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

Helena 2012 Wk 2 Sunday

Helena 2012 Wk 2 Sunday

Today is the Sabbath and we enjoyed a morning of worship.  Prior to leaving for worship, we had 3 computers tuned into vimeo, courtesy of HBBC and Dan Musten.  Ultimately we completed the service and as David With said to Wyatt Coleman and Sarah Grimes – WOW!

The Giles, the Barksdale’s, Hope and David attended New Light Baptist as evidenced by these pictures. Their usual pastor, Ed Wade was out of town and brother Maurice White was filling in. His sermon was from John chapter 8 verse 12.  Maurice explained that we should be a candle and light unto the world.  He said that the two ways for us to be a light  were either to be a candle or be a mirror that effects that light.  He said that as a mirror shines brighter after applying Windex, and the more often the better; that when we nurture our soul, we can also shine brighter.  It was a glorious day with one new member coming forward.  As always, the Men’s Choir was outstanding with our Lionel Richie look/sound alike at his best.  Kate, Taylor, Margaret and Courtney attend St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church and received an inspiring message from brother Ernest Womack.  Kate was able to reconnect with a lady that she had given her cross to last year in a very meaningful story.

Lunch followed at The Helena Country Club followed by an afternoon of team meetings.  As the teams gathered at New Light for a spaghetti dinner; David, Courtney and Taylor headed to Memphis to pick up Elsie and Benda.  We returned to Helena about 9:15 to attend a team wrap up and planning session and ………………….now at 11PM – blog time.

We are out of here early each morning as Camp begins at 8AM this year rather that nine.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as you are in ours.  Best to our youth heading for passport camp.

From the Delta

David

Helena AC Camp 2012 Week 2 beginning and Week 1 wrap-up

Week 1 at ACC in Helena has come and gone!  Our church was ably represented by Kate Hall and her niece Margaret.   Our swim program would not run without “Miss Kate”

Speaking of running without, Ben and Leonora Newell are absent for the first time in 10 years.  They are truly loved and missed but left the camp in great hands in the persons of Mollie Palmer and Cat Bahn .  Last week started well and continued that way.  Congrats and Bravo to all who participated.

Our HBBC team is arriving by 2’s or 4’s.  Last week came Kate and Margaret followed on Friday by David, Bob, Taylor Hawkins and Courtney Wilson.  This group drove out early so David and Bob could fish with Mr. Charlie Wells and “Miss Tina”, more affectionately known as Pappa and Mamma.  The day fishing provided  many laughs and stories . (to remain in Helena).  Next arriving, the dream team (Carol Barksdale, Hope Long and Bill & Linda Giles).   Our next pair arrive in Memphis late today in Elsie and Brenda Wilson to be followed by Kristen and Riley on Tuesday.

Last night we attended the 2^nd Saturday celebration downtown, toured the Delta Cultural Center, sampled local appetizers, ate BLT’s at the B & B, held our first team meeting, checked out Betsy on Facebook and turned in early

From the Delta, we will watch Kristen on Vimeo

David