Delanco camp highlights

1. Singing "He's my rock, my sword, my sheild...He's my wheel in the middle of the wheel...He's my lily of the valley, my bright and morning star...makes no difference what you say, I get on my knees and pray...and I'll sing until the day that Jesus comes." Josiah, Cole and Maddie had the privilege of making many new friends at the little camp we attended in New Jersey a week ago. Many of the children who came, did so through an organization called Cityteam that work in innercity ministries. 6 single mothers from the Philly area were chosen to come and experience camp. They added so much to our week there...it was a privlilege to mutually encourage one another in our daily walks with Jesus. They certainly had much to teach me as I heard about the pressures and trials they daily face...so foreign to the "good life" I daily take for granted. Puts concerns over rising grocery and gas costs in a very minor light by comparison.

2. If you ask Josiah for a highlight...it would be watching and feeding "whompas"! Whompas is a huge (hence the name) snapping turtle that lived in the camp pond along with numerous other turtles, snakes, frogs and other fascinating creatures. Both boys loved trying to catch the frogs which seemed to be easier to do at night (?) maybe due to the change in temperature.

3. Cole had a blast competing against Kristian (37 year old lead singer of Big Street) to see who knew more U.S. capitals. They ended up calling it a tie...but there was a little winking going on between the emcees and Cole. I wish I had my camera with me that night...Cole was absolutely adorable and so excited to do this.

4. the candy store!!!!!!!!

5. canoeing and swimming in the lake

6. the food! (no cookin' for mom!!!) especially fresh Jersey corn...mmmmm!

7. newly renovated rooms

8. daytrips to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore

9. meeting the Rinehimers...I've been reading their son and daughter-in-law's blog for a while now so it was really neat to get to know their family.

10. Maddie LOVED "teaching" for hours in the lounge beneath the rooms we were staying in.

I really enjoyed the people of Delanco. It was so encouraging to see holiness lived out in the diverse lives we encountered at this little camp in South Jersey. Whether it was hearing Steve and Connie (from Ireland!!) sing (or feeling their instantaneous love for our family), hearing Big Street (from Sweden!!) sing and interact with the college students at camp, listening to an elderly (but oh so young at heart) couple from Germany talk to me about being a part of the German Lutheran resistance before and during WWII, hearing how today that elderly German doctor works 3 days a week at the Ocean City Rescue Mission to serve a population that has absoutely no access to health care. In the mornings I was able to attend Tom's Bible study on Romans and also a second study on I Corinthians taught by a new female friend who is finishing up her Ph.D. at Princeton. I loved hearing the camp president (homeschool mom of 4, 3 graduated already) pray. Her passion is for this camp to be a connection point for students to experience God and then go out and make a difference in their worlds. Lastly, I was able to sit and hear my husband preach sermon after sermon each night. I felt my heart challenged and renewed by his passion of a holy God who wants to make His people a holy people.

Campmeeting...I grew up loving them, last week taught me that I still do.