Week 3: Healings, Hatings, Apologies and Miracles

Our 'Canyon session 2' assignment team!

 A healing! A leader came with a long struggle with endometriosis, and a desire to have a child. She had significant discomfort throughout the week. Our head leader, Gallo, from Sunnyside/Lower Valley area, asked if he could pray for healing for her. For the rest of camp, she felt relief, and two weeks later, we received a message from her back home that she has gotten back to 'regular' lady stuff and is experiencing a full healing. Glory to God!

One girl came, who's family insistent she go, and her anxiety level was visibly palpable from the very moment she set foot off the bus to a crowd of cheering work crew. She expected that God would be both expected and forced on her. Each time in club, Tanita's messages dispelled that, with her vulnerability, voicing doubts and cultural values she resonated with, and the invitational, non-forced approach for sharing Jesus' offer of life all week long. Such a joy to see her walls come down and receive!

Jim Stuck, Hans Liezen & Jeffrey at Creekside!

At Creekside our teammates Jeffrey, Hans, Jim, Claire, Gary, Kent W and WC kid, Max Hein, are leading mightily. At the end of the first camper (4 day) week, 120 kids stood up to say 'yes' to starting a relationship with Jesus. Being such a short week, with kids coming out of a year and a half of being stuck behind screens, and little visible cues throughout the week, jaws dropped and heaven celebrated! And 80 more the next week, with two more weeks to go!

Our experience in Mission-Community together. We had a clear mission, yet we leaned into how we do 'community' together with everyone amidst all our differences. It was healing. Focus on Jesus as the center of our selves and our community here, meaning, that we would go to Jesus first with our thoughts, feelings, conflicts and priority/purpose. And that we would be 'relationship people' where we move towards each other rather than move away from them. This is HARD and holy work for many of us where seeing understanding and being honest leads to fight or flight or freeze. This past year and a half has only ecxaserbated fear of reconciling and moving towards unity. Gosh it has been heard yet healing. As we kept sharing this value, some folks serving here noted "this would be a great value for my marriage too, not just leading together!

Last week I shared about 6 kids from Lake Oswego who I had to send home early due to repeat camp no-nos. Well, this week, I received three apologies from Lake Oswego kids via email. God is still at work in their lives, even after an early exit. Pray with me for the seeds to continue to spout and grow.

Janna was having a really hard day on the last week, and she struggled all evening, having an overwhelming feeling like she wanted to go home, was tired, drained and struggled feeling that she did not fit among the community of the work crew. She had been learning (after Gallo spoke) how to pray through sadness and and learn to lament and engage on this level with God. In prayer, God lifted up her sadness, negative feelings and God reminded her that he does belong here, with these people and for His purpose. She felt tangible relief after praying. Fast-forward to the next morning, the camp doctor's husband, Glenn Snyder, co-committee chair in Chelan Valley YL, went through Janna's breakfast serving line and he told her that he and his wife Dr Jenn felt led to pray for Janna late last night, and then her placed a reassuring hand on Janna's shoulder, looked her in the eye and said the same words God had reassured her with the night before, 'we are so glad you are here, you belong here,' and walked away, Janna said it confirmation of what was happening in her prayer time with God, and Glenn delivered it without even knowing the significance of the timing, exact words and reassurance. Wow. She was so elated to share how God worked in HER life.

We had 5 of our region's DFLs here at camp at the same time. DFLs are 'Developing Future Leaders.' Our next generation of staff we are investing in as a region. Jesenia (Jess) from Wenatchee. Kali from Yakima Valley. Rissto from Lower Yakima Valley. Norma from Tri-Cities. And Nikki Mack from Spokane. Tanya helps train them throughout the year in partnership with the area directors, and our goal is that at least half of them continue on year 3 to launch a new ministry or area and we continue to match funds to help make it possible for a smoother on-ramp into full time staff and new growth. What a blessing to have so many in one place!

Last week, a kid who identifies as one of the rarer letters on the LGBT+ spectrum, came to camp, and when I was given a heads up, I prayed that they would have an incredible experience, free from any foolish words, awkward looks, and any other distraction from hearing the good news of Jesus clearly.  At the end of the week, their trip leader confirmed that indeed, 'he' had the best week of his life in every way, with not a single hint of negativity. After a year of turmoil hard pressing against YL, this added weight to our intention to love EVERY kid and welcome all.

On day 3, one kid, Kiernan, told his leader after cabin time on night 2, 'I f-ing hate you!' The leader was doing his best with a challenging group of guys who were not taking cabin time seriously and were fiercely skeptical of everything at camp. Fast forward to two days later, Kiernan and the leader had a one-on-one time together, and the leader guided him to pray to receive Christ in his heart, and he showed up to the new believers walk. God still moves mountains! And somehow, his name ended up on the cross twice. Probably that poor leader wanted to make double sure, he must have written it the second time, where 'Kiernan' was spelled incorrectly.

As Tanita, our camp speaker, prayed early in the week for kids, the Lord gave her a name of a kid to pray for-Jacob. She Did not know who this was, but was led to pray for him, whoever he was. Carson, our head leader from Coeur d'Alene, walked up to Tanita and I sharing about an amazing conversation he had with a kid named Jacob. Tanita belted" JACOB??!!" Carson looked confused, he didn't know what God had prompted her with in prayer. Carson reported about how during Tanita's message describing sin, us turning our life away from God and trying to fill the emptiness with all kinds of things that do not satisfy, Jacob said that all this sounded exactly like his life and that it was a wake up call for him to look at his life in a new, fresh way.  

Ping Pong. As though anyone cares, or my pride needs an excuse to inflate itself, I left camp undefeated in ping pong. There was a best-of-five series where a few games were taken from me by Mason Keller our WC Coordinator. Yet, Mason, Etu our musician, Nick Harris from Gig Harbor, Stan the Man Price and a kid from Pendleton were all the worthiest of opponents.

During our time off between camps, we were blessed to have Eduardo Gallo and Jillian Debritz speak to all our team of 100 folks here. Gallo spoke on praying with both lament and authenticity, and Jillian spoke on wise ways to pray through anxiety, depression and whatever you're going through. Here's Jillian sharing: https://youtu.be/U6VPgUrD5Yk  

Pacific Islander kids loved Tanita and our musician, Etu Vala

A group of Pacific lslander kids and leaders came from Salem Oregon this week. From the moment club started with Etu Finau Vala masterfully leading songs from up front, they were so dialed into camp, with the rare experience of having 'one of us Islanders' represent them up front at something like this. After they all walked up on the last morning to place their name upon the cross, they asked Etu for a picture with all of them together, thanking him for being a big part of their impact here.

Dietrich was part of 'program' as a t-rex and 'demi-gorgon' during days 2 and 3 lunch walk-ons. He made sushi, musubi for staff parties, he hosted shows for the kids on the TV there, played a lot of ping-pong, rode bikes and loved being part of the community life at camp. This was our biggest prayer (other than kids meeting Jesus, of course!) and God came through big with Dietrich enjoying this whole time serving her. 

My YL leader, DAVE! And his daughters.

My 2 YL leaders when I was in high school was Joel and Dave. Dave came this past week with his wife Kris as an adult guest. So thankful we are still together. His daughters Hannah and Sarah served on Summer Staff and WC. Such a joy! 

Over 80 kids said "YES!" to Jesus this 3rd week. Leaders had each of these kids on their 'lists' all year long, some for longer. It was an absolute honor to have front row seats as servant-leaders for them to help the kids they brought to taste and see that the Lord is good. I am tired, as is the team I served alongside. Pray for them (pictured above,) and for the property team who welcomes in the next session today. Pray for kids returning home with leaders, that the seeds fall on good soil. And pray for the kids Tanya and I are each bringing to camp experiences in a few weeks. And our biggest (selfish) prayer request was that God would sustain Dietrich over these 3 weeks, where he often comes unraveled in these assignments. This prayer was anxswered beyond our wildest imaginations! Thanks!