Where to begin? With 6 Teams out on the road the phone calls, emails and texts have been coming in so thick and fast I have barely had time to pull myself together after the Retreat!
I am hoping that, before I Post this, at least one of the Team Leaders will have sent me some Week 1 photos. Jillian was supposed to send some yesterday but, so far, I have been unable to access the file.( sigh, modern technology) (Yay!, just got them sorted!!!)
I think I will just give a quick update on each Team, by number…..
Team 1– Samantha, Stacy and Dilon, have had a good week in Long Sault. They had roughly 20 Campers, hot sunny weather, and no major disasters until the end of the week when Samantha fell ill with some sort of virus, and had to miss the last Day. We were very glad that Alison ( one of my favourite Coordinators!!) was there to hold the reins together!!
Pics just arrived for Team 1
Team 2– Josiah, Keisha and Benjamin, have also enjoyed a scorching week in Toronto! They had over 40 children at the Day Camp with a large Parish Team, some of whom have plenty of experience. The Team also was given some special sight-seeing opportunities, even taking a tour of the CN Tower! Their Closing Service takes place tomorrow morning, after which they will be climbing on the Mega-Bus home to Montreal to join up with Team 1, under the leadership of Brenda (who arrives, by train, from London tomorrow, to lead the Day Camp at the Chinese Alliance Church, in Hampstead.)
Team 3–
Jillian, Amudha and William have had their work cut out for themselves this week at the Camp on Gordon’s First Nation in Sask. over 70!!!! Children participated with an average of 40-50 each day. WHEW!!! Fortunately they did have some helpers from the local community, but they have certainly been stretched in many ways in their first week out on the road. Their Camp held it’s Closing on Thursday afternoon and now the Team has moved to Daystar First Nation where they are able to grab a bit of rest before starting their second Camp.
Team 4– David, Michael and Desirae have a had a good week with Rev. Pat and the gang in Melfort, Sask. The last 2 years Camps have been very small so the Team was delighted to end the week with 18 Campers. I enjoyed having a G-talk chat with the 2 boys on Thursday evening and hope to do the same tonight. I hope to get a glimpse of the grey parrot who I understand is a member of their host family’s menagerie!!
Team 5-Janice and Josiah, have had a different sort of experience in Moncton. Mercifully, they were reunited with their lost Supply Tub (see previous Post) on Monday, but then had to adapt to a Day Camp Week with only 5 Campers. Fortunately they relied on one of the “4C’s” of Day Camps- Creativity, and adapted the program each day to meet the needs of their tiny group. Interestingly the Parish Team at this particular church has always been quite reserved and not eager to volunteer in leading BUT because of the small number of Campers the Parish Team has felt confident to step out and try new things!! to the extent that one of them is already filling out a Team Application for NEXT Summer!!! I am so glad that Janice has had the wisdom to see the special role the Team could play this week in empowering the Parish Helpers and that they have had a great week and felt very welcome at St.James. All three of their other Camps will be in first time churches around the Moncton area so they are sure to have some more exciting adventures in the weeks to come!!
Team 6– Andrew and Angela (aka the “A” Team!) Have had the most tumultuous week of all our Teams. It is a real blessing that they are both very reliant on prayer because they have certainly needed it and will be requiring more as the coming weeks unfold.
Not, I hasten to add, that there were any problems at St. Paul’s Edmonton. We just love sending Teams to St. Paul’s. the Parish is always welcoming, well prepared and eager to make Day Camps a super experience for all involved. The week there has been great. With perfect weather, keen Campers and even a visit from Brett Cane who took the Team on a special outing to West Edmonton Mall!!. Andrew also got to enjoy Shakespeare in the Park one other evening!!
BUT.. on Tuesday I received the devastating news that ALL the other 3 scheduled Team 6 Day Camps have been CANCELLED.
I immediately called Nancy, in Edmonton to consult. I was blessed that, even, though she was not yet home from Day Camp,her husband, William took time to pray with me.
Later Nancy and I consulted. We decided not to ruin the week for the Team but to let Andrew know that there was a problem in Slave Lake so that he would not phone ahead, mid-week, as the Leaders are trained to do.
The email had said that the Coordinator would be calling me on Thursday. Meanwhile I spoke with several prayer warriors and we all prayed for the Team, for the 150 or so children of Slave Lake who had attended last year’s Camps, for wisdom etc.
It seems that since the Coordinator had been in hospital for surgery, no one else in the Ministerial had moved ahead with preparations and thus no billets, no craft supplies, no helpers, or other volunteers had been organised.
When I finally spoke with the Team, after having talked with the Coordinator, they took it quite well but were of course really stunned. Andrew said ” you mean ALL our Camps are gone?”.
But we are all trying to pick up the pieces and move forward. The Youth Pastor at St. Paul’s has welcomed our Team to join with the Youth Group in a local Outreach project next week and billets have been found to house the Team.
There is hope of a Camp in a town near Edmonton for Week4, so presently we are praying for suitable ministry in Week3.
I am very thankful for all the many kind people in Edmonton who have rallied to support Andrew and Angela and to affirm them in the Ministry for which they were Commissioned a mere 10 days ago.
We trust that God has a new adventure for them and that He will Bless them as they seek to Serve wherever they are called.
And at home, I’m preparing for Brenda’s arrival tomorrow, and the whole Huyer Family on Monday AND for a Senior Youth Camp Staff meeting Monday evening for which, in a moment of rashness I agreed to cook dinner.
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| Hot Cat! |
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| Hot Dog! |
It is still REALLY hot here, today was a whopping 34C with high humidity, my garden is drooping despite careful watering of the more delicate plants.
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| My Shawl |
This week I have also managed to squeeze in a bit of handwork, finally finishing my new shawl, I saw the Pattern here and traced it to Ravelery
Plus I’ve been crocheting a beaded necklace as a birthday gift for my friend Sue who’s birthday is next weekend.
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| Sue’s Necklace |
Today I was crazy enough to make 7 jars of blueberry jam, might as well boil jam when the kitchen is already “boiling hot”!!!
Then I made a huge bowl of iced Mango soup, which will be the dessert of the SYC staff meeting.
Mango Soup is a perfect July treat and so easy to throw together. Serve it sprinkled with blueberries for extra-special yumminess!
Mango Soup
- 2 fresh mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- juice and rind of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 litre vanilla almond milk
Place mango, sugar, lemon rind and juice, almond extract and eggs in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a large serving bowl. Using a wire whisk beat in the almond milk, continue beating until frothy.
Chill at least 1 hour, or freeze. Thaw until icy cold, whisk again before serving
Serves 4-6