|  |
Alison, right, during her 1989 camp trip to Woodleaf; on the upper left is her 1991 work crew name tag. (“I keep this pic as well a Ziploc bag of Woodleaf dirt in my office because it smells like salvation and is a reminder to remember the ‘why.’” — Alison)
| |
| | |
“Camp … The Beginning of a Lifetime of ‘WOW’”
By Alison McCauley, South Central Division Camping Coordinator
| |
We know Young Life leaders are a special breed. I remember the precise moment when I was truly amazed by my leaders. It was 1989 on the eight-hour bus ride to Woodleaf. Our leaders let us listen to Milli Vanilli all the way there! That’s when I knew these people were wild and rare — there’s no way they enjoyed it, and even then, we knew how ridiculous that was! (Wow! They must really like us!) The bus ride was only the beginning of a lifetime of “wow!”
That week I trusted Jesus after camp speaker Jerry Mann shared the greatest love story ever told. In that moment, head knowledge and heart understanding exploded in a way I never could have imagined! My life was changed from that point forward. It’s the reason I’ve been on mission with Young Life ever since. It’s why I find myself at Crooked Creek Ranch (CCR) today.
As I write this, 180 college students from Texas are here for Work Week preparing CCR for the miracles of summer. They’re the hands and feet reviving this place after 397 inches of snow this winter. The same is happening at camps throughout the U.S. and around the world. I know we’re all chasing, inviting, fundraising and gearing up to bring kids to the foot of the cross this summer.
Recently, Young Life Africa/Middle East invited all of us to journey with them for their “On the Move” camp fundraiser, where they walked The Jesus Trail in His footsteps. I was reminded how much ministry Jesus did on the way. He taught, paused, healed, listened and modeled what it means to follow the Father, to believe and live for Him.
Our Young Life camps around the world may be destinations this summer, and yet they’re only part of the journey of a lifetime for the campers, leaders, volunteers, assigned teams and camp staff. Young Life camp is as much about each of us encountering Jesus, coming to know Him more and being transformed by Him as it is for our campers. He wants to reveal Himself to campers and to all of us the way He did post-resurrection to the two men on the road to Emmaus. He’s walking right with us among all the hustle of getting to camp and all the craziness while there — don’t miss Him!
May we tune our hearts, minds and souls to see His face, His hands, His movement, while tuning our ears to hear His voice, His tender instruction and His guidance! Let’s watch where He shows up in bus ride conversations, in today’s version of Milli Vanilli songs, in our work crew/summer staff meetings, as we live out the second half of our mission statement — “and helping them grow in their faith.”
Let’s look for Him in our dining halls, where we join as family; in the Tableau; in lawn mowing; in all we do and experience. Let it be both an offering to Him and His gift to us!
Here at camp we eagerly await the arrival of you and your friends! We are thrilled to partner together in living out our shared mission of “Introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.” We are praying for every last — plus one more — kid; for every leader, for everyone serving on work crew and summer staff.
Because God really does use Young Life camp to change lives for the Kingdom, forever.
| |
|
|
|
|