A Note to Our Blog Followers

We are all on our way home as of today. However, there is still much to show and tell from these two weeks. Blogging has been more of a daily struggle than I would have ever imagined. I have spent the last two hours in the airport trying to update this blog--to no avail! I want you to know so much more, but am about to board the plane. Will you please check back? I promise you will be encouraged by all that is to come. Until then!

Day Two, July 17, Portland

Each morning begins with songs and a Bible story. This picture shows the enactment of today's story. Can you guess and name the story? The parting of the Red Sea!

Each child is assigned to a "covey" group led by a Cov Pres counselor. Meet Kate's group!

These are the oldest girls at camp this week. Many of them are here for the third year in a row. They are old friends.

A Note from Sarah

Today was an awesome first day of camp in Portland! We had 106 campers, which is the most campers CTR has ever had for any camp they have ever had. I am leading a group of seventh grade girls, and I really enjoyed meeting them all. The girls come from different situations, but most of them do attend church. I was nervous at first about answering hard questions that the girls had, but when we were having our team meeting Sunday night, Mr. Doyle referenced a verse from 1 Timothy that talks about God giving us the exact words we need when we need them and encourages us to not worry about the words we will say before we say them. I realized that I needed to completely trust God to give me the exact words the girls needed to hear. 

During camp today, the girls did ask a couple of questions that forced me to completely rely on God’s guidance when answering. One girl asked, “Is there any way that someone can be a Christian and then not be a Christian later?” I later asked Emily Lassiter to help know how to answer her. 

I was so encouraged by the girls’ willingness to ask me questions and amazed by God’s overwhelming comfort and peace that He provided me. I am so thankful for our opportunity to serve in Portland. I am already seeing that this camp is not only about us ministering to the kids, but also the kids ministering to us.--Sarah Mince 

Day One, July 16, Explorer Camp in Portland, Part Two

Small groups happened all over the school campus. We had 107 campers today!!! More than CTR has ever had attend ANYTHING!

Simon Yendle leads the older boys in a daily Bible study.

Hayden Yendle's group found a few minutes of free time under a shade tree to make friendship bracelets.

Catherine Luke and two of her girls found the porch to be a nice place for a small group discussion.

Simon Yendle and Joe Lassiter are leading the Built for a Purpose portion of camp for the older boys. They are teaching some basic building skills. The pile of blocks on the far right will end up being birdhouses.

Sanding blocks for a Jacob's Ladder.

Simon could be heard yelling, "Where are the only two places you should put the green paint? Your brush and your block." When asked if the boys followed the directions, he said, "I regret to report that they did not." Joe Lassiter has green paint on his boots to prove it.

Sanding intently.

Inside, the older girls were sewing bags.

Ashley Mince taught the girls how to correctly pin fabric.

Miss Tammy is a CTR member and has helped with sewing at this camp for two years in a row! We love Miss Tammy!

Focused.

While some girls sewed, others learned some cooking skills by learning to mix together Ingram's Famous Chicken Salad.

The best part? They got to take some home!

Yum!

This is the ironing station for the sewing class.

Emily Lassiter made sure no one left with scorched fabric or burned fingers.

Younger girls were outside finishing their journals and pens. Many of them cornered Dan Edwards and got him to list again what God created on each day and then wrote that list in their journals.

A bouquet of pens.

And girls!

Sissy Flynn cleaned up with a smile!

Colorful journals waiting to go home with their makers.

Marshall Acken from Cov Pres is our youngest camper!

Parents lined up to check out their campers.

As long as Dan has some bandanas, he can create a game.

After a long day at camp, many of the team members attended a baseball game to see the Portland Seadogs play. They got creamed!! But we still had fun.

The "girl" bench.

The other "girl" bench.

Emily and Joe Lassiter, minus their daughter, Mary Jane, who found the older girl bench to be more fun!

Dan was sitting in the right seat at the right time when a foul ball came his way!

Monday, July 16, Day One of Explorer Camp in Portland--Part One

Load'em up and move'em out! Dan leads the caravan of cars full of camp team and supplies from our hotel to the school where camp is being held this week.

Still recovering from surgery, we left Sean behind at the hotel to pray for us and our day.

Early morning set up happened inside and outside the school. This is the room where the older girls will spend the afternoon this week enjoying Created for a Purpose activities. Today and tomorrow they will be sewing bags in this room.

Phyllis Hamm in the registration tent.

Each camper is given a camp Tshirt and assigned to a junior high or senior high school counselor.

Bailey Doyle, Emily Mince, Koyla Edwards and Catherine Luke looking over the names of their campers.

Mary Jane Lassiter and Colley Acken are two of our youngest team members. They are enjoying camp along with their new friends from Portland.

Bailey and Lorien were in the same group last year and were excited to see each other again.

First order of business--making nametags! Thank you to Joel and Helen Megginson for cutting limbs into nametags for us!

Elizabeth Ragland, Bailey Doyle, and Sarah Mince are ready for the day.

Crystal Keplar is a member of CTR and coordinates camp on the CTR end. We think she is a Wonder Woman!!! She buys and organizes morning and afternoon snacks for all of the campers and gathers some of our supplies ahead of camp to save us from shipping and/or shopping at the last minute. This is her second year as camp coordinator. We couldn't do it without you, Crystal!!!

Camp began with singing praise songs led by the Cov Pres counselors.

The first Bible story? Creation! As Dan told the story of each day of creation, he asked for volunteers to form the numbers 1-6 to help keep the story straight. Day one, in the yellow shorts, did a great job. We weren't so sure about the number two for day two!

Campers listened attentively to the story. In the background, you can see the fields where many camp activities will take place. The tent in the far background is where archery was taught.

Seven girls wanted to form the letter seven, but since God's creation work was finished, they represented that day by singing, "This Is the Day."

Rebecca Acken (far right) and Sissy Flynn led the youngest girls in a craft time under the shade tree. They made journals and flower pens.

Sissy gave instructions.