Nikos Camps Blog

Camp Nikos 2009 Wrap Up

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Friday was both a good and crazy day.

We spent any extra time we had on Friday filling up about 2500 water balloons for the last big event of the week. After thematics, we told the kids that they had one last challenge – hit as many leaders as they could with water balloons. In past years it has been everyone in one spot, but this year we broke it up and had the girls in one spot and the guys in another. The leaders were given a handful of balloons and sent to the middle of a field, and the campers were given free reign with the rest of the balloons in their buckets. It ended up working out great, many were soaked, many were hit and everyone had a fantastic time.

The competition between the girls and the boys (during their daily challenges) came down to the last night. The boys were up by one coming into the evening and ended up pulling away to win by 4. The ladies were very gracious loosers and showed incredible character by applauding for the boys (that was big for sure!). But through the week, we made it clear that while races can be about how fast or how strong you are as a team, it’s much more about HOW you run – and running well. There was a prize at the end of the night – a glow stick bracelet for everyone, because as a whole, the whole camp ran well.

The last night is usually a difficult one. Kids put their ‘game faces’ back on and fight break out on the boys side and the girls just quit listening. This year, there was much less drama the last night. The night service went a little long with not only campers getting to dance with Light Lady, but the leaders were brought up as well. The kids enjoyed watching their leaders have fun, and it was great for the leaders to be able to cut loose and be encouraged by the blacklight fun.

On top of Mr. B (Ed Baptiste, our speaker for the week) being a special guest during Light Lady (we noticed his moves at the back of the room earlier in the week and begged him to share with the whole group), he was able to speak to these kids one last time before praying a blessing over them before sending them to bed. We asked that the leaders take the campers back to their tents/cabins and pray with them as a family and then individually.

Several staff members walked around to make sure all was well during the last night. Every thing went very smoothly, and most of the kids after praying headed to bed (though some were more giggly than others). To end, we wanted to share a story of one little girl who had a very serious question that last night.

Almost a year ago, this precious little girl experienced something that no little girl should ever have to go through. Thankfully, she told her mom, charges were pressed, and the perpetrator was put in jail. But still, this precious child didn’t have peace, even almost a year later. Because, you see, she had heard a voice tell her several hours before it happened that “something bad is going to happen to you.” With broken English and a broken heart, she pleaded for an answer - “Who was that talking to me – was it Jesus or the evil one? I need to know – who was it?!” She had asked several of her leaders, and gotten several different answers, before asking to talk to one of the staff. When that question was posed, our staff member didn’t know what to say. “Let’s pray about it, ok?!” With her leader on one side and the staff member on the other, this little girl cried as she listened to the staff member plead for God to show her who was talking. “Lord, it’s a weight on her shoulders, and I just pray that you’ll take it off.”

After they got done praying, the leaders looked at the little girl. “Who do you think it was?” “I think it was Jesus, and I think He was trying to give me a clue.” Both leaders agreed with her, reminded her that she had done exactly what she should have (tell her mom) and told her that sometimes He prepares us for things in ways we don’t understand. This precious little child looked up with a smile on her face and peace in her heart. She hugs to the two women who helped her ask for the answer, and thus, that awful chapter in her life. Her load was lighter because this awful experience wasn’t her fault and the evil one wasn’t talking to her – Jesus had taken care of her. She was able to point back to the bad experience and see where Jesus had protected her, and how things could have gotten worse had He not been there with her.

Many lives were touched this year at Camp Nikos – and a good number that we’ll probably never know about. Thank you for being a part of this camp - whether in prayer, financially or by sharing a loved one with the kids for the week. This was a week than 90+ children won’t forget, and, I dare say that most of the leaders who came won’t either. God’s touch extended far beyond the children served by this camp, and we pray that you’ll continue to support this ministry in prayer.

Our next camp is our HEB camp – where a much smaller group of middle and high school kids head to the Rio Frio and camp out for several days. Please keep this camp in your prayers – we are currently in need of a lifeguard and several other important resources to make this camp happen – at the end of June.

Thank you again for serving with us – we are grateful for you!