Sports Camp - Yadkin County

The staff arrived at Forbush Friends on Saturday the 13th. That left us about half a week to get ready for our  shorter camp taking place in Yadkin County. The SOUL week in Yadkin was really more of a weekend. The participants arrived on Thursday, which is earlier than normal. On Friday we did all of our get-to-know-you and group building games. Then we spent the afternoon going over stations for the Sports Rally on Saturday.

Because the weekend was shorter than our normal weeks, instead of a camp that was four days long, we had a one day Sports Rally that Saturday. That meant that on Friday we prepped for a the whole afternoon, to get ready for Saturday
, from  9am to 3pm. That's a long day to be out in the sun running around. But we did it.

Saturday morning came and everyone got up bright and early to head out to the community park and set up. We got to the park about 8:00, registration starting at 8:30. It being out first year at this location, we weren't expecting too many kids to come out. But total we had almost 30 come for camp. Not including the participants running the stations.

The group of participants that we had at Forbush was very different than the group that we had at Up River. Mostly because our Up River group was a group of high school-ers and the group we had at Forbush was middle schoolers. I'm going to be completely honest and tell you that we were a little worried that the participants wouldn't be able to handle leading the stations if we had any older kids come to camp. But, in the end that wasn't a problem. All of our campers were, for the most part, younger than our participants. As you can see, some of the pictures are of kids painting sun catchers. That, ironically enough, is because a large storm came looming over us about lunch time. Once the lightning started, it was time to pull out the rainy day supplies and do other activities.

At the end of the day we all headed back to Forbush to shower and re-energize before our amazing speaker came back that night. Nick Poindexter was our speaker on Friday night as well as Saturday night. I don't want to give away too much of our theme (just wait, since next week is our last week I can let you in on absolutely everything). BUT! Nick did an amazing job of connecting the words to the middle schoolers. Since I was sitting in the back I got to see how into it they were, reacting to his stories, reflecting on themselves. It was amazing. He even pulled from 2 Kings (which is in the Old Testament) and connected it to Jesus and the rest of our theme. I love when people make it clear how the whole Bible is one long story.

20 Questions - Charles

Charles was another of our great assistant staffers. He was also with us in Up River and Yadkin County. Here he is!

Charles graduated from high school this year and is continuing his education locally, he's planning to transfer to Western Carolina in the near future. He plays in a band with some friends and family and lead worship for us while he was with us on staff. Charles did get to take our personality quiz, and he is in the Golden Retriever category. If you don't know what I mean by that, check out my blog on our personality types -> click HERE <-

1) Were you named after anyone?

I was named after my uncle Charles who unfortunately died this year.

2) Do you like your own handwriting?

No because most of the time I can't read my own handwriting.

3) What would your superpower be if you had one?

Either super speed or to be able to read minds.

4) Are you and Optimist or a Pessimist?

It depends on the situation that I'm in. At times I'm like glass half full, but at other times I'm glass half empty.

5) What do you collect?

I collect anything to do with the bands Skillet and Journey like CDs, DVDs, Books, Concert tickets, merchandise, and any other miscellaneous things.

6) What movie would your friends be surprised that you like?

Anything with Morgan Freeman especially March of the Penguins.

7) What are your favorite smells?

The smell of a freshly fried chicken at my Grandma's house along with the smell of freshly baked cornbread.

8) Coffee or Tea?

Coffee.

9) Coke or Pepsi?

Coke, lifelong I, only drink Pepsi when I absolutely have to.

10) What is the best thing you've ever eaten? (Where?)

The first time I ever ate a hotdog from Zach's which is a hotdog place in Burlington, NC.

11) Mac or PC?

Mac. Steve Jobs is my hero, Bill Gates has too much money, and Mac is way more user friendly.

12) What are you listening to right now?

A playlist that consists of the new Skillet album Rise, Journey Greatest Hits, and the first Glee album.

13) What career would you pursue in another life?

Classical concert pianist or to be the next Morgan Freeman.

14) What sound or noise do you love?

The sound of a big storm while I'm sleeping.

15) What sound or noise do you hate?

The band Florida - Georgia Line which in my opinion isn't real music.

16) Mountains or Beach?

Neither. Cleveland or Nashville so any big city with music at its center.

17) Cook or Bake?

I can cook better than I can bake. I will bake stuff occasionally but it's much better when I cook stuff.

18) Do you go to restaurants and movies by yourself?

When I actually have money, so almost never.

19) What is your favorite childhood Fairytale or childhood story?

The three little pigs or the Disney movie The Fox and The Hound.

20) What would you tell the 13-year-old you?

Do better in school, start learning guitar and bass, and make the most of high school and just enjoy life.

20 Questions - Tanna

For our next installment of getting to know the staff, I'm going to tell you about Tanna. She was one of our amazing assistant staff, and was with us during our camps at Up River and in Yadkin County.

Tanna is going into her senior year of high school, with dreams of being a high school home-economics teacher. Her passion for service and for kids is amazing! We do not know what animal category she falls into, but I'm willing to bet that she's a monkey as well. If you don't know what I mean by that, check out my blog on our personality types -> click HERE <- 

1) Were you named after anyone?

Not my first name, but my middle name is the same as my grandma's, great-grandma's, and great-great-grandma's.

2) Do you like your own handwriting?

Only with certain letters and when I write on white boards.

3) What would your superpower be if you had one?

Turning inanimate objects into chairs, that way I can always be lazy.

4) Are you and Optimist or a Pessimist?

I don't see the glass half empty or half full, I see it as something to drink when I'm thirsty.

5) What do you collect?

Books, I love them all.

6) What movie would your friends be surprised that you like?

My friends just expect me to like weird things...

7) What are your favorite smells?

Versace cologne, old books, ice cream, most men's cologne, the Mahogany stuff from Bath and Body Works, and libraries.

8) Coffee or Tea?

Sweet tea or McDonald's mocha frappe.

9) Coke or Pepsi?

Diet Coke or regular Pepsi.

10) What is the best thing you've ever eaten? (Where?)

Bamboo Garden's egg rolls!!

11) Mac or PC?

No electronics, they don't like me.

12) What are you listening to right now?

Zach's commentary on what I'm typing, the van wheels, and Heather's loud mouth <3

13) What career would you pursue in another life?

Missionary works.

14) What sound or noise do you love?

Little kids playing and British accents.

15) What sound or noise do you hate?

Smacking of lips.

16) Mountains or Beach?

Mountains, but not hiking!

17) Cook or Bake?

Eat.

18) Do you go to restaurants and movies by yourself?

I'm never alone, I have Jesus and a good book.

19) What is your favorite childhood Fairytale or childhood story?

The Little Mermaid.

20) What would you tell the 13-year-old you?

Don't worry about boys, have fun and everything will work out in the end!

The End of Our First Camp

I guess come of you probably want to know more about our Sports Camp in Hertford. Well, see, the thing is, I was assigned to be a 7/8-year-old group leader. Which I absolutely loved. Those kids stole my heart. It was so hard to leave at the end of camp. Anyway, because I was a group leader, I kind-of stopped taking pictures...  I know, I know. It wouldn't have been that hard to take pictures and make sure that the kids were behaving. But I got carried away. Luckily on the first day I got someone to record this gem of a video:

Tell me those kids aren't adorable. Can you see how I got caught up in hanging out and loving on them? So, I'm sorry there aren't any more pictures of camp, but we have two more camps, so I guess you'll just have to wait.

Other than camp, our week was filled with more service projects. We mulched around the church at Up River. We put together homeless kits. One of our other projects fell through because of bad weather, but the week was full of fun and service.

This group of participants was so full of love for each other, for the communities that we were impacting, and most importantly, for God, it was amazing. I sincerely believe that hearts were touched that week. I hope that the changes that took place were permanent, and that people see how much of an impact they can have, if they just get out there.

**I'm not in this picture either Mom, sorry. This one happened before we were really set up for pictures.

20 Questions - Director Heather

I want you all to get to know the whole staff a little better. In order to do that, we found a list of questions that everyone is going to answer, and I am going to share them with you. Not everyone has answered the questions yet, and I don't want to overwhelm you, so I'm just going to do one person at a time. To start with, who better than our fearless leader and director: Heather Harris.

The first thing that you need to know is that Heather is very much a monkey. If you don't know what I mean by that, check out my blog on our personality types -> click HERE <-  She is a fifth grade teacher, and loves the kids in her classes. She's always looking for ways to improve her classroom experience and keep the kids interested.

1) Were you named after anyone?

Nope! Well, my middle name or my first name? My first name I am pretty sure my mother just made up out of thin air. My middle name is the same as my dad's.

2) Do you like your own handwriting?

I write like a teacher.

3) What would your superpower be if you had one?

To be invisible! Then I could sneak on planes and travel the world for free. Or should it just be flying?

4) Are you and Optimist or a Pessimist?

Optimist.

5) What do you collect?

Memories! And pictures!!! Lots and lots of pictures!!!!

6) What movie would your friends be surprised that you like?

Tyler Perry's serious movies.

7) What are your favorite smells?

Clean Linen!

8) Coffee or Tea?

SWEET TEA!!!

9) Coke or Pepsi?

Neither.

10) What is the best thing you've ever eaten? (Where?)

My favorite meal is cheeseburger just ketchup with cheese fries and a sweet tea from Chris'. It is sooo good!! I would want it as my last meal on earth! It is very fattening so I do not get to eat it a lot.

11) Mac or PC?

MAC!!

12) What are you listening to right now?

Samie saying "what?" Along with the ping pong game of Megan and Elliot.

13) What career would you pursue in another life?

Photographer that would travel the world! I would take pictures of people in different cultures. I want to find the beauty of every culture through making relationships with the people!

14) What sound or noise do you love?

The sounds of a baseball games and laughter!

15) What sound or noise do you hate?

The constant sound of ping pong balls being hit back and forth right now.

16) Mountains or Beach?

Both! I love to travel!!

17) Cook or Bake?

Neither. I would rather be doing anything else.

18) Do you go to restaurants and movies by yourself?

Sure! Why not! But I would much rather be able to talk. Of course I could just make new friends!

19) What is your favorite childhood Fairytale or childhood story?

Disney's Aladdin! I love the music and one day going on a magic carpet ride!

20) What would you tell the 13-year-old you?

Everyday is an adventure! Get LOST! Find the beauty EVERYWHERE!

Sports Camp Begins! .. and potato adventures

Last Monday was our first day of Sports Camp. Since it was held at the Perquimans County Rec Center and not Up River Friends, we had to get up pretty early in order to eat breakfast, have morning devotion, and make it to the Rec Center with time to set up. Set up includes getting the registration table up and running as well as putting up the tent in the middle of the field, and filling coolers. On a hot day we probably go through about 6 coolers of water and/or Gatorade.

Then the kids arrive! As the children arrive for sports camp, we play with them on the playground, and we get to know everyone's names and help them get to know each other.

Camp starts with a silly song and some stretches. Then group leaders are lead out and groups are called based on age. Camp is offered up through high school age, but typically the kids are elementary and middle school age. The highschoolers that come usually have a lot of fun, even though they may not want to admit it.

As I said before, Monday was football day, so each station had different drills relating to the sport. One was agility; there was a defense station, and an offense station. A devotion with the kids is also a station. That way we get to spend time with them and talk about Jesus, not just rush it at the end. Camp lasts until about 12, then parents begin coming back to pick up the kids. Sometimes on the first day the kids are ready to go, but usually they want to stay and hang out and play games with everyone some more.

After camp, and after everything had been cleaned up, the staff and the volunteers (who we call participants) leave to go eat lunch at Up River.

Most afternoons we, as a group, do at least one service project. Monday afternoon all of us loaded up into vans and headed out to pick up potatoes at a local farm. This Potato Ministry is something that was started in the area not long ago. Local farmers have decided that either they will grow potatoes especially for the cause or they will let volunteers comb their fields after they have harvested their potatoes. Either way, volunteers go out into the fields and glean potatoes, which are then donated to local charities and other ministries.

At the end of the hour we had in the fields, our participants, and the staff, had gathered 601 pounds of potatoes. How awesome is that?!

Later that night we had our second worship session with Zack as our speakers. The title of his message was "1st Ministry and 2nd Ministry." First ministry is loving God. Second ministry is loving people. What he was talking about is something that is extremely important on SOUL, and the staff had been trying to make sure that we are fullay able to take care of ourselves (with Time Alone with God and a bible study every night) so that we can pour into others. In order to successfully complete second ministry, or outreach, the relationship that we have with our Father must be constant, it must be stable. It is nearly impossible for someone to share the love of Jesus if they don't know him or if their relationship is weak. In order to love others effectively, the love of Christ must be so full in us that it flows out of us onto others.

Something that I have written in my notes that night which I think is thought provoking, "If I don't choose to act and to walk in faith, then God will do nothing. It is my job to act on faith." When I say that I am not saying that God cannot act without us. He is the creator, the destroyer, the beginning and the end. He does not need us to do anything. However, because he loves us, God has given us the chance to follow him, he won't force us to do so.

I'm going to leave you with that.

Have a wonderful day.

Morgan

Meet Our Speaker - Belvidere Edition

So, I want to preface this by saying that Zack speaking this past week was definitely a God thing. Until about two weeks before we headed out, we had no idea who was going to be speaking for us. Then on a visit to Up River for planning we heard about this guy named Zack Lane from the pastor. We did some texting, then that Sunday he came down to Up River from Virginia to meet us and check out what we were doing. As soon as we met I knew he was going to be a great speaker.

Now, after that build up, here he is. Ladies and gentlemen, Zachary Lane. . . Yes, that is a mohawk.

Zack is going to be a sophomore at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida, majoring in Biblical Studies. He plays guitar, and doesn't think he can sing (but he's fooling himself). In short, this guy is fully focused on trying to follow the path that the Lord has for him. All of the participants, and the kids from sports camp, even the staff, everyone learned something from him this week. He'll be the first one to tell you that he's had troubles and struggles in the past, and that all he wants to do is share the amazing love of Christ with as many people as possible.