Here we are at the close of the Training Day Camp Week, with the Retreat all set to begin tomorrow. It would be impossible (and perhaps boring!) to cover all that has happened in the past week so this will be a (hopefully) short synopsis!
The 3 Training Team Leaders have been really super at checking in almost every day so that I was able to feel in the loop of what was happening at each Day Camp.
Of course there have been highs and lows, technical glitches, potential Team Members backing out, children with learning difficulties causing minor chaos etc. But by and large the sun shone, the Campers had a great time and the 3 Leaders came out alive! And the reports show that we have a group of truly dedicated Team Members.
It looks as if all of them will benefit from the next phase of training and will “earn their spurs” in time for the Commissioning Service this coming Thursday evening. I have already made three trips over to Isaiah 40 today! Alexander came shortly after 10am and we made two trips with frozen foods and other supplies from home, then while I attempted to cram everything into somewhat limited fridge and freezer space, he picked up the two (giant) orders of fresh produce and delivered them to me. After filling up the pantry, hanging a few more signs and setting out dishes for tomorrow I came home, had a quick lunch, then Wil and I went back and did a bit more setting up.
We will be shorthanded tomorrow until the evening so I want to have a lot of my own work done and be free to help get everyone organised when they start arriving.
The bad news is that we are still one person (well actually 3 people) short, but without 1 more we just cannot configure 5 Teams. And so we wait and pray for the small miracle, which can change our sorrow into joy!
There will be no Sunday Reflections Post tomorrow, at least I cannot promise one, as by 1pm, all hands will be on deck at Isaiah 40. Next Saturday watch for a proper report on the one week of the year for which we plan, virtually throughout the other 51 weeks!
There has been very little time in the garden this week, no time for sewing, and not even much for baking, but I did make some giant chocolate chip cookies, which I hope to use for ice cream sandwiches later in the summer…
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chip
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Blend together the dry ingredients and stir into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla and chocolate chips and mix well. Using an ice-cream scoop place mounds of dough on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment. Only put about 6 cookies per sheet, as they will spread into 5” rounds. Bake for 17minutes in a preheated 325F oven, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through. Makes 18-24 giant cookies.