SUMMERized

This is quite tough, to take a fantastic summer of 9 weeks and to summarize it into a single blog post that will not take you hours to read, simply because so much happened this summer. Even if I were to post several posts, I still would not be able to capture all the moments. 

Quick summary:

1. My third summer in New York

2. I worked at the Ranch & Wild Camp in upstate New York at Word of Life

3. I was the Operations Assistant Coordinator- I was the overseer of the Beach and the Lifeguards, the Climbing Tower, Marksmanship, and Paintball.

4. I ran the Camper beach parties and the Two Week Adventure Program.

5. I helped out in transportation and security. 

I pretty much ran the camp. Hah

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This is Grace.

She was a counselor for the Ranch & Wild Campers. 

Grace gave her absolute heart out to ministering to her co-counselors 

and campers every week. 

The Wild Campers gathered around the fire to learn what it means to dedicate and to be dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving your life in surrender to His will and absolute best every day.

Mom continues to love on me away from home.

Sending sweets to share with my friends.

"The Two Week Adventure Program"

Every Saturday the Program Team and I took the Campers that were staying a second week (...or a third... or fourth... or all the weeks) to the Great Escape Amusement Park in Glensfalls.

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What an awesome thing to ride roller coasters for my job!

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Twice throughout the summer there was a Korean group that came bringing 50 plus campers. I was so astounded by the team leaders who put together all of the logistics to these trips.

Getting experience these past two years putting together events for the Word of Life Students I know a little about pulling off an event. 

I know that it is no little task.

But for the Koreans, the fact that they had flown all the way to America for two weeks of camp, and a great majority (if not all) of the campers had never been to America before, so many of them did not know English, 

this is an amazing thing!

T.r.i.c.i.a.

Last summer Tricia and I got to know each other because we spent Saturdays together at the Great Escape, this summer not only did we spend our Saturdays together but also our days off together.

Tricia has become dear to my heart. 

I was her discipler over the summer, but it is not true discipleship unless you can go away encouraged by the one your are discipling! 

I am thankful to God for your friendship, Treeeeesshhha!

My task for the summer was to paint 42 cabin names onto the freshly painted basketball court.

It satisfied my artist in me- even though it sure was a summer long task.

I carefully traced the letter stencil and then sponged the paint on. 

Tricky to paint a rough surface and to keep the edges looking sharp!

I received the official letter of acceptance into the Cross Cultural Internship Program to be a missionary for two years in Portugal!

Which is the main reason that I am blogging again! 

So more about that to come!

I was chosen to drive the Word of Life Ranch train in the 4th of July parade in Schroon Lake.

The fun part was the drive, it took me 2 hours to drive the 9 miles to the parade! And it was downhill coming home so it only took 1 hour and a half!

Progress on painting the names on the basketball court.

I'm to the C's... 

Overseeing the Climbing Tower I also worked with the crew, Thursday afternoon 1:00-5:00 was spent with them. I was so grateful for their continual hard work, through the many heartaches they continued on.

They made me an encouragement sign that they well deserved to receive for themselves.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

Thank you, each and every one of you for YOUR hard work, Tower Crew, and for the love that you have shown to each other throughout the whole summer. Your efforts did not go unnoticed.

Though tiring at times, with every single child asking to ride a different ride. Or the lack of communication when others did not do their job. Or the stress that was added when it rained. Or the children that needed a little extra love and needless to say attention. Or when we all wanted to be least like Jesus because our patience had plum wore out.

It was a great summer.

Working alongside Tricia and the rest of the Program Team was a great delight.

God was good. He is our strength when we are weak (all the time).

This is the core team of ladies that ran Camp.

Security, Housekeeping, The Bank, The General Store, The Camp Administrator, The Counseling Coordinator, The Ranch Office, The Horse Team Coordinator, The Work Crew Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator, The Dean of Women and Assistant Dean of Women, and The Operations Assistant Coordinator (me).

We met every Monday morning to dig into the Word and food to be refreshed.

Ira Jo

My fifth niece was born a couple days before I headed back to Schroon Lake for summer camp. I was unable to see her due to her premature birth and health complications.

This summer was not what we had expected it to be, but God knows what we need and He does what is best for us. (Most of the time that is easier to say than to really believe..)
My brother and his wife spent their summer in the hospital praying and crying over their baby girl.
Being so far away, I could only pray.
The times that I would talk to Mom, I could tell things were tough, but everyone was learning something about how great God is.
She has had multiple surgeries and her little body is slowing gaining weight.
Check out her blog to hear her story.

>>>>>>>>> W E D N E S D A Y's <<<<<<<<<

Me and Tricia's day off was on Wednesday and every week we sought out a new adventure.
I could not possibly blog about every one of them- they would fill a library by themselves! 
A few ideas of what our day together looked like:
Rope Swing
Eating Sushi- every week, sometimes lunch and dinner
Washing our hair in the springs
Walking through random forests- we would simply stop the car and walk to see what we could find.
Waterfalls.

Here is one, just one of the times that we enjoyed sushi together.
Oh, Yummy.

Gelato.
Need I say more?

It is always a good day to have a good day.

Even when there are things to make the day better, like friends and gelato.

Closing up Camp

As I mentioned earlier, the Beach and the Lifeguards were part of my job, which was a pleasure!
As a team, we set up the Beach and as a team, we tore the Beach down.
Somehow tearing things up or breaking things down always takes less than one-fourth of the time that it took to set it up.

The Tower Crew
This was our last time working together at the last Rodeo.

--------- Graduation ---------
this is not the end.
but the end of the beginning.

Congratulations to all my dear friends, you persevered and endured.
You learned.
 You learned about how much you did not know.
What being selfless looked like when your roommates stayed up late studying.
Practical life skills like washing clothes and doing hundreds of dishes.
And you grew.
You had breathtaking moments where God got your attention.
The gospel convicted you of the fleshy sinful habits.
And you were pushed out of your comfort zone and challenged your faith by walking the streets in New York City sharing the gospel, the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

I pray for each one of you as you-
...go to the second year at the Bible Institute...
...go to Liberty University...
go to Lancaster Bible College...
...go home...
...go to your local church...

Seek God daily.

That's all the advice you need.

Alex (My Beach Supervisor) and Lukas (who worked in the Lounge over the school year).
Mackenzie (another one of my wonderful Lounge workers) and Josh (part of the awesome program team).





Amanda 
(yes, another wonderful Lounge worker)





Eleaya (kitchen supervisor) and Autumn (My Beach Supervisor)

I ran two transportations trips to the airport and to two different train stations, dropping off Camp Crew Workers and picking up interns for the Cross Cultural Internship (CCI).
Lydia is doing the CCI program, she is going to Poland for two years.
Lydia was one of my six fantastic roommates during my second year at the Bible Institute.
So excited to see what God is going to do through Lydia.
Through me.
And through the lives that we come in contact with.



Welcome.

This is the class of 2016 to 2018 of the Cross Cultural Internship Program.

Total of 43 interns representing 21 different countries.

We spent 5 days together for training in how to biblical raise funds to support the mission that God has called each of us on.
The training was intense and convicting.

Please pray for my fellow interns as they go home and raise the funds needed.
For their courage and for their faith in God to be stretched and strengthened.

1 Thessalonians 5:24-25

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Brothers, pray for us.

《《It's the legendary scooter《《

"Pink-Cupcake-Pisha-Muffin"

This scooter was once mine during my 2nd year four years ago, I received the scooter from my suitemate Brandy and I named it Cupcake. I passed it on down to Lydia who named it Muffin. Lydia passed it onto Patricia who called it Pisha... 

It was lost for a year... and then found this summer.

Today we had the honor to pass it to Miracle who is coming to year 1 at the Bible Institute. 

Miracle added the name "Pink" to the already legendary name of "Cupcake-Pisha-Muffin"

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to him who is able to do

 far more abundantly

than all that we

 ask or think,

 according to the power at work within us,

 to him be

 《《  glory《《

 in the church and in Christ Jesus

 throughout

 a.l.l. 

generations, forever and ever. 

Amen.