Show Me Where to Go - Session #9, August 8-13

Session #9, August 8-13, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works” (Psalm 105:1-2)! We give thanks for you, for you are part of his wondrous works. Thank you for your faithful prayers all summer. We wouldn’t be able to do camp without you.

Session #9, over August 8-13, presented its own challenges. We had to work really hard to get enough campers. We had plenty of counselors and JCs, but so many kids are already back in school. Still, God divinely selected 13 special campers to be at Camp Alandale’s final camp of summer 2016. It was a good, difficult week. The week started off with a bus mishap, which meant a delay in the campers arriving at camp, but soon enough all 13 campers filed off the bus and into the loving arms of their counselors.

George came to camp against his own will. He mentioned many, many times that he didn’t want to come to camp, but his social worker had to convince him. At times, George made it difficult to run camp because he didn’t want to participate. Still, we knew God had brought George to camp for a reason. During the first or second day, George began to struggle with the idea of hell being real and at one point he blew up on his counselor because he was so fixated on this. This provided an opportunity to remind him, once again, of God’s unfailing love and unending hope offered through his Son, Jesus. He didn’t tell us for a day or two, but after George heard there was a different option than hell, he put his faith in Jesus and became a Christian. The battle wasn’t over yet as George would fall back into his old ways. We’d remind him that God had made him new like 2 Corinthians 5:17 says and prayed for him to resist the Enemy’s lies. Pray for George as he fears resistance back home for being a Christian.

Another girl, Melanie, returned to camp after a two year break. Melanie has struggled heavily with depression, suicide attempts, demonism, and darkness. She shared with us on Tuesday night when it was her turn to share her testimony that she had plans to kill herself this week if she was at home instead of at camp. Her counselor got to work with her all week and together they came up with 31 things Melanie does well. Her counselor reminded her often of God’s plans for Melanie and the hope we have in Jesus. Still, Addison questioned God’s existence and wondered where he was all the times she was being hurt. Through much prayer, God broke down her walls. She wrote a prayer on the last day which says, “God I give my life to you. I want you to show me where to go. Teach me what tenderhearted means. Give me strength when I cry to you. I want to help give mercy to others. God you are higher than any other and the most wonderful Father a person can ask for.” May we pray this prayer with Melanie today!

In Christ,

Jeremy Allen

Assistant Camp Director

Give Her Pain to God - Session #8, August 1-6

Session #8, August 1-6, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Thank you so much for your prayers. We are eternally grateful for your willingness to lift all of us up daily as we serve God at Camp Alandale.

This week I had two amazing girls who knew the Lord, and were eager to know Him better; however, both were desperate for love and guidance. One camper, I will call Anna. During our first one-on-one she confused that she felt like she was a lukewarm Christian, and that scared her. She also confessed she was afraid of what her family would think if she grew more passionate for Christ.

For the rest of the week I as able to mentor and encourage her to seek after God no matter what, and give her some direction as to what the next step in her Christian walk might be. Please pray for Anna as she continues to pursue Christ.

My second camper I will call Catherine. She confessed she was scared to be at camp, and cried the very first evening during worship. I found out later that night that she had been impregnated by her father after months of him molesting her. Her father was now in jail and she had been to counseling, but she still cried every night during our one-on-ones from fear of her father and from the pain of the past.

I would hold her each night trying to comfort her as I cried out to God for this beautiful child He had blessed me with for the week. During that week God worked in mighty ways. Catherine went from being scared of camp to desiring to return the next week with tamales for the staff, and more camp. During our Pine Cone Ceremony there was a lot more tears from Catherine, but I was grateful she had a chance to give her pain to God in a tangible way through throwing her pine cone in the fire. I do not know if she is completely healed from the pain that she went through, but I do know that someday I will see her in a place where there will be no tears and she will be free of that pain and hurt completely. Thank you again for your faithful prayers and love for us!

In Christ,

Maggie Matos

Summer Staff 2016

Talking & Smiling - Session #7, July 25-30

Session #7, July 25-30, 10th-12th Grade

Dear Prayer Warriors and Camp Family,

Hello from Camp Alandale in Angelus Oaks! It has been a great summer so far and we really, really, really appreciate your prayers. We are so thankful to have you interceding on our behalf.

God did an amazing work in the campers’ hearts this past week, and there were many campers who one day aspire to be a Junior Counselor (JC).  One of these campers was Susie.  Susie is quiet, gentle, and sweet. She did not talk much at the beginning of the week and kept to herself.  

Her dad had abused Susie sexually for years.  One day Susie and her sister were talking about what their dad was doing to them and they decided that they needed to tell someone.  Susie told her best friend at school the next day and Susie's friend encouraged her to share with a teacher.  Susie was brave in her decision to share with her friend and to finally say something. 

Even though Susie was quiet and soft spoken she shared her testimony around the campfire with everyone else at camp.  As the week went on Susie was talking and smiling more.  The next evening was pinecone ceremony, where campers can put their hurt, and pain on a pinecone and give it to God.  They then throw the pinecone in the fire.  In the morning their pinecone is no longer there and it symbolizes how God can take and keep their wrongs done to them. 

Weight had been lifted off Susie's shoulders and you could see the difference in the way she acted. There was a difference in her demeanor.  Susie also gave her life to God that week. She left Camp Alandale a child of God, forever changed. It was so sweet to see her big smiling face the remainder of camp. 

Please pray that Susie would get plugged into a church and would be able to grow in her walk with God.  She still has a lot of questions and is hungry to know more about God.  Susie desires to be a JC one day; please pray that God would prepare her heart to serve at camp.

Again, thank you for praying for us. We couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Ariel Bogue

Summer Staff 2016