One More Shout Out!!

It's Honor Camper Time....

On the last day of camp, PCC had their 5th Honor Camper to be named and it was.....

WILL !!!!!!!

Yeah Will! Great Job!

Our Great Passways Staff!

Oh What a Week!

What an awesome week and what awesome kids you have raised!!!

During our final night of camp, we had the opportunity to share our God experiences. Below are some of the things PCC youth took away:

"When I first started going to church, I did not sing or participate in worship because I was worried about the outward appearance and what people thought of me. But this week my whole focus has been about God. I have not cared what others thought. I just wanted to sing to God. I didn't care about outward appearances, it was just about God."

One of our older students complimented the younger crowd and was amazed at the level of passion they had for God at their age.

One student who was sick one day saw God through the care and concern shown to him by the chaperones while he was not feeling well.

One student saw God through the homeowner's daughter at the home where they did repairs. She was only 6 or 7 and she told them that they were Jesus. She asked to pray for them and she thanked God for showing up to paint her house.

One student who worked in a daycare all week had this to say:

"Those kids just needed someone and we were those someones."

All of the students talked about how awesome it was that they had grown so close as a group during the week. The truly felt that this was just the beginning of lasting friendships and more God experiences!

Thank you to all the amazing chaperones!! I just can't "keep it on the down low".....I have to say that YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

You CAN ride my little red wagon!! :O)

Needs no explanation...

These pictures need no explanation other than the fact that is was NOT a Passways Choice time...it was PCC fun time!! I think the kids had one of the BEST times of their lives. All I can say is-paintball hurts! BUT IS SURE IS FUN!!!!!!

Down on the Farm

Did anyone say farm animals? Bib-overalls? Line dancing?

One night at camp, Passways hosted a "Down on the Farm" theme party complete with a "caller" to call all the dances. We did some fancy line dancing and had a great time!

Can Camp Change a Life?

Some of the most special times at camp are during church group devotions at the end of the day. This is a sweet time of sharing, encouraging and processing what the day handed us.

Some "moments" from our time together:

"I raised my hands during worship for the first time this week"

Some kids prayed out loud for the first time

"I have seen God through the other students I have met"

"It breaks my heart to know that children cannot get an education. I want to become a teacher and go to Liberia towork at Rick's Institute"

One child when asked "what are you taking home with you?"

answered: "I saw God through the kids..that they were so happy and accepting of me. What I will take home with me is that camp can change your life."

Worship in the evening has been very participatory and multi-sensory. Last night, we were learning that there are many reasons why children around the world do not get an educations. One of the reasons is that they help supply the family income. Our camp pastor, James, is from Liberia. In his homeland, poor children sit on the side of the road breaking large rocks into small stones to sell to local contractors who use them in construction. From sun up to sun down, these children (as young as 5 or 6 years old) hammer and hammer and hammer in hopes that they can sell their rubble to put a meal on their table. To illustrate this injustice, we were guided to tables that were set up around the auditorium that were covered with large stones and hammers. We were asked to silently and prayerfully make our way to the table and to hammer a rock until we had broken off a piece. We were asked to keep that piece of stone as a reminder of the children who spent their entire day being robbed of a childhood and an education. We were told to “let the rocks cry out” the injustice in it all and to be thankful for our own educations. The sound of beating stones around the room was deafening. I fell asleep with the echoes of hammer meeting stone resonating in my head. I will not forget it.

It's Honor Camper Time

During camp, each choice time elects an “Honor Camper.” These campers are recognized for their hard work, leadership and participation for that day.

We are happy to report to you that so far we have had FOUR Honor Campers. They are: Daniel Hughes, Samara Clarke, Robert Maroney and Elijah Schiarelli. The Honor Campers are elected by Camp Council who are also made up of students. Our Camp Council Rep is Franco Marannano.

After the "Honor Campers" of the day are announced....they get a standing O-vation!!!!!! "OOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

Camp Theme and Bible Study

Our focus of study this week at camp has been the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) that were set by the United Nations in the year 2000 to eradicate injustices around the world. The goal is to achieve them by the year 2025. To that end, our camp theme has been COUNTDOWN and our theme verse comes out of the Message paraphrase and it says: “Time is up. God's Kingdom is here! Change your life and believe the message” -Mark 1:15

Each day, your kids have attended Bible study and discussed stories in the bible where Jesus was clearly interested in the welfare of others. Jesus' example should be our motivation to respond.
The eight areas that the UN has identified are these:
1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty & Hunger.
2. Achieve Universal Primary Education
3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
4. Reduce Child Mortality
5. Improve Maternal Health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases
7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability
8. A Global Partnership for Development

Your kids have heard some alarming statistics and tackled some topics that are hard to digest. I pray you will engage them in conversations when we get home. I also encourage everyone to attend our share time on August 10th immediately following the second service. You have some amazing children and they have something to say!!

Choices

On Monday the students participated in their Choice acitivity. Daniel Hughes is in a track called Echo. It is for students who are exploring what it would look like to be a vocational minister. The first day, his group talked about baptism and even got to "baptize" each other in the poolElijah, Samara and Alyy are participating in Faith and the Arts. This is where the students explore their expressions of faith through the artistic gifts God has given them.

Tanner is in Recess. They are discussing God's purpose and lessons learned through "rec"reating and play.

Heather and Rachel both worked in daycares set up in low income neighborhoods. They did things such as face painting, bible storying, singing, etc.
Each morning begins with high energy morning celebration and bible study.

Stay tuned for more....

First Two Days

Our Passways team arrived safe and sound Sunday evening after a brief delay for keys locked in a car during a bathroom stop:P
Sunday evening consisted of a quiet, simple worship service, a large group time of fun and interaction, and group devotions.

Monday the students participated in their Bible study groups and then headed out to their ministry/mission groups. The afternoon had some down time and rec time. There was a worship service in the evening, followed by a fun event, and then group devotions.

Our students are all split up on different teams. I think some of them were a little surprised by that, so you can pray for them as they step outside their comfort zones and meet other students. Otherwise, it sounds like the college-style accomodations and food are nice. I hear that even though everybody has a room and bed, some of our guys have built a fort with their mattresses and are sleeping on the floor?!?! I don't get it...Sammy reminded me that I'm not a 13-year-old guy:)
The camp experience seems to be balanced with worship/Bible study, fun/recreation, and mission/ministry. Pray that our students and adults experience God in each of those venues this week.

Passways and Wingate, here we come!

Beautiful Wingate University will be our home for the next week while we attend Passways Camp of Choice. You can begin praying for us as we travel 350 miles tomorrow to begin our week of discovering God in new ways. Thank you for all your support and stay tuned here for more to come....

One Week and Counting.....

Hey PCC Family!

On July 20th, fifteen youth and adults will leave for Wingate University for Passways Camp.

You can check this blog everyday to see what cool things we are doing and how God is moving in and among us.

Camp will also be posting on their website:

http://www.passportcamps.org/, click on the Youth tab, choose "camp photos", Wingate University and finally....click on July 20-25. The password is: Mission Offering