Helena 2012 Pictres - Day 4 Celebration Misc.

Helena Camp Day 4 Thursday & Celebration

Helena Camp Day 4 Thursday

On the road again   500miles, 500 miles………………………                                                        Lord, I wish it were only 500 miles – actually 828miles.  By the time you receive this, camp will be over and I will be somewhere between Jackson and Nashville.  Our first Starbucks stop is behind us and many naps have already taken.  619 miles to go and 207 behind us.

The shirts are passed out and the certificates delivered,  the last ball put away- but the memories are forever.  We ate barbeque AGAIN last night and it wasn’t bad.  Prior to, we gathered and were entertained by all the campers.  Rylee was a natural.  Lindsey and Ira led the largest group and videos are available.  It only takes a little bit of “ice cream and cake” to be enough.  The group made it’s normal runs to Sonic and Best Coke in Town where we all swear that this will be our last banana shake for a long time.                                                          

Now, back to The Edwardian where we wrap up the week and discuss the days events.  I saw God in response to earlier prayers.  We had a child injured in camp on Tuesday and after a serious prayer session on Wednesday;  Shante returned to camp on Thursday, smiling and jumping off the diving board for the first time.  Praise be to God!

If I may exercise journalistic freedom – I must say that most of our group feel a particular closeness to this mission.  In my 4^th year, I felt my greatest sense of accomplishment yet.  Many of us have a desire for this to be an ongoing HBBC Mission project.  The love for and shown to Kate Hall and Bob & Carol Barksdale is unbelievable.  The lasting impression of Courtney and her sister Brenda Wilson Is so tremendous.  Not lastly, but also – we probably couldn’t have a successful trip without Elsie’s laugh.  Rylee’s giggles almost topped that.  You could never say enough about the impact our own Kristen Muse has had on the camp.  For those that don’t know, Kristen has a big hand in the curriculum planning.  We owe a special thanks to Mollie Palmer and Cat Bahn for taking over, working there way thru numerous crises and pulling together a GREAT camp.

CLOSING OUT FOR YEAR 10

From the Delta

David

Helena 2012 Wednesday Camp Day 3

Helena 2012 Wednesday Camp Day 3

The machine is oiled and running smoothly.  The end of the line is in sight!  The Blessings Committee turned out 238 bag lunches today and had them delivered by 10:45.  Rylee's help this morning was a primary reason we finished early (see pic)  It was meant to be a catch up  day for our team.  We made our way out to The Welles' for a promised return visit and when we left, it was time for lunch.  With camp concluding at 2PM, not much time was left as we were to be at The Chamber of Commerce by 3PM.  Bob and I then went by Ace Hardware, picked up a “bow” lock (dead bolt) for Miss Nora’s side door.  Bob had arranged with Bill (local carpenter) to install.

Sounds like an easy day – Done …………….No where close.  We finally conclude the team evening wrap up meeting at 10:30.                                                                                                        .   

OK – Back to the Edwardian -- I must ramble….This is our home away from home.  We stay at an old Victorian Bed & Breakfast in Helena hosted by Dana and Lynn Chadwick. You couldn’t find a better place.  Dana feeds us every morning and it is essentially a “food channel” experience.  We sort of take over his place and it’s like home.  The kids (and some adults) have a warm, third floor apartment/dormitory arrangement.  Each room and the house is eloquently decorated.

The 1 ½ hour Chamber visit provides views of Helena past and present.   Since this visit was not mandatory, some of the hot tired campers remained behind for Cabot cheese and crackers while others shopped and some visited “Best Coke in Town”.  Now it is 5PM and our swim group heads off to The Methodist Church for barbeque so they can be at adult swim by 6pm.  This is an every night affair folks.  Our swim group assures me that the rewards are well worth the effort.  I promise to join them tonight (not in the water) to take pictures only.

Next the entire camp heads to Delta Fellowship Church for a “Spiritual” service celebrating the week and the ten years of the All Church Challenge.  This program was provided by local teens that had aged out of camp and had developed strong Christian values, largely because of camp.  It was a VERY moving experience as I will discuss later.   “Our” camp was started 10 years ago and was run by Ben and Leonora Newell until this year.  Mollie Palmer and Cat Bahn have done a beautiful job carrying on this year.  CBF Arkansas made a 20 year pledge to Phillips County and has just completed its 10^th.  I proud to say Hayes Barton has participated all ten years with Bob and Carol Barksdale and Kate Hall being present for each of those years.

After a quick trip to The Sonic for ½ price milk shakes we return to The Edwardian for our 9PM group “wrap-up”.   We were fortunately joined by our assigned intern, Brooke, and three other camp interns.  Kristen’s first question was, “Where did you see God today”.  Margaret almost immediately answered and told how present God was in the youth that participated at Delta earlier.  After some thought, almost everyone was in full agreement.  And…. We were lucky enough to have three of these kids in our presence.   Ira concluded the program at Delta with a solo performance that was unbelievable and that would have left Jeff Brooks envious.   We concluded with a group prayer and God’s work had been done.

Another Long Day Concluded

From the Delta

Dave

Helena 2012 Tuesday in the Delta

Typical Delta Day in July - Hot, 98 degrees and very humid; and all is well!   Tomorrow we start on the backside of camp week and we have had an unbelievable number of touching and wonderful experiences.  Our blessing team started the day making and delivering 256 lunch bags containing bologna sandwiches with the red ring left on.  Being that we finished lunches at 11:20, we opted to skip camp lunch and visit Ms. Nora and Mr. Curley.  If you remember the story from last year, Ms. Nora was the lady that was so sick that we helped get her home from the clinic.  Most of us thought that she would never leave her chair.  Since last year, Nora has lost 90 pounds and regained her spirit to be in charge and is up and about.  We bought sandwiches at the Corner Grocery and enjoyed then with Nora & Curley.

Kristen asked tonight where saw God today?  Bob expressed that a Nora story he heard was a wonderful experience and the entire Blessings  team agreed ,  Charlie had collapsed from apparent heart ailments.  Ms. Nora begged Charlie not to leave her and told Jesus not to let it happen. She touched him over and over and demanded he get up.  Charlie did come to and get up.

We later delivered cookies and had nice visits with Mr. Cunningham (furnishes ice), The Flanagan Family, the Propane Company and Pastor Williams and Jean.   Great visits were had with each and Mrs. Williams invited HBBC for dinner next year.  The evening dinner was taco salad at Delta Fellowship followed by ½ price milkshakes at the Sonic drive-in.  A few opted to pay full price at “Best Coke in Town”.

 Hope and Margaret expressed again last night the joy received in doing adult swim.  Hope told me, “You really need to come and take pictures of these older ladies swimming” and Margaret stated that she was tired, ready for a break and begrudgingly went to the pool.  Working with her little lady resulted in a satisfaction and transformation.  She forgot she was tired, she was smiling and she was so glad she was there.

Noted earlier was the presence of Rev. Muse.  Along with Kristen comes Riley.  We want to bottle that energy, that laughter, that smile.  She and Taylor had us all thinking we were young again.  She was a nice addition to camp.  If you haven’t been to the Delta to see God work, you should come!

From the Delta 
I and The HBBC Mission Team bid you a good night

David

Helena 2012 Wk.2 Camp Day 1 Monday

Helena 2012

Helena 2012 Wk 2 Camp Day 1 Monday

What a wonderful start to ACC Camp Week 2.  The morning started and ran so smoothly.  There was a hiccup here and a hiccup there but we adjusted.  Our Blessings Team was called to registration and immediately sent to make 184 bag lunches as no other help was available. Kate’s life was probably the easiest ever as she explained.  She couldn’t tell us enough about how great the waterproof forms were that Charles Wheless developed for her over a two year period.  If you combine that with Cat and Mollie’s pre-testing swimmers, life was great.

From the pool, Hope was touched by the activity and attitudes of those doing adult swim and Elsie was so excited about having so many volunteers to help after aging out of camp.  The community IS getting involved and taking up slack!

Taylor and Bill had a hot but good day on the courts. T was really excited about seeing Fred, a student and camper from 2 years ago.  He hurried up to Taylor to tell her how good he had gotten in 2 years,

After baking cookies at New Light, the Blessings Committee did an quick lunch at Granny Dee’s.  Granny had made a sweet potato pie especially for Bob.  We then ventured out into the county delivering cookies.  Stops were made at the fire department and the visitor’s center.  We then visited with two families and delivered cookies and love.  We visited with a gentleman that lost his wife in April.  His daughter was there visiting from Oklahoma.  We were so blessed.  What a wonderful man, so humble and so welcoming.  From there we met with a wonderful lady you know from last year, Miss Helen and two of her children.  Miss Helen told us that four years ago she quit counting her foster children at 125.

Our venture into lunch making turned from unexpected chore to a blessing.  We worked at The Family Center with 3 lovely ladies:  Gracie Gonner, Exec. Dir. of the center and two Pastor’s wives, Camille Hale and Luella Davis.

At the closing of our 9:30 summary meeting; Brooke Gerber, our intern closed us with prayer.

From the Delta, Goodnight!

David