Sunday, July 15, Portland, Maine

This is the third year we have partnered with Christ the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Portland, Maine. On Sunday morning we joined them for worship in the gym of the Breakwater Elementary School. As one of our team members pointed out, it felt a lot like home because our worship services are so similar.

The gym then became the lunchroom and meeting room. Dan Edwards walked the team--made up of Cov Pres members and CTR members--through the week.

Our schedule for the week. There is so much going on, it's a little like looking at something sideways!

We spent the afternoon visiting the school where we will hold camp, unpacking supplies, and making last-minute shopping runs before dinner. All of the kids ate together.

All of the adults ate together.

Church of the Redeemer, Manchester, New Hampshire

This was the first year that Cov Pres has partnered with Church of the Redeemer in Manchester, New Hampshire. Church of the Redeemer is the largest PCA church in the state. They are in the final stages of purchasing their first building ever. These wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ are doing amazing things in their city, despite the fact that the congregation is small and their resources are limited. They are a shining light in their city. It was a great privilege for us to partner with them and begin a relationship that we hope will last a very long time. Please continue to pray for this church, Pastor Jon Taylor and his family, and the children and families that came to Explorer Camp.

Manchester Explorer Camp--And a Young Child Shall Lead Them

Our daughter, Bradford, was a leader for the younger girls in the Manchester Explorer Camp. She befriended a lively, handful of energy, Elizabeth, who was 8 years old. Like many of the children in New Hampshire, Elizabeth comes from a tough family situation. One day toward the end of the week, Bradford took Elizabeth to the bathroom (the Port-a-Potty!) and started asking Elizabeth questions about church. Elizabeth told Bradford that they do not go to church. The conversation continued and ended with Bradford asking Elizabeth if she would like to pray to receive Christ into her heart as her Lord. Elizabeth said, "Yes." Bradford prayed with Elizabeth, with Elizabeth repeating the prayer after Bradford. Elizabeth asked Christ into her heart! You just never know where someone might pray to receive Christ! We will continue to pray that this seed will be watered and grow in Elizabeth's young heart.--Monica Stewart

July 13, Last Day of Manchester Explorer Camp, Early in the Morning!

For a couple of us, this is where the last day of camp began--very early in the morning.

Sean Doyle awoke to an inflamed appendix and soon found himself in the hospital ER. Smiling, after a good painkiller.

Pastor Jon Taylor came to check on Sean in the Emergency Room. Even though we were far from home, God provided exactly what was needed when it was needed. Jon was physically present with us, but the phone calls and texts and prayers offered by friends back in Birmingham totally surrounded us.

We are grateful to Dr. Lu, the surgeon who removed Sean's appendix.

Instead of enjoying the last day of camp, after surgery, Sean got to enjoy some more painkillers and a room with a view.

The view of Manchester from Sean's room.

After a minor detour through The Elliot Hospital, we can now highly recommend its staff and services. They were awesome!

The required ride out. Happier minus one appendix.

Good-bye!

July 12, Thursday Evening, Family FUN Night!

On Thursday evening we partnered with Church of the Redeemer in a family fun night for the campers, their families, and members of Church of the Redeemer. CTR members hosted the families and spent time getting to know them while we set up samples of the activities we had been doing during camp and set up dinner. We were not allowed to cook in Derryfield Park so we had a local sub shop "cook" dinner for us. The evening was a great success. Lots of connections were made and relationships furthered. The children sang some of the songs they had learned during the week and the gospel was shared. What fun it was to look across the hillside and see children running, laughing, playing; see families eating dinner on blankets spread around the pavilion; and to meet new friends! Each family went home with a copy of Dan's Juli-with-an-i storybook, a child's version of the Bible stories they had heard, and a Bible. It was a joy and privilege to partner with CTR to host this event!

Thursday, July 12, Day Four of Manchester Explorer Camp

Every day begins with the little things like loading all of the gear needed for the day and filling coolers full of ice to keep drinks and lunches cold.

Monica Stewart led the younger girls in making foil pictures depicting some of "the things God made."

 The children heard lessons each day from 1 Timothy 4:12. The girls wrote the Bible reference on the back of their foil art. Monica used the opportunity to show the girls where to find it in the Bible and allowed them to read it there.

Burney Johnson told the Christmas story and enlisted the help of some "sheep."

Burney and more of his Christmas story "actors."

Dan and Koyla Edwards and their group of young boys showing off their muscles!

Leslie Edwards taught the girls how to read a compass and then let them practice before they hit the orienteering course.

The older boys learn gun safety with some target practice.

They learned the proper way to hold a gun.

And not to be outdone by the boys, the girls got their own gun safety lesson.

They got to keep their targets as evidence of their skills.


 

Hitching a ride back from orienteering.

Dan teaches water investigation.

Water microscopes are used to look closely at the "creatures" found in the pond.

Gotcha!!!

Wednesday, July 11, Wet Day!!

This day was called Wet Day! After the singing and Bible story, Burney Johnson and Dan Edwards, along with helpers, led the kids in many games. We broke for lunch and covey groups. While these camp activities were happening, others were filling water balloons, setting up kiddie pools for water kick ball and slip-n-slides, to, well, slip and slide!

Then the craziness, fun, and a whole lot of laughter began. Pictures tell most of the story. 400 water balloons were thrown and burst within three minutes. When out of ammunition, Dan and Roger Johnson resorted to picking up a kiddie pool with the sole purpose of getting Sam, one of the campers, wet. They almost got him.

Dan says that he has two goals to accomplish when working with kids--1. Plant the seeds of the gospel of Christ, and 2. Have FUN! Both were accomplished on this day!

When camp was over in the afternoon, our team, along with several kids and Pastor Jon Taylor, drove up into the White Mountains through Concord (I found out that the correct pronunciation of this town is CON-cerd, slurring the last syllable). We enjoyed walking and seeing the beautiful sites of this area. We ended the afternoon trip eating pizza just off Lake Winnipasaukee.--Leslie Edwards