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Cover Article
“Camp Shorts 2009"
From Alan DeFriese
Well, Camp Open Arms 2009 (COA) is now 6 weeks behind us. From time to time
folks are still asking, “How was Camp Open Arms this year?” I suppose my answer
to that question is similar each year, but there is one difference in this
year’s answer. Before I tell you this year’s different answer, please let me
quickly describe the COA 2009 experience…
...COA 2009 Weather – perfect! Teen Week temps were in the 80’s. PreTeen Week
was a little warmer, but certainly manageable. While we had a little bit of
rain, it never interrupted any of our outdoor activities.
...COA 2009 Facilities – since 1985, we have rented Eastover Retreat Center
(www.eastover.org). 283 acres, beautiful view of the James River, one-half mile
of beach, excellent sleeping accommodations, and excellent foodservice continue
to make Eastover the perfect COA location.
...COA 2009 Counselors – each year we recruit 16 counselors for each week. Some
have been working for many years, while others came for the first time. From
upcoming high school seniors to adults, our counselor staff seems to always be a
perfect mix. They were attentive to their campers and well equipped to minister
to their needs.
...COA 2009 Campers – they were awesome!!! Teen Week always brings back lots of
campers that have come for many years. They know COA well and love it!!! PreTeen
Week introduces many campers to COA for the first time, and most of them leave
saying they will come back next year. Although many of them come from very
difficult backgrounds, they are great kids, they behave well, and they love
being able to just be kids!!! Many who were already Christians committed to walk
more closely with the Lord in the coming year. 21 campers met the Lord for the
first time at COA 2009!!! To God be the glory!!!!
At the end of the two weeks we are all exhausted. The mornings are early, the
nights are late, and the days are packed – and we wouldn’t have it any other
way.
So, how is my answer different than other years? Simply put, although I was
physically exhausted, I didn’t want it to end. I was ready at the end of the
second week to begin all over again. The weather, facilities, counselors, and
campers all added up to an exceptional year of camp, and it was tough to shut it
all down.
Most of the campers have started back to school by now. As I think of them, I am
reminded of the many decisions that were made to live more fully for Him. The 21
campers that received Christ at COA are already facing tremendous challenges.
They will return to school hopefully focused on trying to now live for Christ.
Friends who knew them last summer will wonder if the change in them is real.
These very young believers will be tested and tempted in ways many of us cannot
imagine!! Please pray for them!!
Thanks to all of you for your support of Camp Open Arms!!! This week means more
to these young people than you will ever know!!! So many people are involved in
very behind-the-scenes ways to make COA happen. I thank God for all of you!!!
From Laura Garrett
During our cluster group time, or small group Bible study, I had asked my four
campers if they knew if they had invited Jesus into their hearts and lives.
KaBria's response was that she did not know whether she had done so or not. That
afternoon at the pool, I sat down with KaBria, began a casual conversation about
camp, and she asked me “who are Adam and Eve?” From there, KaBria listened
intently to the explanation of how we became sinful, how Christ died for our
sins, and how we can become saved. She immediately said, “I want to do that. I
want the old KaBria to go away and I want to become a new KaBria.” She was
recalling 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is
a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come!” This was a verse that
she, as well as the other campers, had learned earlier in the week. KaBria did
not become saved right there at the poolside because she voiced that she wanted
to think further about her decision before she made it. That evening, after
devotions, KaBria chose to become a Christian. She approached me and said, “I
want to be saved.” She prayed the prayer of salvation, inviting Christ in her
life, and she could not stop smiling after she did so.
From Faith DeFriese
Chapel on Friday was “How can I be saved?” It was the story of the Philippian
jailer. At the end of teaching the girls' chapel, I told them if they wanted to
talk about how to be saved to go see their counselor or to come see me. The
girls were then dismissed to go write postcards (which so many of you look
forward to receiving each year!). When that was over two of our teen girls came
up to me. Shakira said, as she pointed to her friend, “She wants to get saved,
but she's scared and doesn't know what to say!” I asked the other young lady,
Shonta', if she wanted to be saved. She was already crying and was only able to
nod her head yes. I sent Shakira back to her counselor and took Shonta' with me
to a back table. Following is a portion of our conversation: Faith “Shonta', why
do you want to be saved?” Shonta' “I don't want to go to hell.” Faith “Why are
you going to hell?” Shonta' “Because of all my sins.” Faith “Who can save you?”
Shonta' “Jesus!” Faith “Why?” Shonta' “Because He died for me.” Faith “Are you
ready to ask Him to be your Savior right now?” With tears, again she nodded her
head yes. We sat there crying for a few minutes before either of us could pray,
and then Shonta' prayed the sweetest prayer. Without any prompting from me, she
thanked God for giving her 12 years of life, for letting Jesus die for her sins,
and for forgiving all her sins and being her Savior!
As I walked her back to her cabin, I asked how she heard about our Camp (it was
her first year). She said her friend invited her. I said, “Shakira? The friend
that brought you to me when you were too scared to come alone?” She said yes.
What an awesome story!! When we got back to the cabins I found Shakira and
hugged her and thanked her for inviting Shonta' to come to Camp where she could
hear about Jesus and then for bringing Shonta' to me when she was too scared to
come alone! What a challenge to us! When was the last time you invited someone
to hear about Jesus? Or walked down the aisle with them when they were too
scared to go alone!! Lord, help me be more like Shakira!!!
From Kristin Fletcher
Asia was one of a few new girls in the Blue Cabin this year for Teen Week. She
was a fun, sweet girl but I knew very shortly that she was not a Christian. I
spent Monday and Tuesday really trying to get to know her and see how much she
understood spiritually. She asked so many questions. She was very curious about
things of the Lord and I was definitely put to the test to be able to answer her
questions. Asia was curious but she had not fully grasped the idea.
During our Bible Lesson Time on Wednesday I asked each of the girls where they
were spiritually. Asia was the last girl to answer and I could see her mind
working. She said that she had never asked God for forgiveness of her sins and
had not asked him to be in her life. I took her aside from my group so that we
could have a more private conversation. Asia completely opened up. She
understood it! She told me that she knew that she was a sinner and that Jesus
died on the cross. She wanted Him in her life! We prayed together and she had
the biggest smile on her face! At first she was shy about telling people but by
the end of the day she had announced it to the whole cabin! God really worked
through her life in those few short days and it was such a blessing to have God
work through me to reach Asia!
From Sara Simmons
At Camp Open Arms, 2009, I had the amazing opportunity to lead two young ladies
to the Lord. So many of the young kids there this year have lived through some
pretty hard times and really never seemed to find hope, but at camp they saw
that there was a hope ,a future, and that they would never be alone again. This
being my first time counseling at COA, God showed me that I should and need to
be, and always remain, thankful for having the past opportunities to see Christ
in my family and in my life. So many don't know his love and without him we are
and will be nothing...this is why we are here, to serve him with our whole
hearts. Now there are two more young ladies to join the group…Chianti and
Angel!!! Both girls asked Christ into there lives and are eager to learn and
share him to others...thanks for the opportunity to serve!!!
Superintendent's
Corner
Second Generation Campers
In recent years we have had the occasion to take to camp the
children of former campers (that makes me feel my age!). This year there were at
least five such families, of which we got pictures of three. What a blessing
that the parents’ experience at COA was so positive that they wanted their
children to share it.
Latoya attended COA in the early nineties; now she sends her
son Jerrod as well.
George also enjoyed an early nineties experience at COA. This year his children,
Michael, Lenaja, and Malaysia, followed in his footsteps.
Kesia went to camp in 1990 and 1991. Now her three offspring,
Dazia, Devine, and Jahzeel, also get to be campers.
I missed getting a photo of Lynn (camper in the 70's!) and
her son, Jerry, who has attended now for several years. Also unpictured are
former camper, Laura (also 70's), and her daughter, Morgan. Needless to say, we
are quite gratified at the generational succession we are now experiencing. All
of us have been places we wouldn’t think of sending our children. Clearly, Camp
Open Arms is not such a place!
A Note From Alan
Akil & Tim
The campers arrive at Camp around noon on Monday. At suppertime on Monday night
we noticed a very serious camper sitting at the next table. Tim Coats (our board
president who has served for several years as the head counselor of the Blue
Men) told us that Akil (a first-time camper) didn’t eat or drink anything. Tim
said he was very quiet and didn’t want to be at camp. We continued to watch him.
He didn’t eat or drink anything at breakfast Tuesday morning. The food was not a
large concern (a teenage boy will eat when he gets hungry enough), but the lack
of water would quickly turn into a problem. By Tuesday lunch we noticed he was
drinking, but still not eating. Wednesday morning after chapel Akil came to me
and wanted to talk. I had avoided him a little bit since I knew if he got to
talk to me, he would tell me he wanted to go home. As we talked he certainly
mentioned going home, and I quickly changed the subject. He explained (with
grammar and articulation that shocked me – in a good way) that he couldn’t
imagine that any of the other campers wanted to be his friend. He didn’t know
anyone at COA (which is the case with most of the campers), and wondered why the
other guys would come up and talk to him at all. We talked for several minutes
and I encouraged him as best I could. Tim was also working with him to draw him
out of his shell.
He continued to remain very distant all through Tuesday – he would just sit at
the poolside, stand in the background during most of our games, and keep to
himself. Through Tim’s steady encouragement Wednesday was a different day. I saw
him on the way to pool, and he had on his bathing suit. When I asked him if he
was getting in the water he said he thought he would!! I asked him if he had
eaten his hotdog at lunch. With a slight grin he said, “Yes, I did.” We had
turned a corner!!!
Akil turned out to be one of our sharpest campers – he was very intellectual,
and did well on his Bible lessons and Scripture memory each day. Tim chose Akil
to represent the Blue men on the Bible Quiz team. The Blue team won and Akil
went home with a trophy in hand and a smile on his face!!! God knew what Akil
would need that week. God worked it out so that he would be in Tim’s group. Tim
served Akil with patience and wisdom, and helped Akil to have a great week!!!
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