As the title of this post suggests, I'm a little behind on my commitment to post once a month updates. I have had the time to post on a couple of occasions, but when the months start adding up, it starts to get intimidating. So anyway, where were we?
August.
In my last post, it was only a day or so until the the beginning of August, and the second high school week was on the horizon. Despite my doubts, I survived and even enjoyed it. In fact, it was a historical and momentous high school week. For the first time ever, we had three wonderful ladies as our team leaders. Epicness ensued. For some of the pictures or the video I made, check out those links. The rest of August was pretty much recovering from summer. I had five days of cleaning following the end of the second high school week, then it was home again, home again. I spent the majority of a week and a half reading and sleeping and packing for the return trip. Three months of not enough sleep and emotional stress took quite a toll on me, worse than either of the other summers I've worked. I think I must be getting old. I can finally say I'm completely recovered, though, but it took longer than that week and a half.
Enter September.
The first couple weeks back at camp were warmer than most of the summer had been. I was given my cleaning assignment and learned how to do them. For those interested, I clean the East Side kitchen, dining hall, lobby, and staff room, as well as the laundry room on West Side. I also keep up with the laundry itself. On the ninth, I started orientation for college. Five years and three months after graduating high school, I finally decided what I want to study. I am in an associates program for "Leadership and Ministry" through Grace Bible College in Grand Rapids, MI. It's completely online, so I can work at camp and do school in the evenings and on Monday (my day off). I'm now two weeks into my first official class. Though I can't yet say that I'm loving it, I am surviving and learning and being challenged. Hopefully I'll get to a point where I can love it.
October.
Though it's only been six days since the change of the month, I should say something about it. We just finished our third and final ladies' retreat yesterday. Two men's retreats are all that remains of the fall retreat season here at Barakel. Then comes the fall break. I will be leaving camp for a month and a half or so. In that time, I hope to spend some time at my Mom's house, my Dad's house, and Grace Adventures. We'll see how those plans go. I've learned that plans tend to change if you're listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit.
So that's what's been happening, but how have I been? That's always a harder question to answer. Life has had it's ups and downs, as usual. I really love camp, as I always have. This week cleaning, though, I felt like I was just doing to the same things I did the week previous (which was true...it's cleaning), and that was discouraging until I remembered why we clean. It's for the sake of bringing campers so they can hear the gospel and be refreshed. When you look at it that way, cleaning is vital.
I've also been struggling to remember how much God loves me and what that love means. I had a wonderful conversation with my mentor the other day, though, and he helped me see through the fog and clear up the things I've been believing that aren't true.
Well, that's all for now! As always, if you want to help support me and my year of missionary life, you can send checks to Camp Barakel, PO Box 159, Fairview, MI 48621.
