May 6, we are into the first full week of May 2019

Day 188, "Every picture has a story"

The back of our camp shirt showing where campers came from in 1990

Servant Camp had been becoming better and more popular over the lasts few years as we headed into the mid 90s.  Our numbers had been increaseding to the point where we now had over 300 campers and 70 staff at camp.  It had been a great year but as we looked forward to 1990 it looked like the numbers may be more.  I had taken over as the camp director in the early 80s as Deb and Allen had stepped down.  They had done a great job in terms of laying the foundation for camp.  I had experienced some troubled times as I was trying to improve, enhance and make camp even better in terms of a "God Time" for all.  This was the first year I had been able to spent my summer working and planning for camp as I had gone to Louie and told him that I could not continue to head camp and do my summer paint business too.  I had to have the summer income but I could not do TWO full time jobs at the same time.  Louie said community would start to pay me the next summer.  It turned out to be a great decision for me. What I and the directors had not seen coming was a wave of the Holy Spirit which had started and it seemed like it would come right into camp this year.  Well as we all know one needs to be careful what you wish for because it may just come into being and then, "Are you ready"?  Well what happened this summer at Servant Camp was certainly a "God Time" at 100+MPH.

• Our camp facility could comfortably accommodate about 300 campers and 60+ staff.  What we experienced in May and June was a total surprise and it had me, and my staff, scrabbling right up to the start of camp.  
• As the first day of camp, August 5th, approached we had just over 400 campers registered and with that I needed about 100 staff.  This was in a camp that could handle 360 people!  So what does one do?  I went to REI and purchased 12 four man tents and that would be home for some of the campers.  I then took the rest and squeezed them in here and there!  BUT there were many more issues to resolve.  
• The dining room could handle about 300 so that meant on any given day there were cookouts etc.  A nice schedule to figure out for sure!  We also needed to coordinate trips out of camp in regard to the dining room seating.
• It also was the beginning of golf carts to camp.  I rented 3 carts.  One would be for the Dr. and medical staff, one for the runners and one for the directors.  They turned out to be a God send as the carts allowed us to get around faster and the runners could now haul chairs, tables, mattresses etc without the use of pickups!  I think it made camp a lot safer.
• There was a need to have toilets for all.  The day before camp 5 of my runners came down the road driving pickups with portable toilets in tow!  To this day I wish I had a picture.
• Then there was the matter of showers!  There was NO way we could shower ALL during the week with what we had so portable showers were erected on sight and then for all there had to be a schedule when you could take a shower.  After all who wants to be in camp on Thursday if the 500 people who came on Sunday had not be able to shower yet???  I mean really, stinky socks are one thing but body oder of 500 people is another matter.
• There was the matter of the 100+ people who came from the states above.  Most would come the day before or stay the day after so they needed places to sleep.  A call went out to community members to house guests.  It worked out but there was a little bit of work/time involved!
• We had over night canoe trips going out that had to bring their food.  We had bike trips going out that needed staff.  Gail and I went to Cub a couple days before camp to buy food for the trips.  On the way I had the radio on the Twins game.  When I turned off the radio in the Cub parking lot it was the end of the 3rd inning.  After shopping for the food we walked to the car pushing TWO carts full of things.  After putting our food in the car I turned on the radio and they were giving the summary of the game!!!  I think that was the end of me liking Cub for food shopping!
• The campers went home on Friday morning and the staff had a party in the evening.  In the sharing of staff there were MANY that included "God Moments" and miracles too.  As we ended the party I was overwhelmed by God's work in camp.  
• I know that if one were to ask campers who were there that year many would say it was a tremendous jump start to their spiritual journey.
• As for me, that MAY have been the beginning of my hair loss!  Well not really but as thankful as I was I really did not want to go through the preparation like that ever again.  Lord, please work in ways that are easier on me, really!  BUT of course one would never say no if that is the will of our God.  After all what is Easter about!

Terry and I had a nice dinner with Minnesota friends last night.  They are from the Twin cities but now reside here full time.  Their home is just around the corner.  It was a nice time and the food was great.  As usual I ate hors d'oeuvres to the point of not being that hungry for the meal! 

As with each day now some work will be done towards going north.  By doing a little each day it seems that it is much less likely to forget something that is important.  Not sure I am ready for the home projects in St. Paul but they will be waiting so I best be prepared.  Maybe, just maybe, going up and down those 16 stairs will provide a better weight loss program than playing tennis!  Even it that would prove to be true I know it would not be as much fun.

Breakfast will wait this morning but I am finished with my FP and it, as usual, gave me a needed jolt!