Author: Rachel Rogers

Every day at chapel we have a missions moment where one of our staff members tell the kids about mission they’ve been a part of and how missions have impacted their lives. This morning Briana McCullough was talking about third and fifth world countries and explaining to the kids what it meant to live in these places. When she was finished the kids were dismissed to the dining hall to go work with a project called Stop Hunger Now.

As we walked in we were all given hair nets and sat down to hear about the mission we were going to work with. Stop Hunger Now uses groups of people who are willing to put together bags of food and send off. In each bag is a flavor packet, soy, dried vegetables, and rice, the bag is then weighed and sealed and once the bag is sealed it’s good for 2 years. We had stations set up in the west side of the dining hall and together the kids and staff learned the proper way to put together the bags. Side by side, everyone worked together to reach our goal of 6,000 meals. Every bag holds 6 meals and at the rate we were moving it was obvious it wasn’t going to take too long. Every time we finished seven or eight hundred meals someone would bang a gong and we would all celebrate. In just about an hour an announcement was made and we had reached our goal. Actually we went over our goal by 24 meals. The entire scene was fun, music was playing, people were dancing, bags were flying through the air, and it was something I would love to be a part of again.

It was really awesome to see the kids be such a big part of this mission and it was a great way to show them they can participate in missions without ever going anywhere. Everybody was so into and having so much it didn’t even seem like serving, but it’s a great impression of serving to leave on everyone. Tonight at service we’re going to show a lot of the pictures and some video taken today and I’d like to invite you out to camp to watch it all with us. Join the joyful environment impacted today and see the pride the kids have in the work they did. It’s been over for almost 2 hours and I’m still excited, so please join us and revel in our excitement or even get involved if you can in some way.

Continue reading “Junior Camp Photos – Sunday & Monday” →

This is my first time back at Junior Camp since I was a junior camper so I wasn’t too sure what to expect. We have about 35-40 campers and an awesome staff to go along with them. I walked in the tabernacle last night and was like a little kid in a candy shop, there are “construction” signs and tools everywhere. Walking into the Tabernacle is like walking into a work zone for your life. Even the schedule this week has been overhauled and I’m excited to see how this will play out.

By the time night rolls around the kids are all tired and checking out or falling asleep in service so we’re trying something different. We’re going to keep the night service a little lighter and give the kids the big message in the morning when they’d normally be in class. Even the staff is more awake and ready to listen in the mornings, at least I am. So far it’s even easier to get the kids more pumped up for worship and ready to listen in the morning than it is after dinner. I’m actually sitting in the back of the Tabernacle now watching the kids and they are so attentive and involved, ready and willing to speak out, soaking up every word Scott is saying.

We have these kids at such a young age that generally speaking not much has happened in their lives yet but we can still give them a spiritual makeover. I can’t wait to watch God work this week and write about it. Even though I love Teen Camp, there is nothing cooler to me than watching God work and change little kids. It’s almost as if they have no reservations and are so unsure that they can give everything and be touched so deeply.