F
Fnerb
Guest
A few (one for sure ;-) ) express interest, so here goes...
I just got back from my week at Camp BASIC. It was another amazing week of glorifying our Lord!
What is Camp BASIC?
First off, BASIC stands for Brothers And Sisters In Christ and is affiliated with the Wisconsin Lutheran Synod (WELS). Essentially, confirmed WELS members (as well as those synods we are in fellowship with) are invited to come and volunteer for one of two weeks and be a counselor for one of the campers. However, you soon find out how much they teach you!
Camp 2007
Our theme this year was - "Lord, Keep me on track!" So many of the campers are amazing! Such an example of child-like faith! Some of them only know the basics, but many of them are extremely biblically intelligent. One of the campers, Johnathan, would be reading his bible most any time we had down-time. What an awesome example!
A few photos:
Here is Gary working with his counselor during one of our bible story reviews (Gary is famous for his elephant impersonation which comes up during one of the songs we routinely sing)
.JPG)
Here is James (who is actually my uncle) working with his counselor during review:
.JPG)
Singing time!
.JPG)
Everyone around the parachute during one of the activities
.JPG)
.JPG)
I post this last picture of Kenny (that's him launching the water balloon) somewhat with a heavy heart. This is my 8th year of going to camp. And over the years, we have lost some of the "usual" campers who routinely show up. This year, one camper in particular that I was looking forward to seeing couldn't make it. It's hard to see some of these campers age and fade. This is where some sadness comes in with Kenny. He is starting slip and I think is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. It's very hard and sad to see. He really is forgetting who people are. He even has trouble introducing his sister at times. However, there is something to be joyful about!
The last day, I was just sitting with Kenny as we awaited his mother and sister to come and pick him up. He was holding the folder that holds all of the bible stories for the week. On the cover, was the seal for Martin Luther College. At the very center of this seal is a heart with a cross in it. Kenny and I were talking and I was asking him some questions he couldn't answer at that time (he would just forget). Yet, he would look around at the rest of the campers and just smile and say, "I'm going to be all right."
Toward the end of our conversation, I pointed to the heart and said, "Kenny, what's that?"
"A heart." He replied.
"And what's inside the heart."
...Kenny stammers a bit and isn't sure how to answer the question.
"Is it a cross?" I ask.
"Oh yeah."
"And who died on the cross?" I ask
"Jesus!!" He replies with a huge smile on his face. (And I still tear up typing the story).
It is such an awesome privilege to serve at camp. As Pastor said in our opening devotion, "We have been given a privilege by God to be here and not share just any love, but his love."
I thank God to be a part of it and been given the honor of learning from each and every one of the campers...
I just got back from my week at Camp BASIC. It was another amazing week of glorifying our Lord!
What is Camp BASIC?
First off, BASIC stands for Brothers And Sisters In Christ and is affiliated with the Wisconsin Lutheran Synod (WELS). Essentially, confirmed WELS members (as well as those synods we are in fellowship with) are invited to come and volunteer for one of two weeks and be a counselor for one of the campers. However, you soon find out how much they teach you!
Camp 2007
Our theme this year was - "Lord, Keep me on track!" So many of the campers are amazing! Such an example of child-like faith! Some of them only know the basics, but many of them are extremely biblically intelligent. One of the campers, Johnathan, would be reading his bible most any time we had down-time. What an awesome example!
A few photos:
Here is Gary working with his counselor during one of our bible story reviews (Gary is famous for his elephant impersonation which comes up during one of the songs we routinely sing)
Here is James (who is actually my uncle) working with his counselor during review:
Singing time!
Everyone around the parachute during one of the activities
I post this last picture of Kenny (that's him launching the water balloon) somewhat with a heavy heart. This is my 8th year of going to camp. And over the years, we have lost some of the "usual" campers who routinely show up. This year, one camper in particular that I was looking forward to seeing couldn't make it. It's hard to see some of these campers age and fade. This is where some sadness comes in with Kenny. He is starting slip and I think is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. It's very hard and sad to see. He really is forgetting who people are. He even has trouble introducing his sister at times. However, there is something to be joyful about!
The last day, I was just sitting with Kenny as we awaited his mother and sister to come and pick him up. He was holding the folder that holds all of the bible stories for the week. On the cover, was the seal for Martin Luther College. At the very center of this seal is a heart with a cross in it. Kenny and I were talking and I was asking him some questions he couldn't answer at that time (he would just forget). Yet, he would look around at the rest of the campers and just smile and say, "I'm going to be all right."
Toward the end of our conversation, I pointed to the heart and said, "Kenny, what's that?"
"A heart." He replied.
"And what's inside the heart."
...Kenny stammers a bit and isn't sure how to answer the question.
"Is it a cross?" I ask.
"Oh yeah."
"And who died on the cross?" I ask
"Jesus!!" He replies with a huge smile on his face. (And I still tear up typing the story).
It is such an awesome privilege to serve at camp. As Pastor said in our opening devotion, "We have been given a privilege by God to be here and not share just any love, but his love."
I thank God to be a part of it and been given the honor of learning from each and every one of the campers...