The Camp

As I thought would happen; I have not touched my journal or my computer in the last 3 days. I have to fill in back to Saturday. We arrived at the Old Mill (Vecchio Mulino) camp. Saturday was a day of getting here, and helping to prepare for the incoming youth. The last camp had around 100 youth and were unable to get the place totally clean, so we helped out with that. For dinner we went to the Pizzaria down the road that we had eaten at a few times last year. Just as I remember, the Pizza was delicious. I always come back to the staple; Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese). We came back to the camp and found out that somewhere the power had been switched off to the upstairs of the mill (which is where we stay). Dennis and I walked around with our flashlights and tried to figure out which switch needed to be turned on when we realized that we were not going to figure it out... Lets see...1500 year old structure with several additions in multiple locations.. None of the electrical breakers were labeled (not that it would make much more of a difference if they were..) and there are 4 separate panels (that I could find) that were all on. We accepted the fact that we were not going to turn the power on, and eventually just went to sleep. Andrew, Micah and I are in our own sleeping area that has many bunk beds. I chose to sleep on the top of Andrew's bunk.

Morning came. I cant say that I slept particularly well, although I didn't get attacked by mosquitoes. That was a problem last year.. Andrew however said that he was bitten a few times. The youth were going to show up around 3pm, so we had a few things that needed to be accomplished before they arrived. Our theme this year is “Re-born to run”, so we made a video where Andrew performs a task for Dennis, who will be speaking. He will tell everyone that he really needs a donut. Andrew will volunteer and run a great length to get him one. So, we wanted to film before any of the campers arrived. Shannon filmed Andrew running down the road, jumping walls, fences, swimming, climbing.. all to get a donut. Once he gets the donut, he does all the same things on the way back. He accidentally submerges it, stomps on it, takes a bite of it, and even sets it on top of the toilet when it just so happens to fall in. He runs back into the room where everyone is watching the video and gives it to Dennis, who takes a bite of it as quickly as possible. 

We were still filming some scenes when some of the campers were arriving, but they agreed to remain silent about the matter. We welcomed all the campers, reunited with many of them, and got our activities under way. We played capture the flag. I struggled to find a way to make it work. It is so hard since I cant speak the language and they are so social you never really get their attention.. We use a few who speak good English as interpreters but sometimes they aren't within reach. I thought for sure they were all frustrated with me and thought that I was cheating, but in the end they told me that they liked the game. I'm confident the arguing and yelling is mostly just a show, or a way of expressing themselves. The night came to a close, everyone went to sleep and the real camp started.

Monday 7/25/11

My watch alarm went off at 7:15, then again at 7:45. With a morning grimace, I rolled over to look for my watch which had fallen down between the mattress and the wall. After turning it off for the second time, I rolled back over and told myself “One more minute.” I woke up again to Tony (Camp Director) knocking on the door to our room as he walked down the hall into the boys sleeping area. I jumped down from my bunk and went to my knees. The fall is always larger than it looks when you don't have your glasses on... I threw some clothes on, walked down to the dining hall where we eat breakfast, and pumped the coffee dispenser that had been filled with espresso. Coffee spattered as it struggled to come out. I took matters into my own hand. I opened the dispenser, tipped it upside down over my little plastic cup, and dumped coffee all over the table. The whole crowd applauded my mistake. The breakfast was toast with Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate spread. It is delicious. The schedule has us doing morning bible study and meditation after breakfast. 

Then we move into morning activities and water games, then lunch, free time, afternoon games, dinner, praise and worship, night time activities, then to bed. We had a game called Angels and Demons in the morning, took a camp picture, lunch, then started to play soccer and volleyball. Our night time activity was karaoke and dance party. I get to run the karaoke machine, and then I tend to disappear before the dancing. I went outside and drew more pictures in the dark with flashlights. Between the two options, it is an easy choice for me. =)

Tuesday 7/26/11

Ok, Day 2. I have managed to take showers in the morning so far. It gives me warm water because all the campers tend to shower at night before dinner. For our morning activities we had a minute to win it game called “noodling around” (which doesn't translate... at all...) They take a long uncooked spaghetti noodle in their mouth, and have to go around a circular table picking up 6 pieces of uncooked penne pasta noodles without using their hands in under a minute. I think they enjoyed it. Then we went outside to do a water balloon toss, and then Tie-die the team camp shirts. In the evening we had a glow stick hunt.

Wednesday 7/27/11 – Friday 7/29//11

Since I can't remember what we did on Wednesday, I'll just try and remember what I can up to now. We have had many karaoke nights. One of the women here that is helping in the kitchen has a karaoke program on her computer in Italian, so we got that set up and the Italians have been able to do some karaoke in their language. Joubert came into the Caserta train station around 1:35pm, so Dennis and Tony went and picked him up. He told me when he arrived, “Now I am happy because I get to play soccer.” I had a hard time trying to place him on one of the teams. I assumed that he was good since he is a boy from somewhere other than the U.S. I asked him if he was good and he shrugged.. “I have been playing my whole life” he said... I decided to put him on the team that was struggling the most. When it came time to play, he impressed all of us. He is far more talented than we had expected. Vangela told him that it looks like he is dancing on the field. After the games were over, I played a game with him; “Try to get the ball from Joubert”. Andrew and I started playing keep away with him, but our skills are just not good enough. We have been playing water games the morning bible studies and usually Soccer games in the afternoon. In the evening it is usually either dancing, taking flashlight pictures, or karaoke. The worship times in the evening have been good. We have either been playing songs from our iPods and singing over them, playing guitar and singing, or having the Italians lead worship. I love to see the Italians worship in their own language.

It has been really cool to see some of the guys and girls that were here last year come back. One of the boys named Luca Borelli was here last year. He was right at that point in his life where he was on the fence. He came to the camp and gave his life to Christ. I consider it a huge blessing to see him one year later; how much God has changed his life! He allowed Christ to impact him and mold him. I feel like so many people are afraid of what they think might happen if they open up to God's will. I also feel like many people don't want to spend the time it takes to really understand the true message of Christ. As a non-believer, the idea of going to church doesn't spark much excitement. I think it has a connection with rejection by those “Christians” who are there waiting for them; standing there and judging them as soon as they walk through the door. It's so hard to break a stereotype... I think of some of my friends back home who I have invited to church and they have told me these things. It breaks my heart. To see Luca and so many of the kids from last year who hadn't experienced that stereotype allow themselves to hear the message of Christ is such a blessing. For our last day we had a morning game that Tony was really excited about. It was just a relay race but he said that it was perfect for the camp. At one station in the relay race I setup two hula-hoops that I made Dennis and Tony stand in. The kids had to run up to a rope and, using only 10 water balloons, hit both of them. While we were talking through the progression of the race, Tony told Dennis “After the race, if possible, me and you with all the students ..uh..” then Dennis took over and completed his sentence; “you

want to let the kids throw the rest of the water balloons at us?” Tony said, “Yes”. So then after the race I sent all the youth over to their station and they took the barrage of water balloons... Dennis actually grabbed two plastic bowls to protect he and Tony's vitals. Over the next 2 minutes there were a few hundred balloons thrown.. The bowls broke, there were several welts from the balloons, and multiple cuts from where the bowls had shattered. Tony went to Dennis after this and said, “Dennis, you no understand what I am saying.” and then limped away... what he actually wanted was to run the race with Dennis. Another detail lost in translation. After lunch, the afternoon games, and dinner we set the stage for an evening of worship and testimony. Just like last year I was asked if I would give my testimony.. I had been preparing for about a week since the pastor in Florence wanted me to preach on the 31^st. I had planned on giving my testimony then. Many of the people that were listening to me that night had heard the story the year before, but half of the youth were new, members of our team were new, and the cooks were new.. 

This time I wrote an outline of what I wanted to say. One thing that always amazes me is how uncovering memories that are buried in your mind can fill your eyes so full of tears and bring you straight to your knees. I found myself several times unable to speak. I remember saying to God in my head, “If you have a message that you want me to share, please let me speak.” It's not my job to know who I am speaking to.. or what I am saying to them. It is only God that decides what someone needs to hear. I had several of the youth, and even some of my team approach me after I shared to tell me what God was saying to them through my testimony. I realized then that my life is not simply another life that contains tragedy and pain, but something that I was allowed to endure so that through the healing of Christ it would bring people comfort and hope. The trials that I have endured molded me into what God wanted me to be. I also realized for the first time that it is my duty to share what God has done in my life. If I don't, then the pain I have experienced is for nothing.

We got up and started cleanup the next day, we said our goodbyes, and Tony took us to the train station. We all went to Rome, dropped off Andrew and the girls, then on to Florence. Joubert and I took a slow train to try and save some money. We bought our tickets, and then waited for the train as we watched the train schedules. Our train was canceled; so we ran to get onto another train that was heading to Milan. We had great conversation about how we saw God working in our lives, and even listened to a podcast from Francis Chan. We arrived in Florence around 8:30pm and went to bed.

Yesterday I attempted to go through the thousands of pictures that I have... It took me right up to the point when I had to go and give my testimony again at church. I waited to give my testimony as people began to show up. At first it was looking like it was going to be only our group and maybe a few others, and then more people came. There were not very many people in the crowd but I still planned to do my preaching. When it came time to preach I noticed a few more people in the back row that had snuck in while we were in worship. I gave my testimony. It actually turned out be quite different than when I gave it at the camp, but again I had some of the people come up to me and tell me what God was saying to them.. It was a confirmation for me that God was using my testimony to speak.

And now it is the evening of August 1^st.

As you must now know, I linked to Dennis's website every time his name appeared.
AND I have posted pictures from the camp on this website... CLICK HERE