It seems that every year our summer youth camps just get better and better, and our most recent trip to Camp Thousand Oaks Ranch in Corsicana was no exception. This year we took twelve campers, three of which were visitors, three junior counselors, and three adults. This made for a full church van and even made it necessary to bring a second vehicle. It was a hot week, but it could have been much hotter; and we were blessed with one overcast day that helped keep things cool for a little while.
Our theme for camp this year was “The Big Bang Theory: God Said it and Bang it Happened,” looking at the story of creation in the book of Genesis. Our children were blessed by the teaching of some of the most out-standing men in the brotherhood. Along with all of the solid Biblical teaching our children received, they were also blessed to be able to enjoy playing sports together, swimming every day, and a lake day where they were able to fish and go canoeing.
I love this camp for 3rd-6th graders because the environment is so different from any of the other camps we do all year. The children are too young to be consumed by all of the worldly things that plague teens and adults; they still look at the world with childlike innocence, and they are not too cool to still like adults. While I believe that this camp is beneficial for the spiritual growth and development of our 3rd-6th graders, I feel guilty because I sometimes get as much or more out of the camp as our campers.
I would be remiss in writing this report if I did not take some time and thank the teens and adults who came from Pearland and helped make this camp possible. This year our junior counselors were Taylor Cuellar, John Adams, and Charlie Layton. Taylor has a natural instinct when it comes to children; she is able to comfort them when they are homesick and able to discipline them when they misbehave. That is something that cannot be taught. John is such an asset to us at camp because of his natural work ethic. No task is too big for John, and his handiwork with the children is evident in the way their faces light up when they see John coming. Charlie was our first-timer, and he is holding up the tradition of excellence laid down by those who have come before him. Charlie was given the task of speaking at one of our worship services and did an outstanding job. His message was clear, concise, and on a level that the children could understand. Our intern, Tyler White, served with a level of maturity and professionalism of a man twice his age, and I look forward to seeing what God will do with his life and ministry. We were blessed to have Bobby Parker come along to serve as our dishwasher. This was not an easy task, but Bobby approached it with a smile on his face and the heart of a servant.
As I come to a close today, I’d like to thank all of you here in Pearland who bathed this camp in prayer and encouraged the children to be a part of what was happening. We look forward to putting this camp on for many years so, if you have a child who wasn’t old enough this year, you can start getting them ready for going to camp in the years to come.
Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul