370 campers have come and gone...Hard to believe the summer is halfway over! But praise God for off week, a time to rest, relax, and get filled back up for second half. Week 4 was the best by far, as we had 98 elementary kids and many more discipline problems than the previous weeks. Like Chris said on Saturday morning, it's the tough weeks that make it all worthwhile because the "good" kids could go to any other camp and do equally as well. It's the tough kids who would be kicked out the first day from other places that are able to find refuge at Camp of the Hills, and that's why we do what we do. That's what makes every moment, good or bad, worthwhile.
A friend asked me the other day what my favorite part was about COTH. It's the little moments, the meals you share with campers amazed to have so much food in front of them, the soccer game last Friday when everyone played so hard, watching faces light up at being able to fish and canoe for the first time, random hysterical comments that only a child could come up with, cardtricks and oragami for the weekly talent show, the times when campers open up to you and share their home lives, the time you look across the group at worship to find the child you least expected singing his heart out.
This last week I had a camper in my cabin named Ayisha, whom we called NaNa all week as her twin sister across the breezeway was named Aysha. NaNa was the typical 8 year old with a lot of energy and a little bit of whine mixed in. But she amazed me every day in Bible Study time at her knowledge of Bible stories and concepts well beyond her years. Thursday night after crucifixion as we discussed the events of the last hour, she continued to impress me as she related the entire story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection. And though the very next minute she merely wanted to know if "Jesus had bones," I was reminded of the innocence of these children, of what a huge opportunity and task we have been given in teaching them.
More stories to come, but for now it's off to Canyon for a few days to see the family. Blessings~
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