I got back from summer camp with our junior high team last Friday, and I can’t even describe how amazing it was. This was my fourth year going, and I can honestly say this was my favorite year by far. 7 out of 8 of the guys in my cabin were from my small group, and the other guy was in our cabin last year. Everyone got along great, they wanted to spend all their time together, and it was a great learning, growing, and bonding experience for all of us.
I’m still trying to process everything that happened, and I’ll probably pull out a lesson or two to write about on the blog later. For now, here’s part of the parent email Katie Edwards, the junior high ministry pastor at Saddleback, sent out on Friday:
-14th summer at Thousand Pines Christian Camp….and I believe it was our best yet!
-324 Junior High Students (7th & 8th Graders!)
-67 Adult Volunteer Leaders
-8 buses filled with each team – dressed in team colors
-1 amazing worship band (led by Taffy & Team)
-1639 Shakes and Icees consumed at the malt shop
-0 trips to the ER, despite the giant game of steal the bacon and kickball on the slip and slide
-80 students at early morning worship each day (at 7:15am there was a packed house…and it was optional!)
-67 AMAZING counselors connected with their students in incredible ways – one on one time, cabin time, etc. I think I had one of the best counselor teams EVER
-3 very incredible rounds of “Just Dance” in chapel
-At least…300 paintball welts & bruises
-1 AMAZING camp speaker…Erika Thomas…she challenged our students through the story of Gideon each night. She seriously ROCKED our students socks each night
-Countless students connecting with Jesus each day in a variety of ways
-1 Malt Shop dance party
-1 amazing Open Mic night…hosted by Matt Hall…the one thing I wish we had video of…but sadly, we don’t. It was seriously the cutest thing ever
-324 Junior highers singing their hearts out to the Lord each night. Worshipping through song in such a beautiful way
-200 voices lost from singing their hearts out….and screaming and cheering on the recreation field
-256 rounds of “Spoons” the card game – it got vicious toward the end
-1 Junior High pastor totally ate it flat on her back at Slip n Slide Steal the Bacon. I’m ok.
-Countless connections made and relationships formed
-324 invitations handed out to join a C-Group this year
-5 days of life-changing, Spirit-filled Wildside camp
