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Wow – what an amazing three weeks we have just completed. It is hard to believe that staff training and two weeks of middle school camps are already over. It has been amazing, life-giving, energizing, and overwhelming at times to have children and youth back at Camp Falcon Rock. Due to COVID restrictions, our staff numbers are a little lower than normal this year, which means everyone has more than one job to do, which makes for very full days. Despite the extra work and strength needed, the Lord has carried us all through these busy, hot days and continues to develop and grow our younger leaders.
Two quick stories on that front: the first involves our youngest leader, who has been attending our youth group over the past few years. She was almost too young to be a leader and was very close to not coming to camp. However, overnight she has grown into an incredible counsellor. The kids cling to her, and she so naturally displays the love of God to her campers. This year at youth we were translating messages so she could understand, but at camp this summer she partnered with one of our international leaders and could suddenly easily translate from English to Hungarian. It was truly miraculous to watch. The second involves Miriam, one of our youth who has grown into an incredible leader. This year not only has she been a translator, counsellor, and worship leader, she is now one of our speakers for the campers. This sweet, young, shy girl who we first met in 2014 and who couldn’t say a word to us was one of our strongest speakers who the campers responded very well to.
God has been good, and we have seen young people give their lives to him in powerful ways. At the end of the first week, we asked the campers to share what God was speaking to them over the week, and there were powerful, in-depth testimonies of God’s work in their lives. Before I even finished asking for children to share, one boy stood up and ran to the front, cutting me off to share what God had done in his life that week. This past week, we had an extremely difficult camper who was incredibly transformed overnight after hearing and responding to the Gospel. In an instant, she went from the most challenging camper to the best in her cabin, encouraging and praying for her own cabin mates throughout the week.
There are so many more stories and things we want to share, but we just don’t have time or enough words to express all of it. We do, however, want to thank each of you for your ongoing prayers. Would you continue to partner with us in this way?
Thanks for your prayers, support, and encouragement during these days – they are felt and needed.
We love you all and are grateful for each of you!
Paul & Tanya Gericke
7336 149a STreet surrey, BC, Canada, v3S 3h3