A Camp Where God Moved

We have just finished a great week of camp! I’m still tired of all the work and this is probably not the last post about the camp, but I wanted to give you an initial report. This was a great camp! Let me just repeat something that you have probably heard me say by now, God is not done with Portugal!

Let me just outline a few things that made this a great camp:

• Some of the campers have been to all four years of camps. This allows them to make full use of their time. They already know how camp works, so they are able to concentrate even more on the teaching and be more sensitive to the Lord’s work in them. Also, they are able to help the new campers to do the same.
• Even though all the people in charge of teaching are given the general theme of the camp, it is always amazing to see how God puts everything together. This has been true in a special way in this camp as well.
• No one got hurt and all campers returned home safely. This is always a big concern. We feel the great responsibility of taking care of other people’s children. We praise the Lord for His provision and protection.
• From day one of this camp, it was obvious that the Lord was working in campers’ hearts. Many deep spiritual conversations were going on all the time. I praise the Lord for the opportunity he gave me to be a counselor in this year’s camp.
• I had the chance to share with the campers our vision regarding church planting and the role that they could have in reaching Portugal, if they kept serving the Lord by walking faithfully with him. I was amazed (I have to admit my little faith) at the impact the challenge to turn their lives completely to Christ had throughout the camp. One of the teens asked about starting to take Bible Institute courses. Wow!
• The work missionaries Allen and Barb Newton (my in-laws) did to make this a successful camp is amazing! They are an example and an inspiration. As always, Aura helped her mom in the kitchen, among other responsibilities. She so much enjoys spending time with her mom!
• It was a huge privilege to lead two young men to Christ at this year’s camp. When the first one came to me, I asked him, “Why would God let you in Heaven? Don’t you know God is holy and that there can be no sin in Heaven? The Bible tells us what sin is and it is against God. Have you ever told a lie? Disobeyed your parents?” I could see the tears start forming in his eyes. He said. “But don’t we have the blood of Christ?” Yes we do, my friend, yes we do. After we looked at a few more Scriptures, I had the privilege of hearing him pray a sincere prayer of repentance and faith in Christ. Wow!
• I was praying that the Lord would work in me as well. I kept struggling with the thought, “Is there more that maybe I could do to impact these young people? They live immersed in such a messed up culture.” As I studied, prayed and prepared, I kept going back to the Gospel. So I preached Christ. Just Christ. Once again it was proved that He is sufficient. I think that only now I understand fully what another missionary said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”