help from staff members

In our latest newsletter we asked our supporters to help with some of our programming needs.

Here's a response that was great to see from one of our summer staff members:

Hey Pheaney! I just got the spring newsletter from camp. I saw under the "wish list" that you guys were looking for sports equipment, board games, card games, movies, books, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, etc. The outreach group that I'm part of called Reach would love to help with that if that's cool with you. We could do it at school and have a big box for people to bring stuff and put it in, kind of like a food drive but for camp stuff. Let me know what you think of this idea! Thanks.

Spring Newsletter Piece

One thing we've witnessed over the last several years is the blessing of more and more former campers applying to work on summer staff.  This hiring season we had an additional step in the camper to staff progression:  A former camper turned Tyro (Jr High volunteer) turned Junior Counselor turned Counselor interviewed for one of our Site Director positions.  To my knowledge, this is the first time this has happened.

The Site Director position is one of twelve leadership positions we reserve for college-age students who have the abilities and character to lead the campers and staff members at one of our camp locations. The very fact that he interviewed for the position is evidence of God working in his life over the long-haul.  I'm grateful that Camp of Champions has been able to play a part in his journey, and I'm excited we can continue to help him develop his leadership abilities and spiritual gifts as he leads as a site director this summer.



Whenever we interview a potential staff member we ask the applicant to tell us about an adult whom they admire and respect.  Earlier this spring we interviewed a junior counselor applicant (who is a former camper and Tyro); his answer to this question was a COCUSA male staff member who has served as the applicants counselor when he was a camper, and Site Director when the applicant was a Tyro.  Even more exciting than the general admiration the applicant had for our staff member was the fact  that he specifically mentioned being challenged in his spiritual life by this staff member.  God was using a COCUSA staff member to disciple a junior high student... and now this student will have opportunity to invest in the lives of children at camp this summer.

Discipleship

We always ask applicants to tell us an adult they admire, respect and generally look up to.

It was really cool to hear a JC applicant (who is a former camper and former Tyro) talk about a guy he had as a counselor and Site Director.  This staff member was discipling this young man... maybe even without knowing it.

To God be the glory.

From Camper to Site Director?

This week was a first (I think)...

A former camper turned Tyro turned Junior Counselor turned Counselor interviewed for one of our Site Director positions.

The Site Director position is one of twelve leadership positions we reserve for college-age students who have the abilities and character to lead the campers and staff members at one of our camp locations.

I don't yet know if we'll hire this person, but the very fact that he interviewed and we're considering him is evidence of God working in his life.

Responses to a Spontaneous Staff Survey

One of our summer staff was doing a speech for a college class and surveyed some other staff with this question:


"Would you say that working at camp and changing kids lives is more than worth the long hours and giving up part of your summer?"

And here were the responses verbatim:

• oh yeah. Definitely 
•  most definitely 
•  seeing the smile on those kids faces are more than enough worth to work at COCUSA 
•  Yes x1000 
•  yes yes yes!!!
•  yes! 
•  Yes absolutely!! 
•  Yes! 
•  I believe that camp is the best thing since sliced bread, and if you don't quote me on that, I will be disappointed. As far as your specific question, I believe that there is nothing more rewarding than giving back. There are a lot of jobs that could pay you a lot more, but there's something much more important than money that you can get from working at camp. I don't see the fruits of my labor every day; sometimes it even feels like we're going backwards. But at the end of an 11-hour day, I feel fulfilled going home every time without exception. There are hard days, but those are the ones where I learned to rely on God the most, and therefore those are the days that were the best for me. In short, the long hours are beyond worth it. I look forward to going to work, and I cannot imagine finding a more fulfilling summer job. 
•  ya 
•  for sure! 
• No. Definitely not. That's why I did it for 8 summers. (please discard intended sarcasm) 
•  Yes mam! Even though I don't work there anymore I def agree:) 
•  FOR SURE!!!:) 
•  i completely agree 
• Absolutely! 
•  O my goodness, yes! I'm so glad you are doing a speech on camp! Share His name any way you can!! 
•  Absolutely, it is way more than worth it! (: 
•  YES 
•  OH YES!!! 
•  Sure thing! 
•  Yes 
•  Yup 
•  si si si

Well... I've got my encouragement for the day.  :)

Believing in God working through Camp

It's so encouraging to see people BELIEVE that God is working through COCUSA.

Yesterday I spent over an hour with a couple summer staff who have a desire to see a Bloomington site start this summer... even if it's just a two-week trial.

The prospect of a new site both excites and scares me.

But seeing two summer staff believing that God works at camp... so much so that they want to be the main people who pull off a new site... that's just plain awesome.

The Importance of Meetings

Yesterday I had 3 separate meetings planned, one with a mentor of sorts, one with a friend, and one with a summer staff member.  I was slightly feeling guilty for so many meetings in one day, but it was neat to see what God brought out of them.

In my first meeting, I got a great idea for morning staff meetings.  I was also challenged with some ideas to help get people into God's word.

In my second meeting, my friend offered to lead a workshop at staff training for me.

And the summer staff member I met with wanted/needed 20 hours of volunteer work this school semester.