Walking through a day at camp!

A day at camp begins with us meeting the kids right after school, getting on to the bus and all arriving at Camp Hope together. 

 Camp Hope is a place where these young girls have role models who love them, speak into their lives and are there for them as a friend. As you can see they adore her! 

 At Camp some of these young boys for the first time have an older male in their lives who is not a bad influence to them. Some one to show to demonstrate a different way to live. He is a godly man who disciplines and directions them and as a result they greatly seek his approval/love.

 At camp you can be yourself, whether your loud and out going or quiet and shy, you are valued and loved for being you!

 It is also a place where you just be. A lot of these kids have no where to be and no one to be home with them. So whether they have had a hard day they known it's a place where they are welcomed!

 It's a place for fun! To dress up, imagine, laugh and to be free!

 We also have snack, carrots, cheese and crackers!

 Of course we spend time learning, whether that's doing our homework, writing our own comic stripes or learning new things together!

The power of a father's embrace

 It captured my attention, I was sitting in church and couldn't take my eyes off the man a few seats down the row. He sat front row, listening fully engaged and completely oblivious to what was shaking up my heart. His arms were wrapped fiercely around his son, his large body full encompassed the little boy as he snuggled deep into the embrace. This young boy around the age of 8 rested his head on his father’s arm that was holding him securely.

It was so beautiful it broke my heart, because of the pure innocence of the father who in that moment did not even realize what he was giving his son and for the little boy completely unaware of the immense care being shown to him. It broke my heart for so many young boy who have never experienced such an embrace from the strong arms of a father, who have never felt the security to lay limp, surrendered of all the “little boy” strength or toughness to be caught and content in the shelter of arms stronger than their own.

I think of how love holds the power to breaks down barriers of in dependency, self-protecting and self-defense to being cared for, defended and protected. I think of 12 year old's who have no place that they can feel this kind of protection and love of a Father.

I pray that this man with his child may understand the depths of what He is faithfully being to his son and that he may understand the importance of it. And for the so many boys who lack the protecting, secure embraces of their fathers I pray that they would find this place where they can give up the struggle and snuggle into the shelter of their heaven Father’s arms!