Today was the final day of our middle school camp for campers aged eleven to fourteen. Our speaker was Peter Valji from Cary, Maine. He is the pastor of the Baptist church in that town, but Maine is just his most recent home as he follows the Lord where He leads. Peter, an Asian Indian by ethnicity, was born in Kenya, Africa and immigrated to Canada as an adult. After going to seminary in Texas, he has pastured churches on both sides of the northern border.
Our theme, like last week’s high school camp’s theme, was the book of Ecclesiastes. Classes, services, even some games were built around this theme of Solomon’s search for the true meaning of life. For example, we held a scavenger hunt where the different teams earned tickets for accomplishing tasks or finding certain clues. In the end, though, we never counted the tickets (Chasing success is like trying to catch the wind). However, we then told the campers that, just like God’s grace is for everyone, ALL the teams would be getting breakfast in bed the next morning served by their counselors!
I juggled for the kids each morning at 11:00 until lunch. I touched on various themes on different days, and, as usual, the kids looked forward to the shows almost as much as I looked forward to performing. This is a great venue to try new things or reintroduce routines that I have shelved for a period of time. I did my torch swinging routine to “Go Light Your World” for the first time in years. It went well. I did four and five ball juggling to the song “Great Big Stupid World” for the first time ever, and it was awful! I did my new three ball routine re-choreographed to the Staples family’s “Pray Hard”, and it was solid. I did fire balls for the first time since probably last year, and it was excellent. And so it goes.
Most importantly the kids who came to camp this week were blessed by some amazingly loving, kind and hard working counselors and CITs, most of whom are still in their teens. Out of 21 counseling staff, only three are out of their teens. I love their amazing energy and creativity.