Acc2009's Blog

Final Day at Kids’ Camp

acc2009 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:30:16 +0000

I cannot believe that the week’s camp has come to a close!!! The time has just flown by!! There have been so many events and experiences here that it hardly seems possible that it has all happened within a week!! Each night when I come here to try to recap the day, I think that I’ll finish details from the day before, but then so much happens that I must move on to fill you in on the current day! I’m sure that we will have an opportunity to talk about everything upon our return!

Today, at the closing of camp at 3pm, the children were given a camp t-shirt, some small gifts, and a book of bible stories. As group leaders, we were asked to write something to the children inside of the cover. We were to choose 2-3 from the roster and so each of the children would receive a personal message. I began choosing 2 that I thought I had made the stongest bond with. It took only a moment or two to know exactly what I needed to tell each of them. Soon, I was writing to a 3rd, then a 4th, ok and and 5th! It seemed as if I was being selfish, but if I could’ve, I would’ve left a message for all 16!!! One child, Kijaih, and I connected on such a personal level that saying good=bye was very difficult!! She seemed to be a little bit of a loner; or more appropriately a free-spirit. She didn’t much care what others were doing or thought was important. She had her own priorities!! I had an opportunity to speak to her one on one, but the day that she scraped her elbow was the most profound! She was trying so hard to be brave, fighting back the tears! I took her to find some bandaids and get her all patched up, but she was still so upset about how painful it was. I asked her if I could pray for her and ask Jesus to help take the pain away. She initially acted so surprised, but then was delighted that I would talk to Jesus for her! After the prayer, I talked with her about the cross I was wearing and asked her if she knew why
it was important… After our talk she gladly accepted the wooden cross necklace for her own. I told her that it would be a reminder to her of how much Jesus loves her! Later this evening, at the closing ceremony, she had bought a craft item she had made earlier in the week (I’ll explain about that whole thing later) so I would have something to remember her by! She told me she was so sad that I was leaving and that she worried about our long drive home. Then an amazing thing happened…she asked if she could pray for me and a safe trip home!!!! Ooooo, talk about a powerful thing!! It is amazing the bonds that God can create within just a few days! What awesome power!!! I will think of Kajaih, and the other children, often and pray that they continue on their quest to learn about God and His unlimited love for them!!!!

Enduring

acc2009 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:31:08 +0000

Today was a cold day in Helena, which is shocking to say the least. Teeth chattering volunteers and kids entered the pool, some more willingly then others. One girl in my group made a high pitch squeal as her bottom half entered the water and clung to the side as if it was a life or death matter. Each kid had to be coaxed into the water by teachers that tried to just grit their teeth and control their shivering as they told the children it was not that bad. Even though it was a cold and painful experience there were blessing all around for the swim classes as kids smiled about the fact of being able to float on their backs or jumping off the side of the pool into nine feet of water. Everything we did was a test of endurance, spiritual endurance that is. Knowing that these kids would be happy was what we used to help us endure through the cold waters and fuel it for a warm spot in our hearts.

Lauren Peele

student.go intern

acc2009 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:22:49 +0000

This second week of ACC I was assigned Hayes Barton Baptist Church! It has been so rewarding joining them in the evenings to “debrief” about the day! Their stories have warmed my hearts and even brought tears. For example, a child brought a volunteer a lunch from home; everything the girl had she had double just for group leader. It’s the little things that occur throughout the day that make it all worth it!

Driving back and forth from the pool to the park has been a surprise, because each time there’s some addition to the pump house at the pool. It’s like I pass the pool and they’re tearing down a wall, and then I pass it again and there’s siding on it! Once this project is over I think the pool facilities will be complete.

Big things have been going on with Youth Camp. Today, focusing on serving and proper etiquette, the youth were thrilled to serve construction volunteers at the Pillow-Thompson House. It was most defianately a hit with the construction volunteers!

-Brenda Miles, Student.Go Intern

Trying Again

acc2009 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:22:31 +0000

One of the church groups I have been working with this week is McGill Baptist from NC and Mr. Allen of the group has an interesting story. Last year he came and did not have the best of times as a group leader due to the fact that there was a divide in his group of kids. This experience was not the one that he wanted to always remember in Helena though. Bound and determined to give it another go Mr. Allen has returned this year with a positive attitude. So far he has had an amazing experience and is a true testament for trying again for God and not giving up.

Lauren Peele

student.go Intern

Tuesday’s end…..First Baptist Church of Sweet Springs, MO

acc2009 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:33:45 +0000

We have finally returned to our temporary home after a very long and wonderful day! We started the day at Kids Kamp and the memory verse of Ephesians 2:10. And our ‘good works’ just kept going all day!! The day of camp was going very well with new children arriving as well. Bro. David and the construction crew made some headway on the siding job. I’ll send pictures when I get home and have a connecter cord. At 1pm we experienced quite the deluge!!! Some of us were busy holding down the fort…literally! Then the shuttling of children to the Community Center from the park began. The rest of the day’s events were completed at the Community Center and everyone was happy to be out of the rain and the lightening!! Yea!! One little girl asked Briana if the rain meant God was crying? Briana told her that was what she had always been told… We have been building relationships here with the children, with the folks we share this wonderful home with, and others from various different churches. The whole spirit of giving and ministering in a ‘real’ way is very strong here!! You never have to ask for help, someone is always there and sees that you have a need… It’s like their whole purpose is to serve others!!

After Kids Kamp, we were invited to New Light Church where we were treated to a lovely, homecooked meal. Following that, we went to Family Game Nite at the Community Center. This was great!! It is a gymnasium with 3-4 Basketball games, air hockey, pingpong, board games, books, puzzles, tug-o-war…. All the adults, children, leaders, volunteers, etc play the games together. So cool to see the kids and their parents, teachers, etc all playing games together!! No cell phones going off, no computer screens, no other distractions at all!! For some of these kids, to sit down and play checkers or candyland with them is enough to make their day! I was even shown one of the boys’ secret hand shake, as if it were a sign of acceptance. It is quite special when you realize that a child values you so much as to allow you in the ‘circle’. There are so many of these stories, from everyone here! Mine is just a sample…

We will be rising early tomorrow morning to start all overagain!! I really wish you all could be here to experience this with us!!

first day @ kids kamp!

acc2009 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:50:06 +0000

The day has closed on day one of Kids Kamp. This is our first Mission Trip as a church and I am glad to say that everyone has had a great experience. As a parent, I am curious as to how experiences like this impact my children. I watched the youth of our group work with the little children in the swimming pool. Although they will say they are not ‘kid people’, I stood there, taken in by the carefullness and sweetness of their care for those little ones. Then in a moment, the eruption of laughter a nd giggling!! It was so infectious! I pray that it is those moments that they will take home with them and have impact on the rest of their lifes. Both my children and the children of Helena! What a blessing!

Debra Kinney

First Baptist Church of Sweet Springs

Week One Park Meadows Baptism

acc2009 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:34:36 +0000

Katie Magier, an 18 yr. old girl came to Helena ACC for the second summer this year with Park Meadows Baptist Church. She sent a text message to our Youth Minister, Billy Oakley, on Wednesday. Katie asked him to baptize her in the North Helena Park pool because “This is the place where she felt like she was serving God by teaching these children how to swim.” She said “there’s nothing wrong with getting baptized inside a church, but she just felt real close to God in this place.” Kayla Lamb, age 15, had made a profession of faith previously and expressed her wish to be baptized in the pool. Then Kallen Jones, also age 15, said “He felt the Lord leading him into some type of ministry and had not yet been baptized.” We gladly arranged this for Thursday morning with our church attending. Many tears of happiness were shed while we realized that all the preparations and effort to get us nine hours away from our home had been worth it all.

I had a wonderful experience talking and sharing the meaning of the cross with a young boy from Devine Deliverance

acc2009 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:11:56 +0000

A boy approached me and commented on how much he liked the cross I was wearing. It was an opportunity to talk about the meaning of the cross and what that meant to this boy!! At the end of the conversation, I put the Cross around his neck and you should’ve seen his eyes light up!! He said that he would love it forever!! I must say it meant an aweful lot to me! And hopefully it meant as much to him!

This is Debra Kinney, First Baptist Church of Sweet Springs, MO.

Welcome to Helena!

acc2009 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:22:04 +0000

Hey there! My name is Brenda, and I am one of 6 interns who have been blessed by working in Helena this summer. We, as a team, hope that you will encounter many blessings in the midst of identifying needs as you serve and interact with the community. Here, you will be able to voice what you experience during your day to day activities. We look forward to meeting you all and working together for a great summer!

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