We’re half way through our week of Summer Scorcher, and the good times just keep on rolling.
Yesterday we had our annual Beach Party, which is always a popular highlight for the kids. But before we could do that, there were still things to do throughout the day which started with Morning Watch.
God has been putting many things on the hearts of these campers, so Morning Watch has been particularly powerful, since it allows the kids to feel more comfortable in a smaller more intimate setting. We are so thankful for this time, and God’s creation here always tends to be even more incredible in the morning.
Wednesday was also the first day the campers participated in Discovery, which consists of team building activities that illustrate God’s truths. They’re usually really fun, but some of them are quite complicated. Take this picture for example, where the cabin had to get this inner-tube onto the teatherball pole – without the tube touching the pole. Thankfully some of these kids are pretty good climbers.
One of the girls cabins decided the best way to build trust would naturally be to do some trust falls. Judging by how everyone seems to be getting along this week, I think this was a pretty good idea.
After Discovery, it was once again time for their skill activities. The weather yesterday called for thunderstorms, but for almost the entire afternoon the camp stayed hot and dry, which meant this guy was able to score a respectable 22 in his archery skill. That’s a well deserved thumbs up.
There was thunder during Swim, Boat, Tuck time so the kids couldn’t go in the water, however, during their skill time some of the campers were able to take a soak in Red Rock Lake. Check out the excellent form on this dive.
Even though we couldn’t swim during Swim, Boat, Tuck, there were still plenty of things to do. For example, I’ve learned that kids of all ages like candy. Tuck is candy. And when you put candy in front of them, they will eat it. And they will enjoy themselves. So really, whenever we’re in a pinch here at Red Rock Bible Camp, we pull out the candy. Rocket science.
The sports tournaments continued as scheduled as well, as both the basketball and volleyball tournaments are heatings up. Today was the last day of the round robin, and on Friday we will have the final round to see who will be the ultimate sports team. I’m telling you, things get crazy at Summer Scorcher camp.
The strangest part about this picture is that the first thing I noticed was the Styrofoam cups on the ground and picnic table in the blurred background. Come on guys, lets throw those things out… I really need to retire.
Anyways, after Swim, Boat, Tuck time was over, the kids had some rest during FOB (Feet on Bed) and then went back to participate in their final skills of the day. The sports skill made the best of this time, as a lot of the kids were simply practicing for the slam dunk competition that would happen later that evening at the Beach Party.
(Important note: This guy actually made this dunk flawlessly on his first try in the competition, he received a perfect score from our judges)
In the evening, we had our Big Brother, Big Sister time, and then got together in the Chapel to praise God and learn more about Him. We welcomed a new worship team made up of mostly people from The Meeting Place church, which was lead by TMP’s Worship Pastor, Jamie Niven. Jamie and his band are all blessed with an amazing gift to lead people in worship, and it was incredibly powerful to see God’s name be lifted high throughout the congregation.
Matt also delivered a powerful sermon convicting us about leaving God out of parts of our lives, and how damaging a life without Jesus is. The hope of the message came in Chapel this morning, but many campers felt God convict them of things last night, and God was certainly moulding the hearts of these campers. We always give campers the opportunity to stay and chat with their counsellors after Chapel, and we had almost half of the campers do that last night, which is so awesome to see. Please pray for that continued growth, and that the campers will allow God to meet with them wherever they are at in their lives.
After a very emotional Chapel, it was time to transition into the beach party, which ended up being such a great time. We got a scare as it started to rain on us at the beginning of it, but the campers persevered and continued to have fun regardless.
The beach party looked great, as we had tiki torches set up everywhere, and brought all the picnic tables down to the water to enjoy the beautiful scenery that our waterfront has to offer. And just like Tuesday’s concert, the campers felt the need to all get dressed up. Unfortunately for the families of the campers who have Daniel and Scott as counsellors, it appears that their weirdness has rubbed off on some of your children a little bit. For that we’re truly sorry.
Since everyone was all dressed up and looking sweet, we had a photo booth set up inside the lodge where campers could come in with their friends and take pictures to help them remember the awesome night. The campers will be able to get their hands on these pictures in a few days, as we’ll have them all posted on our Facebook page. The only trick is, you need to “like” us first! So if you haven’t done that already, you’re definitely going to want to take the plunge.
We are so thankful for the kitchen staff who worked way overtime to make this beach party the success that it was. They cooked up chicken wings, jalapeño poppers, mozzarella sticks, and other tasty treats to satisfy their hunger needs. They’ve been so amazing this week, and it’s been such a blessing.
After we ate as much food as physically possible, it was time for the main event: the slam dunk competition. There are no words to describe how crazy the dunk competition was. Some of these kids have serious skills, and the dunks that they pulled off had the crowd of over 100 people going absolutely bananas. It honestly felt like you were at a professional dunk competition with the crowd, the lights, and the judges table. The kids went all out, and everyone who competed put on an amazing show. It was a fantastic night.
God has really been at work this week. Please be in prayer for tonight, as we have a retreat of silence and a worship night in line for this evening. There is a lot of potential for growth in both of these events, and prayer will be vital for that growth to happen. If these first three days are any indication of the amazing plans God has for these campers, I cannot wait for what He has in store for them next.
