Camp Alandale Newsletter: Issue 2, 2014 - Part 3

Satan Lost
By Matt Pritchett

A feeling of darkness and pain instantly developed as the campers walked off the bus Monday morning. Sarah found my wife Tarrah to tell her that her foster brothers had come to camp and that they were ready to beat up another camper who they hated. She said, “They are all Satanist and they do not want to be here." A great spiritual battle was unfolding before our eyes.

Our theme for the summer was, “The Invisible War." It was a perfect theme for this group of Satanists. Through skits and Bible studies they learned that there really is a war going on that we cannot see. We talked about how their families were caught up in this Invisible War. The sinful choices their parents had made landed them in foster care. Anthony, one of the Satanists, shared with us about his pain. “How could a God forgive me for the Grand Theft Autos I have done, or for hitting a kid with my gun and putting him in a coma? Satan takes care of me.” 

We encouraged the group of Satanists to move away from the darkness, to be forgiven and live the life that God has for them, a life with future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). We shared James 4:7-8, “If you resist the devil he will flee from you," and that “if you draw near to God He will draw near to you." It felt hopeless. If we were going to win this battle we needed even more prayer than we were getting from the 27 churches that were praying for each child by name. Our staff and counselors called and emailed to have more people begin to pray for their souls. Our junior counselors prayed diligently from Tuesday on that God would win the victory.

We began to see glimmers of hope, as one by one the Satan-worshiping campers began to receive the love that was being offered to them. Thursday the walls began to come down as Anthony, their leader, began considering what we were saying. He came to us again asking, “Could God forgive me for the things I have done, for the cars I have stolen, for the people I have hurt, for being involved in gang fights?” Anthony had been shot in the leg during one of the fights and had severely injured the young man he was fighting. He had spent lots of time in Juvenile Hall. He said, "I know if I continue down the path I am on, I will end up in prison.” He began to see the plans Satan had for him were not for his good, as he had previously believed. He was leading him down a road of destruction and death. His blind eyes were opening and God’s word was penetrating Anthony’s heart.

That night Anthony’s counselor overheard a conversation where our Satan worshiping campers were talking about giving God a chance. Anthony was sharing how his life was getting worse and worse, “More violence, more time in Juvi. I don’t want that." He said, “Maybe God really does have a plan for my life, a good plan with hope and a future." Tommy lashed out at him in anger, “No we cannot follow this God. If he is a good God why would he have created hell just because Satan disagreed with him?” The deception on him was heavy.
Another, Tommy had been to camp three times but was one of the few campers that came to camp more than twice without receiving Jesus. He was always angry. He knew anger was his friend. He could control his world with it. No one wants to get close to an angry young man. With no one close to him, no one would hurt him. But his counselor Wayne would not be pushed away by his anger. He would not let the threats, the yelling, the dirty looks, and the talk of Satanism dissuade him from showing the love of Jesus to this broken soul.
Alan was the third. He had been involved in black magic since he was a child. His parents were Satanist and would ritually abuse him and his sister. During one of our campfire talks about how to protect yourself from being sex trafficked, I asked the question, "What is sex trafficking?" Alan raised his hand and I called on him. Then he slumped down in his seat, put his hood from his sweatshirt low over his eyes and began to share. 

“You would be moved from city to city, and at each new location they would take you out of a locked van or cargo truck. Late at night when it is the darkest, they would move you into a warehouse. When you arrive they would inspect you. They would look at your hands and feet. They would check your teeth to see if you are healthy. They would shower you, and you would be taken to another location for a couple of weeks where they would sell you and men would rape you. Then the whole thing would begin again, in another city, another state. That’s what it’s like.” 

Alan was thrown out after they checked his teeth, but his sister is still gone. He has not seen her in years.

With all the pain these precious campers felt, they had to be overwhelmed with a tsunami of the love of Christ. It happened at our campfire time on the last night. One by one each of them was overcome by the love of God. Through song and tears, God revealed his great love for all the campers. Each one of our Satan worshiping campers asked to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. They committed to turn from their sin and follow Jesus. The evil presence we had felt at camp was gone. The campers celebrated, "We are free!" During the game time we have after campfire, they all kept singing. We finally gave up on games and worshiped the Lord for another half hour. At Pinecone Ceremony we added extra worship songs in because the whole camp was pouring their hearts out to the King of Heaven. Our Satan worshiping campers were now worshiping Christ for the first time. They stood singing at the top of their lungs with their hands reaching out towards the heavens praising their God and King. Anthony said, “What’s wrong with me? I can’t stop singing. I can’t stop smiling, I never smile!” For Alan it was obvious that his burden had been removed. Finally Tommy, in whom I have never seen anything but anger, stood before us, hands raised in victory, singing with a smile on his face and tears running down his cheeks.

God had won the VICTORY!

Camp Alandale Newsletter: Issue 2, 2014 - Part 2

A Camper Bio about Andi Garcia was featured on The Link, a newsletter by OC4kids.com. Click here to view the newsletter and see Andi Garcia's bio.

Click here to read the rest of Gallagher Goodland's, "How I Came to Love Camp Alandale."

Camp Alandale Newsletter: Issue 2, 2014 - Part 1

Our latest newsletter is out. Did you get it? 

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Read the stories from the newsletter below.

37 Campers gave their hearts to Jesus this summer!!!

Rarely do we get to see the Spirit of the Lord move as undeniably as we saw Him move this summer at Camp Alandale. As you read this newsletter be reminded of the greatness of our God and how much He loves His precious children who have suffered abuse at the hands of angry and violent parents and family members. My prayer this summer was for the Lord Jesus to give us opportunities to glorify Him through what He has done. That prayer was answered many times this summer and these are just a few of the stories. See page 4 for a special story of Christ victory!!!

Wedding Bells are Ringing

One of the unexpected blessings at Camp Alandale each summer is seeing the young adults that God brings up to serve at camp on summer staff find love and get married. So it was with Justin and Brittany in 2013. We were blessed to see them seal their relationship in Christ on July 12th 2014. Ten of us are taking credit for matching them up, but we all know Who really matched this Godly couple up, don’t we? Please join us in praying a blessing upon Justin and Brittany’s marriage and for their future ministry together. May God Bless the Moline’s!!!

He Bled So They Wouldn’t Have To
By Jeremy Allen

“I didn’t want to come to camp because I was going to kill myself this week. I told my staff that I didn’t want to come, but they made me,” Josie told her counselor through tears after the evening’s campfire testimony time. It was Wednesday night, the second night of listening to the campers share their stories with the rest of the group, and these stories were heavy. They sent Josie into a time of weeping and wailing during her one-on-one with her coun-selor.

The night before the first brave girl named Josie got up to share her story I was unaware that she’d share something that would become a theme for the campers throughout the summer. She was a cutter. Josie had used cutting to escape the pain she was feeling in her life after being abused by her parents and placed in foster care. Jessica, Josie’s counselor listened to Josie as she tried to explain herself through the weeps and wails. Patiently, Jessica let her unload all of the burdens she had been carrying for so long.

Jessica shared the love of Jesus Christ with Josie. She got to speak into Josie’s life that night like no one else before and encouraged her to trust Jesus with her whole heart. Although it took time, Josie’s heart was opened to the truth and she left camp that week with a renewed hope in Jesus to help face the pain in her life. Josie would stop cutting, but there were still many campers cutting themselves. Josie had been a cutter for a long time and had the scars to prove it, but the release she used to get from cutting wasn’t enough anymore. She now had Jesus to release her from all her pain and suffering. If Josie had not come to camp that week, her group home staff may have found her dead in her bedroom.

I've Got a Secret

Shhhhhh......don't tell anyone. I've got a secret for you. 

You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. 

Okay?

You want to know the secret? I know you do. Well, it's just a small secret about our theme for winter camp. It's about the Beatitudes. I can't tell you what we're calling it yet.

Do you know where the Beatitudes are in the Bible? 

No? Maybe you should go look. 

I'll give you a hint. They're found somewhere in the beginning of the New Testament. You'll find them at the beginning of the passage where Jesus gives a sermon to the disciples and all the crowds while he's on top of a mount.

Did you find them? They're pretty awesome, right? I think so. 

During winter camp we're going to look at a bunch of the Beatitudes (the weekend is too short to look at all of them, but don't worry it'll still be awesome). I wanted to share with you some thoughts about two of the Beatitudes that I found on another website: meekness and peacemaking. I'm thinking that the more you can learn about the Beatitudes before coming to camp, the better it will be. What if you memorized the Beatitudes before you came? That would be pretty cool. 

Check out meekness here and check out peacemaking here.

That's it. Come to winter camp to learn more. We can't wait to see you. 

Wait No More - The time is right now!

Do you care about orphans?

Did you know that right now there are 130,000 legal orphans in the United States foster care system that are waiting for adoptive families?

Do you know that God commands Christians to care for these orphans?

You have to see this video:

Click here to see "Wait No More"

Wait No More^®:

Finding Families for Waiting Kids

Right now, more than 100,000* legal orphans in United States foster care are waiting for adoptive families. The US also has more than 300,000 churches, and God has given clear commands for Christians to take care of His orphan children.

So if the command is clear and the need is apparent, why are these kids still waiting?

At Focus on the Family, we believe that every child has the right to have a family. That’s why we’re collaborating with adoption agencies, church leaders, and ministry partners to raise awareness of and recruit families for those waiting for permanent families.

Through one day events and targeted marketing campaigns, Focus on the Family is highlighting the urgent need for adoptive parents. For too long, these children and youth have been overlooked.

But that is changing. God is stirring the hearts of His people to welcome these children and youth into forever homes. To date, more than 2,700 families have initiated the process of adoption from foster care as a result of the collaborative efforts of Wait No More. And this is only the beginning.

For more information check out icareaboutorphans.org/.

How I Came to Love Camp Alandale

By Gallagher Goodland

Summer Staff 2014

Preparation for my first week of counseling was filled with hope and anxious thoughts. Hope that can be found through Jesus in the work only one with the title ‘Son of God’ could do and quickly followed by those unrelenting anxious thoughts of, can I do this? In my time of prayer leading up to week one of counseling, I quickly found my answer to this dilemma of, “Can I do this?” In short, the answer was a gargantuan no! Thankfully for me and the rest of the summer staff, we had little need of our own strength. With the grace given by God through the salvation from Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit I was more than ready and able, we all were.

On Monday at 11:00am, that large bus pulled up filled with 4th through 6th grade foster children. The staff and counselors rush out with great big smiles; plenty of cookies and mixed fruit in hand. One by one I watch as the kids slowly walk off the bus; some have a look of remembrance given by the previous year, while others walk off the bus timidly and unsure of the surroundings they have now entered into. After the hugs and handshakes and how are you; two thoughts came to mind and the first was unpleasant. Some smiled while others were shy and timid but all of them had one thing in common, every child carried burdens, the ones most of us would never experience. This image placed in my mind was quickly followed by an overwhelming peace; the Spirit of God was about to move and do His work.

In my first week of counseling I was given three campers. For this story, my focus will remain with one particular camper named Kenny. Out of all the kids who came to camp that week, Kenny was by far one of the most timid of the kids. I realized on day one that this boy has been abused severely. In his mind he could do nothing right, every action and every question was followed by “I’m sorry,” and “Are you mad at me?” All day, every day, I would hear these words and my heart would break. What had this boy seen in his short life, what acts of evil had been done to him to cause such fear? I couldn't help but allow these thoughts to consume my mind at times. By this I was compelled to be in constant prayer.

I had decided on Monday night that I needed more time with Jesus before the start of each day. At 7:00am the director would turn on the music (the Camp Alandale alarm clock). Between the time it took most of the kids to actually wake up, brush their teeth, and the constant need to stay by their side; having time to read God’s Word and pray was seldom found. With that said, I set my alarm for 5:30am. That gave me plenty of time to stumble around a bit until I woke up and could focus my attention more firmly in God’s Word and in prayer.

It wasn’t enough for me, the small Bible studies, skits and the few times of worship. It was wonderful and full of God’s presence but I needed more. It brings great joy to my heart to say, it wasn’t enough for Kenny either. Each morning, my alarm would go off at 5:30am and each morning as I woke up to read and pray, so did Kenny. We would sit just outside our tent; he would rest his head on my arm and listen to the words God had to share. And that was our little routine, each morning. Kenny’s second routine each morning, after 7:00am was to go down to the grassy area, grab the toy lawnmower and begin mowing the lawn. You got to hand it to him, he was consistent!

Each day, three times a day, we would have our one-on-ones. For those who are unfamiliar with that phrase; a one-on-one is a time spent with just the counselor and one of their kids (if the counselor has more than one camper). During my one-on-ones with Kenny, not much was said and I could see that he was afraid, unsure as to what would be done if he would talk about his life to others. 

On Monday, we just sat on the large rocks overlooking the desert, I prayed for and with him. Tuesday we prayed before starting and after praying he rested his head on my arm and said, “I miss my mom.” I looked down and asked when the last time he had seen her. He told me that it had been a month. I asked him if they were able to do anything fun. Kenny sat up as quickly as he could, looked at me with the biggest smile, and said, “Guess what? I got to go with my mom to McDonalds and have McNuggets and fries! Chicken nuggets are my favorite and I got to eat all of them!”

A few minutes after talking to me about the different foods that he loves he began telling me about his dad and the fear he had towards him. Not much was said about his dad; after telling me that his dad would punch his mom over and over again and in his anger turn to Kenny and do the same. Kenny realized what he was saying and quickly put an end to the conversation. He put his head back on my arms and started to cry. There was nothing to say on my part, I just cried with him. Kenny had brought up old memories, memories he had locked up. That night was the second hardest night for him. 

During most meal times, he would barely eat his food. On Wednesday night, Kenny refused to even have a bite. During our time in amphitheater, he was restless. He took his sunglasses and started slamming them against the bricks then hitting himself on the head while screaming that he wanted to die. The director and I were able to calm him down and give him some words of encouragement. Thankfully, it was at that time, his favorite song started playing and he snapped out of it and ran back to the amphitheater so he could dance. For the rest of that night he was good, he was calm.

The following day, the last full day of camp, Kenny’s thoughts and fears came back with a vengeance. This time it was all day with more outbursts of anger. He would constantly say, “You don't love me, you hate me.” Or he would say, “I’m bad and I’m always going to be bad.” I would hold him tight and tell him that I loved him but most importantly that Jesus loved him, that it breaks Gods heart to know that he had suffered and this pain that he felt wouldn't last. Jesus could take away all his pain. 

That night during amphitheater he ran off during worship and began screaming and hitting his head on the ground, I tried to keep that from happening so he ran inside, laid on the cold surface of the tiled floor, and pulled his hoody over his head. I sat next to him and allowed Kenny to vent while the directors calmly and gently tried talking with him. It took everything I had not to tear up when he reached his hand out to mine. We held hands for about ten minutes without a word spoken. After that, he was ready to go back and by then it was just about time for the Pinecone Ceremony.

The Pinecone Ceremony is a time when we play a soft worship song as the directors pass out a pinecone to each of the campers, counselors, and staff. As we hold the pinecone in our hands, we feel the sharp prickles; it’s a reminder of our past pain, pain that has been inflicted on us but also the pain that we have caused others. After the song is over, team by team we go to the fire pit and are able to place our pinecone, our past pain, into the fire and just as Jesus can and will take away our pain, so to the fire takes away the pinecone. By the next morning, there isn't even a trace of a single pinecone; the fire would consume it completely.

Once the Pinecone Ceremony is over, we play a few more songs, then stand in a big circle, placing our hands over each others’ shoulders and sing one last song together that says, “Here we are, standing together as a family… singing Abba, Father.” It’s a bitter sweet moment. In one hand, the Spirit of God is there and you can feel it and see it on everyone’s faces. On the other hand, it’s one of the last songs we’ll sing together.

As I’m walking up to my tent after passing out our camp T-shirt and doing all the things needed before bed; I overhear Kenny talking to his friend as they walk just a few feet in front of me. Kenny looks at his friend and asks, “Andy, do you hate the devil?” Andy replies, “Yep, I sure do.” “I do too,” said Kenny. Then he asks, “Hey Andy, do you love Jesus?” Andy looks at Kenny and says, “I really love Jesus.” “Me too,” Kenny quickly replies. “Hey Andy, did you know that tonight, Jesus took all my pain away?” Andy says without hesitation, “Yea, me too!” For the first time that week since Monday, my heart was at peace and filled with more joy than I could hold on to. God had completed what He does best, who was I to doubt God’s work. That night my faith grew by leaps and bounds; I had seen the hand of God change the hearts of these two little boys.

Spending just about every waking moment with kids who desperately needed and wanted attention, I had found the heart of God and I could understand more clearly the meaning of His words in James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

That first week and the weeks to follow, God had given me far more than I could give. He renewed my heart, gave me a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and of His desires. I had been filled with the fruits of the Spirit as it says in Galatians 5:22-23; practicing love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. By the end of the first week I had fallen in love with the campers, with the counselors, and with the staff; I had fallen in love with Camp Alandale.

Summer Celebration - Saturday, August 23

Coming soon to Camp Alandale!

Saturday, August 23 from 10am-4:30pm
Summer Celebration 2014 at Camp Alandale

Come celebrate all the things God has done this summer at camp.

See flyer below.

Click here to RSVP or call 951-659-5253.

He Gave Me His Razor Blade - Session #8, August 4-9

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #, August 4-9, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Thank you for your support as we near the end of summer. This last session was our second to last one and God again demonstrated His power in more ways than we could have ever anticipated. I, Jasmine, had a camper named, Rebecca, who grew up in a Catholic home and now lives in a strict Christian foster home. While she loves both her biological and foster family, she had never been able to love the God they tried to show her. She displayed wisdom in how she talked about God all week but could not grasp His love for her. When I asked when she gave her life to God, she said “I don’t think I have, because I believe when you do that, you do it completely. But I still have trouble with forgiveness. And cussing.” Throughout the week, we talked about how God came to save the lost and how we can only grow in His strength. She fell in love with Jesus Christ and finally understands who He is. On Friday, she gave her life to the Lord alongside her brother. She began to say she knows He will help her learn to forgive those who wronged her growing up. Please pray for Rebecca as she goes down the mountain, trying to maintain her joy in Christ despite frustrations she has with her parents’ views of Him.

I, Emily, had a returning camper named Jennifer as one of my three girls. The first few days, Jennifer constantly complained about little things. However, as camp progressed, she became increasingly positive despite constant leg pain. On Wednesday, she turned 16 and insisted that she missed her Quinceanera last year and this birthday didn't matter. However, when we gave her a birthday crown and sang to her, she glowed and said it felt like a fiesta. She even shared her testimony with everyone at campfire time. She praised and thanked God for what He had done in her life out of the many trials she had faced. She is currently a junior counselor at Royal Family Kids Camp and I was blessed to recommend her to be a junior counselor here next summer too.

I, Gallagher, had a first time camper named Winston as one of my three boys. He came up to camp with dark clothes, combat boots and hair in his face. He sat away from everyone else and told me he was a devout atheist. Monday, since he would not talk about his own life, I shared my testimony with him. After this, he began opening up to me. After that first day, he started asking a lot about God and the Bible. Tuesday, he told me he wanted to give his life to God without me even having to ask. Thursday, he gave me his razor blade out of his wallet so he would not have to cut his wrists (then full of scars) any more. Friday, he shared his testimony in front of the whole camp. It was remarkable to see the drastic transformation that occurred when God took hold of Winston's heart. He truly changed everything he knew about himself and the world. Please pray for Winston to feel God constantly reminding him of the truths he learned and guiding him.

In Christ,

Jasmine, Emily, and Gallagher

Summer Staff 2014

Transformation - Session #7, July 28-Aug 2

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #7, July 28-Aug 2, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Hello, my name is Irene and I counseled last week for our first high school camp, Session #7 from July 28 – August 2. It was by far the most amazing camp experience I’ve ever had. It consisted with many tears, smiles, laughter and hugs. I had two beautiful high school girls. They were both extremely quiet. However, immediately they trusted me and poured their hearts to me about their life. Both of my girls had extremely big trust issues, because people in their lives continually broke their trust. 

One of my campers, Kelly was raped by her dad and since then she has never been able to understand love, or could trust anyone. Any person who had ever said they loved her had left her and hurt her tremendously. The same was true for my other camper, Sara. The reason it was my favorite week with these two girls was because of how honest, vulnerable and caring we were with one another, and to just witness God working in their hearts. They felt like little sisters to me. By the end of the week they gave their hearts to the Lord, and you could see the change in them. It’s so beautiful and honoring to witness a young girl realize that our Heavenly Father in loves them, and for them to know it, believe it, and act on it. When Kelly got home on Saturday night, she even called me to tell that she broke up with her boyfriend of 9 months, because she knew he wasn’t good for her, and now only wants to date Christian guys. God is so faithful, and once again He blew me away by how much He can change a young girl’s heart in a matter of a week.

Hey, my name is Tyler and I too counseled last week at camp. I was a little nervous going into the week because it was my first time counseling high school campers. However, I was fortunate to be blessed with two amazing campers. One of the campers that I really connected with was named Kip. On the first day it started off a little rough though. He was very anxious going into our first one-on-one and did not want to talk very much, so we just searched for lizards and snakes. During Bible study he refused to open his Bible and look up verses and he would not answer any of the questions. He could not sit through the campfire talk and was even making comments to the directors asking when the talk was going to be over. On the second day things started to get better. Kip actually started to participate in Bible study and he started to open up to me on our night one-on-one. Things continued to progress with his behavior as the week went on. In the middle of the week I went on a one-on-one and immediately he told me that he wanted to accept Christ into his life. I found out that he had accepted Christ once before but he said that he felt like he wasn't living like a Christian so he wanted to rededicate his life to Christ. We started talking about what it means to be a Christian and why he wanted to dedicate his life to Christ and he said he was tired of the way he was living and tired of the way he was dealing with anger. 

After that one-on-one the transformation was absolutely insane. In our next Bible study he was so driven to learn about the Bible. Kip and I found some common ground as he took an interest in the book of Revelation. From then on he was always asking me or anyone else that he could find if they would read with him. He started bringing his Bible to amphitheater and reading it then and we would also read before we went to bed. It is absolutely crazy the amount of transformation that can take place in one week here at camp. Kip went from being completely uncooperative to craving to learn more about God. He even called me the day after camp to tell me his plans to read the Bible and how he wants to start going to church. Thank you for praying for us and joining us this past week!

In Christ,

Irene & Tyler

Summer Staff 2014

Listen, Understood, Responded - Session #6, July 21-25

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #6, July 21-25, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Greetings! This is Alejandro and the session last week was once again amazing. We had a full contingency of campers, which made the time soar by. By weeks’ end, whilst praising God for the work He had completed, my only other feelings were that of sadness to see these precious children of God depart from camp. But during camp, God graced me by paring me up with a couple of regular gentlemen. One of whom, a returning camper by the name of Jose, was truly a joy to become more familiar with throughout the week. Unfortunately, he fell ill mid week and periodically rested in the infirmary to combat a reoccurring fever. Notwithstanding his health status, he was a trooper and still held a positive attitude throughout the duration of camp. What’s more, despite his more reticent stigma within a group, during our one-on-one’s he shared his testimony accompanied by a fresh trial in his life. He never knew his father, and his mother abandoned him at a young age. However I praise our Father for allowing another gracious woman to adopt and raise him. Albeit things at home for him are currently stressful, and are weighing on his and his mother’s heart, he demonstrated a godly strength to endure and persevere. My prayer for Jose is that he will continue to bless his family, and use the strength that God has built in him to fortify his relationship with Him, and spread the Good News. Thank you once again for your continual support throughout the year!

This past week I, Brian, was blessed to spend time with Jonathan. Jonathan was fourteen years old, six feet tall, over 170 pounds, and had a deep need for physical attention. He had no idea of physical boundaries, and several times a day he would try to put me into a headlock, pick me up, or squeeze my back. I had the opportunity to not only share with him about self-control and safe ways to show affection, but of Christ’s abundant love to us. We sang many songs together in amphitheater with his arm over my shoulder, doing hand motions and singing together. During one of the worship songs he even tried to hold one of my hands up so I could worship God like he saw some of the other counselors doing. In many ways Jonathan was still a child, yet he frequently inspired me with his simple, yet sound knowledge of God.

We took a walk for our one-on-one the last night, and I was unable to have a productive conversation with him because he was so distracted by the forest around him. However, I finally gave up trying to reach him on that level and started singing “Jesus Loves Me” to him. As soon as I started singing he sang along, and as we sang together, I was overcome by God’s love towards him and me. Afterwards, as I simply told of God’s love for him, he listened, he understood, and he responded: sharing with me of the years he spent as a child with his abusive mother, and contrasting that with God’s love for him. What joy it brought me to see God personally meeting with Jonathan and providing for him!

In Christ,

Alejandro & Brian

Summer Staff 2014

God is Able to Reach - Session #5, July 14-18

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #5, July 14-18, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

This past week, July 14-18 for Session #5, was a busy one at Camp Alandale. We only had three male counselors, so I (Michael) had three campers instead of the typical two. In addition to that, two extra campers were sleeping in my tent at night since they had female counselors. With five middle school boys in my tent, it goes without saying that I had my hands full! Many of the guys had been through a lot and their behavior reflected that, so I initially didn't think that Roberto needed as much attention. His mother had left him at an early age, but he now lives happily with his father, a recovering addict who attends church three times a week. Roberto admitted to being a little burnt out on church, but I assumed he had at least heard the core of the Gospel and spent most of our one-on-one time talking about his life and how he could get closer to God rather than why he should try to get closer. It wasn't until later in the week that I realized I had thought wrong. During a Bible study, one of my boys asked if anyone ever lived forever. I replied that everyone who believed in Christ had eternal life, and Roberto's face instantly lit up, “For reals?” I said yes, and that all he had to do was accept Jesus into his heart, an offer he instantly accepted. Thankfully God was able to see what I could not and was able to reach Miguel before he had to leave for the week.

My name is Irene, and I was counseling this last week. I found out I had one girl, and one boy camper. I am always anxious when having a boy camper, hopeful that they will open up to a girl counselor. My boy campers name was Rodrigo. He was the funny guy of the week—always cracking jokes, extremely friendly and very joyful. On Tuesday night I ended up getting really sick and threw up. I was super bummed because that meant I couldn't have my one-on-one time with Rodrigo that night. However, the next day at breakfast when he saw me, he was extremely excited. He told me that he was praying for me and that he wanted to share his testimony with me. You can bet that I was beyond excited! That day he shared through tears how his mom left him when he was three, and he's been in foster care since. He was extremely vulnerable. He struggled with understanding his purpose in this world. It was incredible to see how God transformed his heart through just one week at camp. He ended up really understanding how God made him for a purpose. He became very interactive during Bible study and wanted to answer every question. And, best of all he rededicated his life to Christ! It's always incredible to see the amazing things that God can do in as little as one week.

Continue to pray for these precious campers, and for them to fully understand the love that God has for them. Thank you for all your support and prayers. It is extremely appreciated! God Bless you all.

In the name of Jesus,

Michael & Irene

Summer Staff 2014

Knowing I am Loved - Session #4, July 7-11

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #4, July 7-11, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Last week 22 middle school kids came up to camp. It was an especially heavy week, filled with testimonies of depression, self-harm, substance abuse and more. Though trying, these challenges enabled us to see God’s grace and power as well as our deep need for them in exciting ways.

God loves you: this is the truth that Rebecca’s heart just could not believe. Because of horrible abuses suffered as a child, she became severely depressed, suicidal, & cynical of God and His love for her. During our 1-on-1, she coldly told me (Jessica) she believed God’s true love doesn’t exist. My heart broke for her; all I could do was pray and pour God’s words of love over her. It was amazing how quickly He works in just one week. The Rebecca I met Monday was not the same girl I said goodbye to Friday. She smiled more, let herself have fun and, most importantly, opened her heart to God and the truth of His love for her. At the end of camp, when asked what the most special thing about camp, Rebecca responded “Knowing I am loved.”

Another camper, Violet, loved learning about God from the beginning but just would not surrender her life to Him. I (Jasmine) was tempted to force my agenda of making her a Christian since she seemed to believe in Him in some distant sense. However, God grew my patience in those first few days and taught me to trust His timing. This allowed me to get to know her more and see what God actually wanted to do in her life. She had sold and abused ecstasy, meth, etc. since age 10. When she thought about drugs, she shook from withdrawal. After she was able to share about that struggle and give it to God, she truly embraced Him in her life. In the card Violet wrote me at the end of camp, she explained how she feels much stronger now that she has given her life to Him.

Another camper, Sherrie, came up very excited to make friends. At first I (Ellie) had a hard time addressing any deep issue with her. After testimony time one night, she opened up and told me her own story. She had been recently placed in the foster care system. I told her about God; she had been taught that God was Mexican and she asked if He dated the Virgin Mary. I was able to direct her to the truths the Bible provides us with. On the last day she decided to accept Christ and was so joyful when I told her that the angels in heaven were rejoicing over her. She actually moved in with Violet’s foster parents right after camp, so praise God for making that connection with two new sisters in Christ.

We cannot thank Him enough for you prayer warriors coming alongside us in this spiritual battle. As you can see, despite strong forces against us, God prevails and transforms these kids’ lives. Please continue praying and praising God for His work in these three wonderful girls (and the rest of the campers) as they go about their lives down the mountain.

In Christ,

Jessica, Jasmine, and Ellie
Summer Staff 2014

God Makes Things Grow - Session #3, June 30-July 4

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #3, June 30-July 4, 7th-9th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Thank you for praying for us! This week I was blessed to have Reggie as my camper. He was a very quiet upon arriving at camp, and did not really look as though he were happy to be here. During one-on-ones he hardly talked; I could barely get a one worded answer from him. Because of the lack of conversation I do not really know how he got in the foster system or about the home he is in now other than that he is enjoying where he is. Reggie told me he believed in God and read his Bible every day, but he did not consider himself to be a Christian. It was a little frustrating at times because I felt as if nothing were happening during one-on-ones and our Bible study time; however, God reminded me that I can plant seeds and I can water, but it is God who makes things grow. 

As the week went on, I began to see his smile more and more. He told me that he really enjoyed making friends at camp and he loved to cook. He did kitchen craft every day, where he was able to help prepare the dinner meals. During meal times, he would always offer to help and serve others their food. The last couple of days Reggie really got into the Bible studies and did not just rush through them just so he could be finished quickly. Instead, he began to take his time and think about the verses we read and how they could be applied to his life. He even began to greet other counselors and campers in the morning. It is amazing how God can work in such small areas of people’s lives, but those small changes can make a big difference. At the end of camp we read surveys that we have the campers fill out. Reggie had filled out that he had re-dedicated his life to the Lord. I would appreciate if you would please pray with me that Reggie would get plugged into a church and that God would put people into his life to help him grow in his relationship with God. Thank you for all the prayers this past week.   

Our overall camp size was of a petite nature; nevertheless, our Heavenly Father was still at work showing the campers his unconditional love. I was especially blessed to have been paired with Jose, a quiet yet joyful soul who embodied many of my own character traits and behavioral styles; yet another one of God’s ways of showing me His fantastic presence at camp. Whether it was during Bible studies, one-on-ones, the consumption of a meal, or reclining pool side, Jose emitted a calm peace in his demeanor despite the trials and toil that have made themselves known in his life. The unfortunately vicissitude that began his life in the foster care system started with the negligence of his mother care for him. Having never known his father, Jose's only alternative was to be commandeered by the state.  

More importantly however, I was impressed, if not excited, to discover his apparent yearning to attain more knowledge of God, as well as an expressed desire to learn about biblical literature, its genres, and interpretation techniques. I was also privileged to hear his testimony during one of our campfire times.  Upon discussing it the following day, he confessed a weight had been lifted from him whence concluding his testament. It was his first time at camp and he continually informed me of his positive experiences here at camp. Ultimately, he left eager to come back for a winter camp, as well as the summer camps to come. My prayer, in which I welcome companions, is that when campers like Jose resume their summer after leaving camp, God will grant them the strength, courage, and resolve in Him to not be swayed by the roaring lion that looks for those whom he may devour.

Your prayers make all the difference. Thank you for continuing to pray with us this summer!

In Christ,

Ariel & Alejandro

Summer Staff 2014

I Love You & Jesus Loves You - Session #2, June 23-27

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #2, June 23-27, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors,

This last week, we had our second elementary camp; 20 of the 24 campers had never been here before. We were excited and honored to give them their first camp experience and saw God move in huge ways throughout the week.

One of my campers, Gracie, was nine years old and had never been to camp or to church. When one of our counselors shared about his father abusing his mother in his testimony at campfire, Gracie said, “He’s like me.” After a while of talking and tears over her father leaving her, I asked her if she knew that God is a true father who never leaves us or forsakes us. She had never heard this before. When I asked how she felt about Jesus after a day of camp, she said he is the best. She gave her life to Him that night. I was indescribably blessed to witness His hand in her life. In just one week, He was evident in her coping with her father leaving, her increasing bravery despite a physical handicap, her love towards others, her questions about the Bible, as well as in many remarks she made praising God and His creation. She repeatedly brought me to tears and taught me more about childlike faith than I could have ever taught her. Please keep Gracie and her family in your prayers as she lives in a home that, while loving, does not know Jesus. She did mention that her best friend attends church, so praise God and pray that He uses that connection greatly.

Another camper, James, also brought the idea of childlike faith to life. He currently lives in a group home. While our hearts broke for the cognitive and emotional challenges he faced throughout the week, we rejoiced all the more at what God was doing for him. Many times, he broke down, saying he wanted to die. Whenever he ran off, his counselor (Gallagher) pursued him. James constantly muttered “I’m in trouble? You hate me,” and Gallagher always reaffirmed, “I love you and Jesus loves you. We all love you.” While James’ attention never lasted long, we could see how much he soaked in this love. On his camp questionnaire, when asked what the most special part of camp was, James said “Gallagher.” On the last night, we give each camper a pine cone to throw in the camp fire, representing something they need to surrender to God. After Pine Cone Ceremony, James went up to one of his friends and told him that he loves God and that he took his all his pain away that night. All week, we tried so hard to shower God’s love onto James and, at this comment, we were reminded not to be discouraged by his lack of attention. The Gospel really is so simple and we needed James to remind us of how the least of these can embrace it so purely. Pray that we never forget to earnestly love the campers, knowing that no matter how difficult the circumstances, God’s love brings freedom.

Whenever we think of you, we praise God for your devotion to us and to Him. It has been such an encouragement to me personally and to the ministry as a whole.

In Christ,

Jasmine 
Staff-Counselor

Summer Staff Moved In - Summer Staff Training, June 8-13

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Summer Staff Training, June 8-13

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

     On Sunday, June 8th, this year’s 11 summer staff team members moved into Camp Alandale and shared our first meal together. Training began that Sunday night and ended the next Friday. We have 4 returning staff and 7 new team members—2 coming from out of state!

     The feel of the week was remarkably similar to a campers’ typical week.  At first, some of us were hesitant to assert ourselves in the group. “I’m usually pretty shy, but by Saturday I stopped clapping with my elbows by my sides and really got into the hand motions,” says Gallagher (now warmly known as Galla-GRR and Sir Gallahad). Some felt the opposite pressure of needing to join in on everything. Like in the campers’ experience, these worries faded in the midst of all the love and fun that happens here. 

     By Wednesday, we were not only comfortable with the camp songs but also with screaming and dancing to Disney songs on the bus ride down to our beach day. We began having fun outside of camp together through playing board games, cheering on the directors’ son’s T-ball game, hiking at sunset and more. We also each shared our testimonies, prayed together and encouraged one another throughout the week. “I really love this group; God has given us similar passions for Him and His children,” says one of our worship leaders, Ellie.

     The directors encouraged us on a spiritual level and in the performance of our daily camp duties as well. Each day, we had ‘break out’ sessions on anything from teaching archery or kitchen craft to purity agreements and social style information. All of these things and many more served to remind us of how to glorify God in ourselves, as a team, and in this ministry. Jessica, who came to California for her first time for training, “especially loved the social styles and love language talk to help understand who she was with and how to care for them.”

     I (Jasmine) am so grateful for the training week we had. The time to prepare our hearts for the summer was essential, laying down anything we brought up the mountain for what Jesus has prepared for us now. Overcome with the goodness of Jesus and the people surrounding me, I look to Hebrews 12 this summer,

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

I am honored and excited to learn how to serve with this incredible team the rest of the summer. Your prayers as we strive to do so are appreciated more than words can express.

In Christ,

Jasmine

Summer Staff 2014

Absolutely Curious About Jesus - Session #1, June 16-20

Letter to Prayer Coordinators for Session #1, June 16-20, 4th-6th Grade

Dear Prayer Coordinators,

Thank you for praying for us. My name is Irene Hackett and I am part of Summer Staff 2014. Each and every year is so unique and extraordinary all at the same time. When going into counseling, I’ve learned that you can’t have any expectations. You can either get campers who really love you, or some who completely dislike you and won’t listen to you at all. Either way, you know it’s not you, and you just have to continue to show God’s love with every action you make. I had the privilege of having two sweet young 10 year old girls, Regina and Jessica. They were always so helpful, kind and just absolutely curious about Jesus.

When I met Regina, I knew there was underlying pain and depth to her story when looking into her big coffee colored eyes. The first day I found out she was Cambodian, and I just happened to have gotten back from living over in Cambodia this last year. She really wanted to learn the language, Khmer. So, I was able to teach her some throughout the week, which was so ironic, yet so perfect! Throughout our one-on-ones I realized more and more that she reminded me of a younger version of myself. She was so curious about my mother who was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and how I got through living in those situations. Finally Wednesday night, she broke down and told me all about her difficult past. She also had parents who were addicted to drugs, and who didn’t love her. She had to grow up fast and take care of her siblings. You could just see in her every action she made how much she was desperate for that lack of love in her life. However, as the week went on, you could see her heart being filled by the Lord. During worship, she worshipped so beautifully. She wanted to know more about God, and you can tell she just really understood that God is the way, the truth, and the life. And nothing was more beautiful, than holding that precious girl in my arms, crying, telling her she is a daughter of the King and He loves her so much, and her knowing it and believing it too. A little girl’s life was transformed that week. It was difficult to say goodbye, but I know and have full assurance that the Holy Spirit is living inside of her and God is going to take care of her. He loves her, and she knows it.

My name is Janine Diaz, and I am also on Summer Staff for 2014. This past week our Lord perfectly placed me with two amazing girl campers named Taylor and Jordan. Taylor has been to camp before and hopped off the bus with an excitement and confidence that had definitely grown since the last time we had seen her at camp. She came to camp with many questions in mind. The moment she found out I was her counselor, she asked me, “Is it a sin to be a lesbian?” Caught a little off-guard, I responded, “That would be a great thing to talk about on our one-on-ones!” And it was! Over the course of the week, we read through the Scriptures, prayed, and learned more about God’s love and perfect plan for His children’s romantic relationships.

My second camper, Jordan, had never been to camp before. She was timid at first but soon blossomed upon our first Bible study. I have never seen a camper fall in love with God’s Word as quickly as Jordan. Our one-on-ones were filled with lively discussion about Bible characters and stories. At our Thursday carnival, she picked out two booklets of Bible verses and read them to me any chance she could. I asked her if she had accepted Jesus into her heart. She told me all about how she asked Jesus into her heart while hearing songs about God’s love during one of our amphitheater times. I was so excited I did a little happy dance for her. God certainly showed Himself to Jordan, and her initial timidity was transformed into a loving and gentle spirit. How thankful we are for your prayers! Our great God has done it again—He has shined brightly at camp and in the lives of these children.

Blessings,

Irene Hackett & Janine Diaz

Summer Staff 2014

4 Things You Should Have Done in April

This is late. I'm very sorry. 

April was National Child Abuse Prevention Month and I failed to inform you.

All month I had been thinking about posting and didn't actually sit down to write something until now. I'm very sorry. Please forgive me. 

As you may know, Camp Alandale is a place where those who have been abused receive healing. We know from talking with the campers and hearing their testimonies at camp how terrible the effects of abuse can be. We've heard countless stories of how abuse has destroyed families, destroyed futures, and destroyed lives. 

We're fighting back though. We're not giving up and seek to destroy the cycle of abuse that gets passed down from generation to generation. We've seen the healing power of Jesus Christ change the lives of many campers. We've witnessed those with no family and no hope begin new lives in Jesus Christ. 

You can be a part of this. You can make a difference in the life of an abused child for eternity. Here are four things you should have done in April that you can still do now to join the cause.


#1 Get Educated
There are some great websites out there to learn about the cause. You'll find ways to get involved, the history of child abuse prevention month, you can read the Presidential Proclamation, you'll find tool kits to use, and much more. Spend some time right now. Check out the websites from Child Welfare, National Children's Alliance, and Child Help.

#2 Apply to be a Counselor
Summer is just weeks away and we need more counselors. We recently had our counselor training, but even if you missed it you can still apply. You will be amazed at God's work when you counsel at Camp Alandale. Click here to download the application. If you're already a counselor share this blog, pass on the application, make announcements at your church, whatever. You are our best recruiters. Get word out that we need more counselors to reach more and more hurting children with the love of Jesus.

#3 Watch Movies
Not just any movies, but some excellent films that just came out. You should definitely see "ReMoved". It was awarded Best Film and Audience Choice at the 168 Film Festival and also won Best Film at the Enfoque Film Festival. Another movie more than worth your time is Royal Family Kid's "Camp" movie available on Netflix. Click here to view trailer. These two films will move you to be even more involved in the cause of fighting child abuse.

#4 Send a Child to Camp Alandale
Camp is changed lives. Many people ask whether or not a week a camp can change a child's life. If you're unable or unwilling to show up and counsel, you'll just have to believe my testimony that one week at camp is more than enough time to change a child's life. Of course, we recognize that it is Jesus Christ who does the changing, but we love that we get to participate in this ministry by providing a safe, loving, caring, and fun environment for these children. You can send a child to camp for $300 or $25/mo. Click here to learn how to give. If you want to read more, check out our previous posts for the Prayer Coordinators.

Of course there are many more things that you could add to this list. Feel free to share in the comments section below. We'd love to hear from you.

Counselor Training is Coming Up - Saturday, April 26th

On Saturday, April 26th from 9:00AM-4:30PM we will be at Calvary Chapel Mission Viejo for our Counselor Training. 

It will be a full day of teaching, equipping, and preparing counselors to be ready for this summer. Anyone interested, new, or veteran counselors are invited. Invite your friends! See the flyer below. Click here to download and share the flyer.

You won't want to miss out!

It Finally Snowed!

It snowed last night....and we're supposed to get a few more inches today. For all you campers who missed the snow this winter here are some pictures for you to check out!

Want to go sledding?

We promise it'll be worth carrying that sled the whole way.

If only it had snowed sooner!

Ready for amphitheater?

Looks cozy! Doesn't it?

Human tracks. Bird tracks.

Thanks for looking! Hopefully there will be lots of snow next winter.

5 Things You Should Donate to Camp Alandale

Everyone knows that the #1 Rule at Camp Alandale is "Have Fun!" Everyone also knows that we take the rules very seriously at Camp Alandale.

In an effort to make camp even more fun this summer, below is a list of five items that you should buy/donate/give to Camp Alandale.

#1 An Outdoor Ping Pong Table

No joke. Who doesn't like playing ping pong at camp? Imagine the conversations, the fun, and the laughter around the ping pong table this summer. You could make it happen. Shop at Sports Authority, buy one off of Amazon, or check out all the options here.

#2 An iPad

This will be an essential at Camp Alandale to keep everyone current on the happenings of camp. Pictures, music, maybe even videos of Jeremy's trombone solos. The possibilities are endless. Get on for camp, right here: http://store.apple.com/us/ipad. We'll keep you up to date on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Maybe you could even follow all the Summer Staff Girls on Pinterest too.

#3 Disc Gold Discs

That's right. Coming to Free Choice Time this summer at Camp Alandale is the very first disc golf course. But what good is a disc golf course without any discs. You could give us your old ones or buy the campers some brand new ones here: http://www.campexpress.com/disc-golf-school-pack.html.

#4 A New Volleyball Net

This winter season was not much of a winter. Instead of sledding and building snowmen, we played a lot of volleyball on the back lawn and our 2x4 system is about to pose a serious threat to anyone who walks by. What about one of these: http://www.campexpress.com/sports/volleyball/nets.html?

#5 Games for the Carnival

The carnival is a standard here at camp. We want to spice it up a bit though and add some new games. What about some lawn games like Bocce Ball or Corn Hole? The opportunities are endless! Check out some possible carnival games here or here.

If you ship anything from online you'll want to ship to: 
Camp Alandale
21181 Hwy 243
Idyllwild, CA 92549

Have fun and don't forget to smile!