The theme for camp this week is justice, or "Just for Life," as our sweet blue T-shirts say. It's good stuff: parables about God's amazing generosity and forgiveness. But's it's also a bit abstract, I think, for some of these third-graders. Ah well, at least if they know that God loves them no matter what, it's a good start.
Camp is going well, I think, now that we're three days in and into a routine. I work with the Koinonia (jr high) side of camp, so here's typical day:
Breakfast
All-camp morning worship (which I'm leading now, since Pr Martin left)
Bible study (also me)
Environmental game/teaching (Erik Johnson, sometimes me)
Lunch
Quiet time (with cabins)
Free time (Kids rotate between crafts, gym, waterfront, camp store)
Dinner
Staff Meeting
Small group time and journaling (which is torture for some boys)
Games
Campfire (let by older counselors, pastor gets to pontificate some)
So here are some cool things about camp: watching high school kids lead small group Bible conversations (way to go Drop in Center guys!), hearing kids sing Bible songs really LOUD, seeing how proud kids are when they pass their swimming test (burr, cold water!) and watching friendships form.
My favorite moment yesterday was when I was sitting at lunch by myself (the adult table was full) and two little boys and one counselor (Thanks Nick!!) came to sit with me. It was pretty precious.
Yesterday's curriculum was about the parable of the workers in the vineyard...how the wealthy landowner paid those who labored all day the same wage as those who came to work late in the day. It's not fair, was the theme. Which I thought was appropriate, because this is so common for kids to say...and adults too. Someone (an adult) commented that this is a very Western way of being...we worry about fairness. I wonder if that's true? Anyway, who knows how much these kids get out of these things, but I guess we just lay these things on their hearts and someday, when they break, maybe the Word will gently seep inside.
1 comment:
actually, this is a comment re: "Central's kids"...How does a kid get annointed with the title "Central Kid" anyway. Baptism at Central's font couldn't qualify; how much they participate obviously isn't a factor; the amount of $$ or time donated by a parent might get someone in; perhaps cultural heritage counts. So, who is in and who is out? A Pastor once wisely pointed out that we don't have legacy rights to a congregation. We would be smart to think and speak the way a good foster parent would of the kids who are in their care: these kids are mine, THESE are our family. (btw:thanks for doing camp:) Pam Tesche
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