Week(s) in Review.

So, two weeks later, I'm FINALLY getting around to posting a real update.  (Sorry about that... it's been a crazy two weeks.  And sorry to everyone who sent support, who I have yet to send a thank you note.  It's coming.)  We just got done running two consecutive weeks of our program (first with sixty-ish kids, then with one hundred and ten-ish).  It was a good two weeks, but between running the camp program twice and going to Mexico in between (a day trip last Saturday), I was spent.  But tomorrow is a new day, and the Lutherans are coming.

Here are some prayer requests:
- The staff.  We've got a LONG way to go, and we're already tired.  Pray that God would give us energy and sustain us for the long haul.  Also, pray that we would have patience with one another, with the kids that come through, and with the entourage of youth leaders that come with them.  Pray that we could stay focused on God and that we would be diligent in building each other up.
- The kids.  We had a handful of kids over the past two weeks who professed faith in Christ for the first time, and some kids recommitted their lives.  Pray for those kids, as well as the others, that they would find communities back home to plug into (ideally, their church youth groups) and that they wouldn't lose sight of God as the hype of camp wears off.  Pray for those campers who still don't know Christ, that they would find Him as they return to their home lives.
- The leaders and churches.  Pray for the youth leaders of these churches, that God would continue to equip them for the jobs He has called them to do.  Pray that these leaders would stay focused on Him as they minister to these kids, and that their time at camp has helped them to become more effective leaders.  Pray that they would continue to be renewed and encouraged as they return to their regular lives (especially for those youth pastors who work other full-time jobs).
- The coming weeks (or rather, this week).  We're not running our program this week, so we should have a little more down-time than we've had in the past two, but this week will certainly have its share of challenges.  Pray for safety, that we wouldn't have any serious injuries, and for focus, that everyone at camp (staff, campers, and leaders) would be actively seeking God.  Likewise, pray that He would show Himself this week.
- RAIN.  Summer officially began on Saturday, and monsoon season is fast-approaching.  We saw a little rain this week (plus an INTENSE lightning storm during worship one night), but it wasn't enough to open the forest (or even lower the fire danger), so pray that rain would come soon - and plentifully.

That's all for now.  Check back next week for another update... maybe sooner if I see something compelling while my camera-phone is handy.