determine whether the soil was getting more wet. In the end, three holes were dug and they are pretty sure that they have managed to find the source of the leak and temporarily fix it. This is a project that Larry would like to get done and so he has set up a fund for the pool. It really needs to be completely redone and he estimates that it will cost around $35000 to redo it.

Next week we have a Christian school group coming in for the week. It is a grade eight class and we will be serving their meals and keeping the bathrooms clean for them. Alison and I are still putting the finishing touches on the program for the summer and could use a lot of prayer. We're really excited about the things that we have planned and can hardly wait to get started.

The volunteers are almost finished for the season. They've done so much this winter, redoing the lodge and updating the campfire and motel and many other smaller jobs. The camp looks better and better every year and I would strongly suggest, if you have a chance, you should come and take a look at some point.

Please keep praying for cabin leaders, nurses, and Bible teachers for the summer! Also, check out the spring newsletter:

To view the newsletter online in pdf format click http://www.millstream.ws/newsletters/spring2010letter.pdf

To view the newsletter in an online web page click

http://www.millstream.ws/newsletters/spring2010pg1.html

Preparing for Summer 2010 Part 1

Well, I finished my second year of university in April of 2010 and had a wonderful week where I had no duties to perform or places to be. At the end of that week I had a three week practicum in my old high school, working as a helpful observer in a few classes. After that practicum was over, I then moved out to camp, Mill Stream Bible Camp, where I am going to be working for the summer. During the month of July and all but two weeks of August, I will be working as the Program Co-ordinator for the Mill Stream camps. I will also be here during the other two weeks of August, working as support staff for Handi*Camp, a camp also run by BCM(Bible Centered Ministries, the mission Mill Stream is with), and also for a rental camp at the end of the month of August.

Last year I worked at Mill Stream as the Activities Co-ordinator, basically the assistant to the person in the position I am now in. I am looking forward to the summer, but as I'm sure many of you can imagine, I am also a little fearful of what is going to be happening this summer. As the co-ordinator of program activities, I have to make sure that program runs smoothly and the campers have lots of fun and help the staff to maintain a positive, God-honouring environment. I'm so excited to be working with Larry and Cindy to build into children's lives and build up young people in the Lord. I have benefited from working at the camp for so long and being built up under strong Christian role models.

Please pray for the campers and staff as they prepare to come this summer. We still need male and female counsellors, an ORCKA instructor, Bible teachers and nurses. Just today we received the application for our head lifeguard for the summer! God answers prayer.