This year we were able to send 3 Power House kids to camp. In this post, Char tells her story of her trip to camp.

We had a great opportunity to use our Power house van this summer as we drove some of our kids from our Alexander site to Camp AO-WA-KIYA.

As we drove up Neland street and approached the front of the house to pick up our Power House campers, we heard them shout “they’re here!”

As I got out of the Power House van the mother of Jamari Flowers started telling me how Jamari was so excited about going to camp that he could hardly sleep for the last three nights. Jamari, already had one year of camp under his belt so he knew what kinds of awesome experiences to expect this year, and shared his anticipation with two others who were going to experience it all this week with him. Kyron and Kamari brothers who go to the Alexander Power House site with Jamari also were all packed and ready to go experience their first year at camp.

As we packed the van up with the kids camping gear, we heard things like “Wow look there’s a DVD player and TV in here!” “Hey there’s candy is that for us?” “How long will it take to get to camp?” “I’ve been waiting for you all morning!” The Mothers were kissing their sons and giving them snacks and drinks for the road and telling them to have a good time. As I told the boys that we were about to pray I heard the Moms say oh we want to pray with you to. It was so nice the Moms were very appreciative and the kids all were so polite and excited it was really cute to see the boys faces as we drove up.

We put in the movie “Because of WinnDixi” and the trip took about the exact time as the movie. The kids loved the van. Jamari said this is so nice last year I rode in the Power House truck and I think this is so much better. Jamari, Kamari, and Kyron talked about what they were going to do at camp and it was just a nice ride out to camp.

Lou, the Alexander site leader was the boys counselor for their cabin and said they had a good time and was able to read and have devotions in the book of Job at night. He said Kamari and another boy Nick were especially interested in the devotions and seemed to really get into the story of Job.

I’m glad for the opportunity to drive the boys out to camp it was a blessing to see how God was about to move in their lives. I remember my days as a youth camper and as a camp counselor, those are special memories and can be pivotal times in a young persons life. These are retreats from the everyday life where you get to build friendships with people from all walks of life… bridging the gap between poverty and those who are affluent, where all are at a level playing ground for a week of the summer, where race and income have no play in who wins. Everyone wins who participates and opens their hearts to God and opens their arms to each other. It’s often easier for kids to be excepting and forgiving than adults, as we see over and over again. It’s great to see how God uses these children to teach the teacher’s the importance of not pre-judging ones abilities or differences (some may call handicaps) as a weakness but embracing them for who and how God created them. Another way that as one goes to bless they are blessed in return, God sure has a way of using all of our experiences for our good.

It never ceases to amaze me how awesome our God is.

Char