Garage Sale

Camp of the Hills is having a garage sale fundraiser this Saturday, November 7th. It is all day on the parking lot of Security State Bank on 281 in Marble Falls. If you can, come on down and help, or bring us some baked goods to sale. Pray that we have a good sale, because all the money will be going to help Camp of the Hills make the summer better for the children.

CotH 2009 Video – End of Summer Slideshow

Click here to view the Camp of the Hills 2009 Slideshow

I’m also hoping that some of the counselors from this past summer will have stories to tell about the kids they worked with, the lessons they learned, and the ways God molded them. Look for them in the coming weeks!

Update

Well, I obviously planned to update the blog much more during the summer months. Unfortunately, I had not planned for the intense amount of work I had in front of me. My first year as Camp Director was more than I could have imagined in every way. It was a great summer, but a difficult one, to be certain.

I’m going to try to to upload some video of the summer to give you an idea of what the summer did, but there’s no way to put down in words, pictures, or video the amazing work that was done at Camp of the Hills in 2009. Hopefully the video will get us started in recounting some of the stories from lat summer, and be a springboard for looking towards Summer 2010!

Camp of the Hills 2009

Well, it has finally arrived! CotH 2009 is well underway, and everyone out here is really excited. We’ve got some great counselors for this summer, and while we’re still trying make a few last minute additions to our staff, things are looking up. We’ve never had some many new counselors in a summer, so it’s exciting to see how everyone meshes together. We’ll have kids here in less than a week, which mean the fun is only just getting started. Check back for more updates as the summer rolls along!

Camp Prayer/Fast 2009

Howdy everyone! Yes, as you’ve probably guessed, the semester’s end has killed my productivity when it comes to posting on the Blog. But, with Camp of the Hills 2009 quickly approaching, look for more posts, especially once I’ve finished with research papers and final exams. But right now, I want to alert you to something really cool that is going on all over the world.

Beginning April 19th and running through May 2nd, we have at least one former, current, or future counselor, or some other friend of Camp, fasting and praying about the kids who are coming to Camp of the Hills this summer. We have been blessed to have more than the fourteen people I was hoping for, so that on a few days, we have two people fasting.

This makes me happy for two main reasons. For one, it shows that there are a lot of people all over the world who love Camp enough to sacrifice a whole day to fast and pray for the work being done this summer. That shows me how much of an impact Camp has had not only on our campers, but people who have been involved over the years.

But more than that, I’m excited that right before summer starts, the kids, some of which have been counting down the days until Camp of the Hills, some who have never heard of the place, are being bathed in prayer. So many hardened hearts will pass through our doors this summer. There will be many walls for love to tear down. But I believe it’s possible, especially as together we lift up their case to the Father.

If you would like to be a part of this effort, we would love to have you help. Feel welcome to join us sending up extra prayers on behalf of the kids. If you’re interested in taking a day to fast, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com.

Planning & Recruiting Update

My apologies for the long hiatus, but a combination of school, travel, and Camp of the Hills planning has made my schedule tighter than I’m used to. The blog was easier to manage when I wasn’t a full-time student. Happily, we’re swiftly approaching the end of the semester, which means I’ll have more time to update. Once Camp officially starts, I think we’ll have a lot of really interesting content for y’all.

For now, let’s catch up on important happenings. We held a planning retreat last weekend that went beautifully. Now we have a theme for the summer, Bible studies planned out, a tweaked daily schedule, and lots and lots of details worked out. The weekend has lifted a huge burden from my back, and within another week or so, we should be almost finished with all the paperwork I need to get through.

As far as the theme for the summer goes, we have tried in recent years to find meaningful and relevant passages that we can break down day by day. This year, we found that in Ephesians 2:4-5: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (NIV Translation).

As far as recruiting goes, God has been blessing Camp left and right. We’re still looking for more counselors, the Guys’ side is notably short-staffed right now, but God has been sending people He’s chosen to us.

If my current projections are correct, we should have more than forty counselors spread out over the course of the summer. Some will stay for the whole summer, while others will be serving for one half. I firmly believe that a larger counseling staff will be able to better meet the needs of these kids, especially based on the rave reviews I’ve heard so far from many of the new counselors’ references. And beyond this summer, as larger base should provide us with a strong core of returning counselors for the future.

Speaking of the newbies, I’m excited to say that this summer could possibly be the greatest influx of new counselors that I’ve ever seen. Our small number of returning counselors could have been viewed as a negative, and I’ll admit it had me worried for a long time, is turning into an amazing blessing. Fresh faces and new ideas will be flooding into CotH this year. Right now, only about ten to fifteen of our 2009 counselors have worked at CotH before, as opposed to around twenty-five first timers. I’m blessed and honored to be a part of it all.

God has been working hard to make this summer all that it can be. I hope you’re as excited as I am to be along for the ride!

Counselor Stories – Laquita Alexander

Sorry for the long absence, but things have been pretty busy as of late. I’m happy to have another awesome counselor story to post.

I love COTH!!!  It is absolutely amazing!  I only planned on working a half summer when I first agreed to be a counselor, but there was no way I could leave after that first half or that I could avoid returning for another insane summer.  COTH is my happy place.  You’ve probably heard about some of the infamous COTH crazy camper stories, and they are all probably true.  The kids often come in with horrible attitudes, but by the end of the week and after a lot of prayer and patience, you will see a change in each of them.  I can’t tell you how many times my campers made fun of me, said they hated me, and pushed buttons I didn’t even know I had throughout the week, and then left crying as they held onto me saying they’d never felt more at home.  You’ll have seventeen year olds call you mommy because you are more of a mother to them then they’ve ever known.

These kids have had a rough past, and they come in expecting you to be like every other person in their lives who said they cared but never showed it.  Frankly, that’s why the kids push you.  They want you to prove you really care, but after you earn their respect and trust, God will undoubtedly break the barriers down.  With the help of Christ, you can be possibly the first and maybe even the only/last person to show them what true love is.  God will give you opportunity after opportunity to grow as a Christian and to become Christ to the kids.

If you want an easy summer, don’t work at COTH, but if you want a summer you’ll never forget and that will make you grow as a Christian in more ways than you can imagine, COTH is the place for you.  I can’t even begin to describe how much camp means to me.  If you want detailed stories, feel free to contact me, but in general, if you are considering camp, do it!  I have no doubt that if you open yourself up to be God’s tool; COTH will be one of the best experiences you’ve ever had.

Laquita Alexander – CotH Counselor 2007-2008

Photo Wednesday – CotH Staff

In our third iteration of Photo Wednesday, we’ll be focusing on the Camp of the Hills staff, other than counselors. Just because they don’t sleep in a cabin every night doesn’t mean they weren’t vitally important to running CotH last summer.

Derick Rogers – Camp Director

Willie De La Rosa – Staff Assistant

Courtney Rogers – Secretary/Substitute Nurse

Kristi Carman – Staff Assistant Coordinator/Substitute Nurse

Kathryn Carman – Staff Assistant

Mama Kaki – Staff Assistant Coordinator

Ben Roberts – Staff Assistant

Mel Bowman – Executive Director

Also, I know I missed a couple of people in these galleries. I don’t have a picture of Shelby Cole, who was a Staff Assistant for a week last summer, and missed Nathan, a guy counselor from Week 4. I’m working on finding pictures of them in action at Camp, but we’ll see if I can find any.

Now that the 2008 Staff Photos are completed, let me know what the next theme should be. Remember that my favorite pictures are of dunking kids in the swimming hole, so if you don’t want a medley of small children tossed into the air then splashing down into the water, post a comment here and tell me what you want to see.

Counselor Stories – Tara Stephens

I know that it’s being posted a few hours late, but it was too good to keep to myself until next week. Here’s a short take on Camp of the Hills from the mouth of Tara Stephens.
Camp of the Hills was an eye opening experience for me and I can honestly say that it has had a huge part in not only shaping my idea of what a Christian should be but who I am as a Christian.
I’m going to be bold an say that not only do we live in a selfish world filled with self-centered people but we, all too often, live in a world of selfish Christians. Growing up in the church I was taught to be kind to everyone, not to curse, and to do the ‘right’ thing and this is what being a Christian basically was. Camp of the Hills altered that for me. It made being a Christian more than just the vague ‘doing what is right and being kind to others’ and it made it more of a lifestyle filled with self-less acts. Being a counselor at Camp of the Hills meant always putting yourself after your campers. Being a counselor meant giving away your favorite T-shirt to the girl who had no extra clothes to bring to camp. It means not sleeping much at night because 2 little boys wet their bed in the same night. Being a counselor at Camp of the Hills means hugging the little girl who is crying even when you know she had lice just yesterday.
Being a counselor at Camp of the Hills means unselfishly giving everything you have to kids who have almost nothing. It gives you the opportunity to be Jesus to a hurting child that needs Him.

Tara Stephens – CotH Counselor 2004-2007

Camp News – Retreat Recap

Last weekend was probably the most important three days for CotH Recruiting in a long time. We had a great turnout, and around thirty people showed up. It was about half former counselors, half new/prospective counselors.

Friday night was spent waiting for everyone to show up. It’s a long drive from Abilene or College Station, and most people didn’t get on the road until 5:00 or 6:00. So the early birds hung out and talked, got to know each other, and snacked a little. Eventually, everyone arrived, and we had our first devotion time of the weekend, with some singing and a short lesson. Then we spent the rest of the night, as former Director Chris Field would call it, “making memories.”

Saturday’s wake up call was bright and early. The 80 degree weather we’d enjoyed the day before decided not to stay for the retreat, and we were greeted to a very chilly morning. Mel cooked breakfast for us at 8:30, then we got started on some work projects. One group set about the task of organizing the Nurse’s Station. Since we get lots of donations from the Food Bank, we sometimes receive expired meds, and even the good medicine all seemed to be out of place. They sorted through, tossed out, and organized as best they could that morning.

Another group set forth to clean the barbecue pit. Supper was going to consist of my dad’s famous BBQ Chicken Ala Larry, so we wanted to get the grill prepared for the wonders that were about to be worked on it.

The final group was the largest of all. There had been a large tree-trimming extravaganza near the dining hall, and the dead limbs needed to be hauled off. Our task was to load these branches onto a trailer, follow the tractor to the dump site, then unload the branches. It took two trips, but we got the job done.

I had to give a report to the Board right before lunch, but we had time for a prayer walk around the camp grounds before that. We went around to some of the more prominent points of Camp of the Hills, like the cabins, swimming hole, and the crosses. At each place we stopped to pray for how the facilities will be used to bless the kids this summer.

We ended the prayer walk with what’s known as the “Rock Slide.” For those who don’t know much about Camp’s topography, we have two main sides of Camp: Guy’s Side and Girl’s Side. The guys sleep close to the sports fields and the cottages where the Sponsors and Camp Director stay. (Probably because there are a lot more discipline problems that require the Director on the Guy’s Side.) The girl’s cabins are closer to the dining hall and offices. In between them, there’s a good sized ravine that must be traversed to get from one side to the other.

Well, one of the hiking trails down into the ravine is very steep. It’s seen its fair share of slips and spills, and the number of hikers who have clambered up and down it over the last few years has taken its toll. We started from the top and had one last prayer, lead by former hikemaster Brad Nolen. When he finished, I looked at my clock and realised I had four minutes until the Board was expecting me to give my report. I tipped my hat and told Brad to get them back safely, then careened down slope, possibly setting a new state record. A few minor cuts and scrapes later, I was at the Board meeting.

The Board provided lunch for us, and it was excellent. We spread out to different tables, and the Board members came around and met everyone. After eating at a leisurely meal, we had some much needed free time. Some did homework, others napped, while a good number of us just spent time getting to know each other.

That evening we split up into two groups. The counselors returning for Summer 2009 and the prospective counselors came with me downstairs to pray for the kids and staff for next summer. Upstairs, Jennifer talked to the old counselors about supporting CotH financially. (We’re looking for lots of people to sign up on-line to do automatic giving each month of small amounts, instead of trying to rely on random large donations that only come once in a while.)

Dinner was great, as expected. Dad’s BBQ was spectacular, and my mom and grandma came up with him to cook all the sides. It was a great meal, and by this time it really felt like everyone was meshing well.

Our last activity Saturday night was a devotional time, but instead of having one person talk after a few songs, we sang by firelight, then opened up the floor. I asked old counselors to share a reason why CotH meant so much to them or something encouraging for the new people. For those who hadn’t been counselors before, they shared what God was doing to make them want to be counselors to kids from inner cities. It was a powerful night.

Sunday morning, we woke up and ate a little breakfast, then sang together and took communion. After doing that and cleaning up, we said our goodbyes and headed out. I was excited as I left, knowing that some who weren’t considering CotH before now were calling it their first option, and some who had committed to half of the summer were asking me if they could do the whole thing.

I think the main thing I learned this weekend is that nothing begets excitement about Camp of the Hills like being around other people who are excited about it. The weekend was a resounding success.