WI-NE-MA

After a year of preparation for WI-NE-MA, 2nd Junior camp was finally upon us. We spent June 21-27 at the beach with 99, 4th-6th grade, campers and had around 60 teens & adults on staff.

Erik & I directed. Curtis worked in the kitchen. Sadie and our niece, Emmalie, were campers. My parents were a part of the "CARE Patrol" and just loved on kids all week. Erik's mom was a "Cabin Mom" (Sadie and Emmalie were in her cabin).

We could see God working all week. The weather was cooperative; we only had two days of a little drizzle in the morning. We had an awesome staff. Kids that needed a little extra love and attention were paired up with the perfect cabin parents (totally a God thing because I had no idea who some of the cabin parents were). It was especially amazing to see one of our teens working with an autistic boy. To top the week off, there were 25 decisions to follow God, and 8 campers, 1 teen and 1 dad of a camper were baptized. Sadie was one of those 8 campers! A few weeks ago she had decided she was ready to be baptized and wanted to wait to do it at camp.

The camp theme was "Highway 3:16". Everything this week was associated with a road theme. Cabin parents were "Deputies", the teen helpers in the cabins were "Jr. Deputies". Teams of campers were, "Long Haulers", "Hot Rods", "Road Crew" & "Hitchhikers". The camp was decorated with road signs and the bon fire speakers all spoke about "Stories from the road".

Some highlights were: The kids got to design, paint and race pine wood derby. There was a talent show. We had a spa night where the girls watched a "chick flick", had their nails painted, hair braided and got shoulder massages. The bonfires were huge! There was a sand castle contest. The hike up to the crosses ended with 99 campers shouting out sentence prayers (one right after the other and sometimes over each other) of why they were thankful for Jesus. It was a truly amazing experience... gives you goose bumps.

Spa night.

Sadie's cabin lining up for breakfast.

Erik, his bull horn and Sadie

The campers were not the only ones having fun... Erik enjoyed catching Skittles in his mouth that the campers rolled down the big slide.

Sadie and her cabin attempting a pyramid. This was part of a scavenger hunt.

Sadie and Grandma B. on the lake.

At the end of the week, we were exhausted but we had a blast. 24 hours after camp and we are already looking forward to what God has in store for camp next year.