Home in three...

There are now three weeks before I'm back home in Minnesota. Two more weeks with campers and one week of clean-up and relaxing. I realize I haven't been keeping up with my blog and on top of that I recently realized I had saved my previous post but hadn't actually posted it. I guess I have three weeks to make up for.

Week four was another good week. I helped with a group from Richmond Hill, Georgia. The youth group was about 60 students and we split them up onto three houses on the same street. I started a new house and I was able to rip off the whole old roof and start shingling it. We also did some painting of Mr. Clayton's trimwork. It was crazy working with such a large group, but it only prepared me for the much larger group I would have a couple weeks later. I really appreciated seeing such a large youth group still able to focus on God during devotions and during our services each day. The week ended with a trip to the beach at Gulf Shores, AL.

Week five was a "light" week for us TEAMeffort staff. There were only 110 campers and our fearless leader, Tim, took the week to go home and be with his wife. That meant the 14 of us staff were in charge by committee. It worked out well, partially because we were coming off of our largest week of the summer with 320 in week four. With a much lower camper/staff ratio, I ended starting with one group and changing to another part way through the week because I was need elsewhere. It was different not really having one group to call my own, but I'm here to do what needs to be done.

This last week was our sixth week and it was another great week. This week I worked with Palm Harbor United Methodist Church from just outside Tampa. This youth group had 90 students. The high schoolers, which totaled about 60, went back to the street I was on two weeks ago. Due to the lack of numbers the week before was took a break on that street and resumed this week. It was a very productive week. We finished two houses we had started before this week and started stripping a third house as well.

More importantly, I was once again impressed with the spiritual maturity of such a large youth group. After each of our nightly services, they had their own devotion and praise and worship. Wednesday they had an amazing time of praise and worship. Without any kind of message there were several commitments and recommitments. It was really cool being able to see these kids on there knees and seeing them pray for each other. After the services last night it was much the same and once again it was awesome seeing kids praying for each other. On this closing stretch of summer it has been a very uplifting week for me as I'm starting to get ready to come back home.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and I'm looking forward to another two amazing weeks before I head back home to Minnesota.