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.

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!