Youth Haven - Week #1

The first group of Ranchers have returned home, and today a second group went to Picacho for a week of camp at Youth Haven.

During the trip home, we had supplies in the van so campers could write a personal thank you note to the camp staff.  One boy who has been attending camp at Youth Haven for many years wrote:
"Thank you for letting us come.  I will hope to become an LIT [Leader-in-Training] next year so that I can see you all again."



Another boy wrote:  "Thank you for everything because it was fun and cool, and it was awesome."  As you can tell from the photos above, the camp isn't really scenic at all, unless you find desert scenery especially appealing.  And it's not really a ranch, unless your definition of a ranch is a petting farm.  But children really do have a blast at Youth Haven.  They swim (in a pool), do archery, play (in a gym), have team leaders (counselors), sing, and have chapel services, just like other Christian camps do.

Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate camps with beautiful scenery as much as anyone, but it's Youth Haven's committed staff and their Christ-centered activities that keep the campers coming back for more. 

From the Blogosphere

Here are some thoughts about urban poverty from a country-dweller-turned-city-gal.  She and her family answered God's call to go to the city.

Here is a youth leader's perspective from her week in Phoenix helping with VBS.

Hospitality in the Heat

It is amazing how quiet it is now that the youth group has gone home to Iowa, and VBS is over.  We had originally scheduled two weeks of VBS, back-to-back, but when the youth group for the second week didn't have a sufficient amount of volunteers, we decided to have only one week of VBS.

This week, we are taking some children to this church's VBS.  In fact, a girl had asked me about a month ago, "When are we going to get to go to that church again?"  This morning Caleb & Stephanie took 8 campers, as well as a teen (LIT - Leader in Training), to Youth Haven Ranch for the week.  As I have been visiting various families to register children for camp and hand out and collect permission forms -- typically in the heat of the afternoon -- several parents have had pity on me and invited me inside. 

That simple act of saying, "Come inside where it's cooler," means something to me.  They don't have to invite me into their home. I may turn into sweaty Betty while I wait on the porch, but it's doubtful I would die of heat exhaustion during a 15 minute visit.  They are being vulnerable enough to let me see how they live on a daily basis, and are showing that in some measure, they trust me with that information.

Granted, not all homes are ones you'd like to be invited inside, but that's when you're thankful God created your mouth as an alternate breathing mechanism, and you need to remember that most things are washable -- including yourself and your clothes!

As I was typing this, a parent called and has permission forms ready to be picked up.  Out of the air conditioning and into the heat I go! 

VBS: Camp Discovery (Day Five)

The final evening of VBS was one of excitement and disappointment. 

Excitement = singing enthusiastically, playing kick ball, eating snacks, listening to a drama about how Jesus can take our load of sin, learning about Zacchaeus, making bracelets and necklaces, and reciting another memory verse!

Disappointment = saying good-bye to many new friends, knowing that you'll soon be great distances apart.  A 6- or 7-year-old girl had grown quite attached to several in the group and said, "I'm going to come to Iowa to see you!"  If that doesn't work out, she collected addresses and is prepared to write them instead.

VBS: Camp Discovery (Day Four)

Yesterday evening, one of the Sunnyside youth leaders prayed something to the effect that God would enable them to "finish strong and give it their all."  In the midst of a busy and full week, I know I have experienced the blessing of seeing the kids' (and workers') enthusiastic participation, night after night.

 

 Finding treasure hunt clues took these 1st graders no time at all!

In the next progression of photos, you'll see how to rapidly use up rolls of brand-new toilet paper in very little time!

It was quite the fun activity to reinforce the lesson about Lazarus rising from the dead.

Last, but not least....during yesterday's Cup of Cold Water project, the group gave out over 600 bottles of water, and one man received Living Water, too.  As one of the youth shared a bottle of water with the man, the man confessed his desire to stop drinking, and the youth was able to share about Jesus with him and pray with the man to receive Christ.