I have been going to Camp Mulberry since I was nine years old. That makes this year my 13th year as a Camp Mulberry fanatic (if you've read my blog at all you know this to be true). This year at Mulberry, Joseph and I were given not only the honor, but the absolutley awesome opportunity of being junior camp directors. We were over all activities (games, devotions, praise and worship, etc.) concerning campers ages 8-11. We were pumped. We were BUSY. We started planning for the week back in March and just a few weeks ago, during the week that followed Father's Day, our work paid off.
I'll have to admit, from planning water balloon dodgeball, to which lessons would be taught, to how we would keep the kids happy and safe, it was easy to lose focus in the weeks that led up to Camp. However, when I set foot on that campground in good ol' Hot Springs, AR on Sunday night, I knew that everything was going to be worth it.
Several of the kids knew who I was because, well besides the fact that I've been at camp forever, I was the day camp director last year. One of the first kids I ran into was Hannah. Hannah is from a church in Arkansas and she is a doll. Something changed over the past year though. When I had her in day camp, she never made a peep. This year she and I were practically attached at the hip and she had plenty to say.
I'm getting misty-eyed just thinking about my sweet girl. On the first night, before camp had even started she asked me if I would come to her bunk before bed to help her pray for her daddy. My heart absolutely melted. That was just the beginning of the week.
From that point on, every child that I met, that I taught, that I threw a water balloon at, touched my heart. They told me about their lives, why they were good kids (because they liked vegetables), and they taught me how to come before God with a childlike heart. We were so priveleged to have Jumpin' Josh Combs as the children's evangelist once again this year, and I watched 15 kids get the Holy Ghost during that week. I walked around all week just saying "Thank you Jesus." On Monday night, my cousin Lauren received the Holy Ghost and I cannot even begin to describe the transformation I saw in her life from day one to day five. It was nothing short of miraculous. On Thursday night I watched as the most rambuctious boy on camp received the Holy Ghost and became a little angel for the rest of the week... well, almost.
But back to Hannah. Hannah told me on Monday night that she didn't have the Holy Ghost. We talked about what it was a little and how to get it. The next three nights I watched her just stand in the altar and cry as she talked to Jesus. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Even though Hannah didn't receive the Holy Ghost at camp, I know she grew closer to the Lord. One night she slept in my bunk with me and she told me all about her home life and after that, all I could do was cry when I watched her pray, and pray myself that God would place a hedge of protection around her.
So maybe I am a Camp Mulberry Fanatic, Joseph said that he knew I was crazy when I pulled out my Mulberry scrapbook the first time he came to my house... but this is why: Because of Hannah. Because, for some kids, a church camp is the only place where children find a refuge or are able to go to the altar and talk to the Lord, and because Camp does something for me too. When I was a camper it was the experience I received in the services that changed me, but now its watching, working with the kids that changes me. Never before have I felt so right, so in the will of God as when I was lying in the bed with Hannah talking about life, or playing "This is a Fork" or, most of all, sharing God's love and His word, that will hopefully change their lives forever.
Even if the wedding planning is slowly creeping along, life is running by us at a fast pace. This past week was Joseph's first week living in the new townhouse that we will call home after we are married. It was crazy moving him in in the 110 degree weather we're having around here, but it turned out great. I think he is going to LOVE living there. It's kind of hard for me though, because I want to be there so badly, but I'm having enough fun with helping him buy and set up stuff. 
