GVPC Champfleuri Team

One last look back ...

2010-07-19T15:54:00.002-04:00

Hello Home Team!

It is Monday afternoon, July 19th. We've been home for approximately 3 days now, and I know every one of our students is reflecting on the past 3 weeks in one way or another. Whether it is because they have already begun receiving Facebook friend requests from their French counterparts (I know I've received a bunch), or because they have to fold their laundry! We will be presenting briefly at church next Sunday morning, so if you want a brief first perspective, come check us out during the 10 AM service (it is not easy to organize so much information and perspective!). If you can't make this Sunday, put September 26th at 7 PM on your calendar. This is one of our Missions Celebrations, and we will be presenting the full breadth of the trip (as much as will fit in an hour).

I figured I'd write one last blog to summarize, not an easy feat ... for God does much of His work in hearts and minds ... and I can't see much of this, unless I get to have conversations with every camper on a regular basis! The last days of TED always tell a bit about where God was/is working during our Champfleuri '10 trip, so it is fun to think over this time period (see these blogs below).

In France, camp is a very special experience ... these campers do not necessarily have a 'youth group' to go back to, maybe not even a Christian friend or a household with another believer. It makes you realize why there is such emotion in the last few evenings and mornings.

So ... where was God at work at Champfleuri '10?

I've got two points I'd like to make now:

1. Camp has quite an impact on GVPC campers. Even though our students go in to camp with all kinds of preparation, God still surprises them as they reach out and live intentionally for Him. It seems as though we learn quite a bit about God, ourselves, and what it means to put God and others first ... when we first put ourselves in a situation to obey this piece of our Scriptural and Christ-given mandate. In other words, part of learning about the heart of God is by first stepping out and doing, and not always the reverse. And we find out that what at first terrified or concerned us ... when blessed ... is awesome to experience! All of our students did things on this trip that were uncomfortable ... sitting at a dining table full of only French campers they had never met, or spending the last hour of each day (depending on how long everyone could stay awake to chat!) in a room with only French teens. God will make us love to serve. He will change our hearts as we obey His Word.

2. This one I'm still thinking through. Our team included a number of students that would call themselves introverts. But they realized in the preparation that they would need to 'put themselves out there' ... that no counselor, or more mature student would be with them in conversation, or around the dining table. These specific students really stepped out of their 'shell' to initiate conversations with French students who were not inclusive, or had not been included by others of our team. I constantly heard stories of all of our students, including these 'introverts' reaching out to any number of their fellow campers, with no prodding. This is a big deal to me, for I have always acknowledged that God has given us our personalities, and if we weren't made to share with others easily, then we should do something else to serve. There is still truth in this, but I am now wondering if I've swung the pendulum a bit too far in this 'personality type thinking.' I'm not sure any of us is allowed to step out of the 'intentional sharing' mode, because we are simply shy or withdrawn typically. God's given every one of us a mouth ... I am now thinking we all better be ready to use this piece of our anatomy as He provides opportunity. No, we're not all mass evangelists ... but these few individuals showed me that stepping out of their personality comfort zone was a very cool blessing ... to the glory of God. This is an example of where each Champfleuri TED camp is spectacular. Students are not on the outskirts as famous speakers run the show. They are not simply building a house or running a VBS for little ones. They are embedded with their peers, and have opportunity to reflect the love of God, in word and deed. Can you tell I'm excited about these opportunities?!

Want more thoughts? ... You'll have to attend the Champfleuri presentation at the end of the Missions Celebration this fall (September 26th) … I believe Dana Smith is going to preach that morning!

Two last items ... we are very thankful for a home church that so readily supports our involvement in Champfleuri. The resources you give (time, money, effort) are well used in changing lives in an area of virtually unreached people. Second, I was blessed to be a part of such a pleasant team. These young men and women brought much to camp, and left with a better understanding of missions, and seeing God's hand in their lives. I am thankful for each and every team member!

Thank you again. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask any of us.

Jim

So long Champfleuri

2010-07-15T17:25:00.007-04:00

Our time here at Champfleuri was filled with many different emotions. We felt tired the whole camp, but energized at the same time, we may have been frustrated at the language barrier, but we have learned to be patient in all situations, and finally we have been so happy at how many relationships have been formed throughout the 10 days, but extremely sad to see the French campers leave.
Throughout the camp God has blessed us with everything from strength, to safety, to energy. We all got to build strong relationships with the help of God. I'm going to talk about one of the relationships that I have formed in my time here at Champfleuri. One of the campers who I got to know very well was a 14 year old boy who we will call T. I talked to him a lot the first few days of camp. We played basketball a lot over course of the camp. When we were playing it was a good chance to talk to him and get know more about his life. He was not a Christian. He was very friendly towards all of us, and though his English wasn't great he would actively engage in conversations with us. Getting to know him well was a great blessing during this camp. Please pray for him to realize how great our God is and also for God to work in his heart in the rest of his life. I also pray that he would return next year to learn more about God and Jesus.
One thing that I learned on the short term missions trip was how to be a servant with extremely good patience. Serving others was one of the key things that we were told to do coming into this camp. I feel that God gave us the patience to hint of others before ourselves. I learned that patience is a great way to avoid unnecessary problems. God truly blessed us with this and as a result many uncontrollable variables (uncontrollable by us) were nullified. He truly blessed all of our work here.
So to finish I would like to say so long Champfleuri. Our time here was only temporary but it will hopefully have eternal impact on us and in the lives of the French teens. Thank you all so much for your prayers.

Because of Him,
Kris Peterson

Reflections

2010-07-15T17:04:00.003-04:00

This week, I became close with many French teens, from many different backgrounds. The one that I became closest with was a girl named A. She was a solid Christian who had the benefit of growing up in a Christian home. It was nice to hear what it was like being a Christian in France. After conversing with her, I realized that fellowship with other Christians was extremely limited in France. When asked about the size of our church, we nonchalantly replied, "Oh it's not that large, we only have 300 people." Their jaws suddenly dropped while they replied 50 people at one church service was considered a packed day. Fellowship here was so important to them because they virtually have no Christians in their hometown or school. I have learned the value of fellowship and how blessed I am to have a large amount of Christian friends and mentors to support me.
Coming into the camp, we were told that it would be helpful to have one verse or passage to really meditate on during the trip. I picked 1 Corinthians 13, which defines the properties of love. During this trip, whenever I felt angry, frustrated, or found it difficult to love, I would recite this verse. It helped me to really live out scripture and to be patient, kind, content, humble, etc. I hope to apply this passage to my everyday life when I return home.

Christine F

Post-camp

2010-07-15T16:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the day the campers left. It was so rough! I had no idea we would be crying so much. Pretty much all us girls were bawling our eyes out. I didn't realize how much I would miss all the French girls until yesterday. It was hard to stay the extra days in camp without the French kids walking around with us. I am glad that I don't have to be sad alone, and the fellowship amongst the team is comforting.
One girl that I got especially close to during the length of camp is S. She and her twin sister live in France, but were born in England. Their parents are missionaries and their dad is the pastor of their church, so from the first day it was easy to connect with her. She slept in the same room with me, and so we had cabin time together as well. This was such a blessing because her bilingual ability made it easier to communicate with the other two French girls in my room who didn't speak very good English. During this cabin time each night, I felt like I could really sense God working in her heart.She asked such good questions and her passion for Christ was so evident. In cabin time and when she shared her testimony in front of camp, S talked about how just this past December she realized for the first time how important Christ truly is in her life. Over the past week, S and I grew very close and we stayed up late every night talking-sometimes getting in trouble like I mentioned in my last post. So I think S was especially influential to me because I could see how God was working in her heart and growing her to become closer to Him. We are definitely going to keep in touch often once I get back home.
The most important thing that I learned during camp was what it really means to have a servant's heart. Before coming, I thought that it would be easy to put the French campers before myself and find ways to serve them, but once I came, I saw just how difficult it was. You really have to change your whole mindset and despite the difficulty, I think God showed me how much it can change my life. If I live now with an intentional servant's attitude when I go back home to my family and around my friends at school, I am sure that my life will change. And I am sure that it will change for the better. Here at camp, when trying to look for ways to serve others and not myself, it made a huge difference in how I related to the French kids. I definitely want to keep this up when I go home, but I will need God's constant help and support. I am so thankful that he has shown this to me over these past couple weeks.
So our time here at camp has ended. Tomorrow we come back home, but Champfleuri will still be in my thoughts and prayers, along with everyone I met here. Thank you God for this opportunity and the power that you have shown in the peoples' lives here.

In Him,
Natalie Scott

Rachel's final blog

2010-07-15T16:28:00.004-04:00

The time at Champfleuri that I experienced was so amazing and touching to my life and the lives of many others. A very special relationship that I enjoyed having was my friendship with a special young girl called A. She arrived a day later than the rest of the campers, and I really wanted to make her feel welcome and accepted. As I talked to her throughout the week, I learned that she was a Christian, she went to Church, and she was very strong in her faith. As we talked throughout the week, we got to encourage each other in our faith and talk about the majesty of God. Something that I learned this week was that the love of God is spread throughout the world. I knew that the love of God was spread to the corners of each nation, but I had not realized that this news was so powerful. As I was talking to A this week, I Learned that even though she was the only Christian in her school and even her area, she truly loves the Lord and has a passion for him. I learned that the power of God is truly manifested throughout the nations, no matter how small or remote those nations are. I thank God for the opportunity to come to this camp and serve him. Thank you all for your prayers, and I will see you soon!

Post-Champfleuri

2010-07-15T16:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we all said goodbye to the French students. One in particular was very hard to say bye to. D was in my room and as I learned before she got here, she became a Christian last year at camp. This made me very excited to meet her and just have fellowship with her. As the week went on we were in the same small group and "sports team" and we grew closer each day. It was really neat to see her grow in Christ throughout the week and just see how much she appreciates the fellowship, something that us Americans sometimes take for granted. When she gave her testimony one night in cabin time it was cool to see the other French teenagers intently listen and it seemed to have somewhat impacted them. Even though there was a slight age gap between us it was really cool to see how much we connected through Christ.

Something I learned this week was how powerful God really is and how wide his love goes. Like I said in my post before it was awesome to hear all the voices of the French and Americans blending as we would sing songs like "Mighty to Save" and "God of Wonders". It never hit me before how much influence and power God really had over this world. I knew that it was true but it was awesome to see it first hand. It was amazing to see how God worked in the hearts of many of the campers. Some of them who came as atheists began to question their beliefs, or non-beliefs, and it showed me how much control God has over every single place in the world. I have also learned to have more patience. With the campers who didn't know much English it was really frustrating to have to sit there and just do a bunch of hand motions and charades. God taught many people from the team and I just to have patience and love other people. Overall my main "learning point" was that God is so much bigger than any tangible and even non-tangible things and with him anything is possible.
Meredith DiRico

The end of Champfleuri :(

2010-07-15T16:09:00.006-04:00

Let me just start out by saying that I can't believe Champfleuri is over! I have had a ridiculous amount of fun and I'm so sad to leave France. But I am also excited to come back to the U.S. During the camp I was very fortunate to have formed relationships with some great campers. One of the people I got very close to is going to be referred to as "B". B was the funniest and strangest person I have ever met in my life, but I enjoyed spending time with them so much. Even better, they were a Christian! I learned much about them and their life, and their brother was known already by some people on our team, so he fit in great :). One important thing I've learned (partly because of B), is patience. I didn't necessarily learn how to be patient, but I'm a much more patient person. I know that sounds kind of confusing, but I feel like God answered my prayers to be more open-minded and forgiving. This camp has been the best experience of my life so far and I know that I'm a changed person because of it. I can't wait to come home tomorrow and see everyone again! Please pray for safety on our long journey tomorrow. :)

-Corey Pittounicos-

In closing...

2010-07-15T16:03:00.003-04:00

If you haven't noticed yet, the entire champfleuri team is trying to blog today. A quick summary of the day: We went to Annecy, swam, paddleboated, shopped, ate, and were merry. The food (Erik) consisted of either salami or ham sandwiches, chips, granola bars of either the chocolate or apricot variety, orange juice, and chocolate chip muffins for lunch. Then steak with bread and potato wedges with bread (with salad to start) for dinner. We'll be greeting you with many souvenirs soon!

Looking back on camp, I realized just how much God blessed us. Granting us food, sleep, and energy to survive France and it's "unique" culture. But I think the most noticeable gift from Him was the change in the French campers. For me, "S" humbled me with his curiosity. Throughout camp, he was extremely quiet. He really only hung out with a few kids, but I got to communicate with him a little because he was in my room. One day, during shower time (free time before dinner), I took a little nap by listening to music. "S" was in the room but I thought nothing of it because of his usual attitude. Upon waking, "S" quickly reached for his Bible. He turned to the back cover and asked me, "What is the song with 'all I am is yours?" God made one of the quietest kids in the camp start a conversation about Him for me! I got to look back through the list of songs that had played while I had been sleeping and answer his question. And then we chatted. The door to his life was opened to me, and I got to push our relationship to a comfortable position for me to speak with him about his place in Christianity. I certainly didn't change his life forever, but I am now capable of continuing our talk on Facebook or elsewhere. Prayer would be greatly appreciated in my efforts. I am very optimistic about many relationships, but this is the one I feel the most blessed by.

I hope all of you gain as much joy from hearing these stories as we got from living them. Your support and prayer made all of these things possible, and for this reason we thank you. More stories to come upon our return, get pumped!!

God bless all you faithful and new readers alike,
Tim Shack

Champfleuri 2010: The Close

2010-07-15T15:33:00.003-04:00

As Champfleuri ended, I found myself walking around camp with the rest of the Americans, feeling a sense of emptiness with the lack of French campers around. My time at Champfleuri incorporated so many teenagers, all with different backgrounds, experiences, and spiritual paths. However, one of the campers that I connected most with toward the end of camp was M. She and I had talked at meals a few times, but it had never been on a very deep level. However, we both were on the same hike during camp, and had a long time to talk about interests in music and movies, a typical day at school, what we hoped to study in the future to make a career out of, and many other engaging topics. It was the first opportunity I had during camp to truly spend an extended period of time to see into another individual's heart, and it was a humbling moment for me. Despite the fact that she attends a church, I was unable to discern whether she truly accepted Christ into her heart. With the activities that the campers engage in during a typical day at Champfleuri, it's difficult to find time for those moments, and our talking while on the hike gave me the opportunity to speak to her on a deeper level after the nightly talk. I asked her what she had felt about the talk and if or how it had affected her. We talked about how God affects everyday life, and how important it is to allow God to take control and trust in the path laid out before us. While it's not important that I was able to take away knowledge of how our discussion may have either strengthened her relationship with Christ or led her to questioning about the importance of a relationship with Him, I prayed and continued to pray that our talk and friendship will have furthered her walk with Christ.
One of the things I learned at Champfleuri and had the privilege to observe was the power and infectious nature of intentionality. As myself and the other Americans strived throughout the 12 days of camp to reach out to the French campers and show Christ to them through our actions more so than our words, it became apparent that others picked up on it. One instance in particular involved A. from a clique of "tough" kids that all hung out together during camp and made approaching the group difficult. As the days flew by, many of us noticed that he made the effort to leave his friends and comfort zone to try and meet new people and forge new relationships, much like we were. After I saw this, I was further encouraged to continue in my intentional service at camp. If a camper without the background and preparation we had undergone before coming to Champfleuri could make the effort, then how much harder should I as a Christian strive to glorify God through my actions in being an intentional camper? My experiences at Champfleuri were a pivotal moment in my walk with Christ and can only hope that the GVPC youth group continues their ministry with Champfleuri--being youth evangelists for the glory of God.

Chris Yake

2010-07-15T14:48:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone, I can't believe that the camp is over, we leave tomorrow for home. This camp has been such a great experience and I have seen God work in so many ways. I have especially seen him work in the life of one particular camper who I will refer to as S for privacy purposes. S was one of my roommates and when he first came to the camp, the extent of the English that he spoke was yes and no. As the camp progressed he began to open up and speak in English more and more. By the time camp was nearing a close he had even started speaking about God. Although I am not totally sure where he stands with the Lord he is on the right path. I have seen a longing for God in him during the time I had to speak with him. In addition to seeing the growth of others I have also seen growth in myself. I have had the opportunity to witness God's creation like never before in the form of mountains, lakes, and beautiful sunsets. This along with awesome fellowship with other Christians has helped me to grow in my faith and deepen my relationship with him. This experience has truly left an impact on my life and I am truly grateful for this opportunity that God has given me.

In Christ,
Jon Steel

afterthoughts

2010-07-15T14:43:00.005-04:00

During Champfleuri God gave me the oppurtunity to become good friends with L. L and I hit off from the start and soon became even better friends because of the fact we were bus buddies. I woke in the morning to have quiet time and group prayer. During group prayer I felt it heavy on my heart to pray for L. I saw God's grace and spirit working through L's heart. Through conversations blessed by God I found out she was not a believer and never really thought about God. However camp opened her heart up to him and I saw the spirit really work in her. We had a lot of good conversations about family and friends and how people always fail you but God will always be there. Although she didn't ask Jesus to be her Lord and Savior I have a feeling that with prayer Christ is her future. I know on the last day when I gave her a hug we were both crying. I am so glad God gave me the opportunity to become friends with her.
As well as God creating new relationships he also revealed some things to me as well. He revealed to me how important quiet time is. I felt so much more refreshed when I woke up and prayed and read the Word. I am very thankful that he revealed how important this time is. I am so thankful for the oppurtunity God gave with coming to Champfleuri.
Bailey

What i have learned the most.

2010-07-14T15:58:00.004-04:00

Over the past two weeks, I have been able to make many relationships that I think will last for a very long time. First i will start off by talking about the girls in my room. Their names were L, H, A, and M. All of these girls are so sweet and kind. They made sure i was included during their conversations, especially when they were talking in French. Also there was another Stephanie that I got really close to. She tried very hard to talk in english and about half way through the first weeks we started to call each other sis. :) Watching all the campers leave was very hard. I am so glad that we have facebook to keep in touch with each other.

One of the main things that i have learned at Champfleuri is patience. Though the language barrier and not understanding what is being said got a little hard at times ... as the weeks went on, it became easier and a lot less stressful. Thank you so much for all the prayers!

Steph M

Here come individual summaries!

2010-07-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

Hey Blog Readers -

I have asked each member of our team to share two things (Jennie and Liz have beat me to this introductory post):

1. One camper that God has presented to them (initial only).
2. One thing that God has taught them during their first trip to Champfleuri.

They are eager to do so. Enjoy!

Jim

Experience at Champfleuri

2010-07-14T09:48:00.004-04:00

During my camp experience at Champflueri I really became very close with one of my roommates E (shortened to protect the innocent) who lives very close to Paris. Since day one we hit it off. We both share the same interests and beliefs and always found something to talk about. It was great to meet another Christian who loves what I love to do and wants to share the Bible with others. We both prayed for the many campers who were not Christians hoping that God would come to them. The two of us goofed off and shared many laughs together. Seeing her leave was really hard for me. Tears streamed down my face as we hugged for the last time not wanting to let go and leave. E is a wonderful and happy person who is always a joy to be with.

Coming to Champfleuri I learned so much but most of all I learned that I am not alone in the world. There are so many other Christians that I've been able to meet from all over the world who share the same love for God as I do. This really made me happy and want to rejoice which I was able to do through prayer, worship and fellowship. God has really worked through me and I can't wait to see what other great opportunites He has for me.

Jennie Holland

What I've Learned- Liz

2010-07-14T09:34:00.003-04:00

One person that I formed a relationship with throughout the camp was a girl named L (shortened to protect the innocent), one of my room mates. She barely knew any english, which was very discouraging sometimes, but was also very fun sometimes because it was like I was playing a very long game of charades. She would teach me some french words and I would teach her some english words as well. I prayed for her throughout the whole camp because I could tell through her actions and some conversations I had with her the Christ was not a part of her life at all. Towards the end of camp it was very encouraging, because one night she revealed to us that she was talking to one of the staff and her conversation really made her think about God. This was so encouraging, just that she was thinking about it and that the Holy Spirit was touching her in some way.

Through this relationship with L I learned that God is way bigger than a language barrier and that His way is the perfect way. I realized that even though I could not have a long or deep conversation with her, God provided someone who spoke French to really challenge her and her beliefs. God is way bigger than any earthly problem that we may think will never change.

Liz

Final days at Champfleuri

2010-07-14T08:53:00.004-04:00

This morning the campers left, and it was very hard to say goodbye. Campers left periodically in the morning, but they all had to be out by 10am due to the closing of roads because of the Tour de France. Almost all of us were in tears at some point when different campers left. Throughout the entire camp we all formed many friendships with the campers and it was hard to leave them knowing that we might not see them again. All of us though, want to still keep in touch with them and continue our many conversations. We will miss them all very much.
On a happier note, last night was "Open Microphone Night" which was a time for all the campers and staff to show off their talents. Everyone enjoyed the many performances and laughs. Jon, Kris and Justin put on a fabulous guitar performance that had the whole room on their feet having a blast. Myself (Liz), Jennie, Natalie, Bailey, Meredith, and two French campers put on "Party in the USA", representing our home country! The night didn't end with the talent show, we then proceeded to have a fantastic, energetic, and sweat filled dance party! We then all cooled down and watched a slideshow filled with pictures of the last 12 days of camp. It was a great time to remember all the adventures and memories of camp. The fun filled night slowly winded down as we all headed back to our dorms where we then talked for sometime not wanting our last day of camp to end.
After the departure of the campers, once our tears were dry, most of us headed down the hill to watch the TOUR DE FRANCE. The anticipation and the waiting on the road for hours was definitely worth the 20 seconds in which we saw the bikers pass. One biker threw their waterbottle and Christine got it as a sweet souvenir! I can't wait to get home! Thanks for you prayers so far and please continue to pray for the campers as they go back to their homes and continue in their everyday lives.

Written by Liz Turner and Jennie Holland

A Minute Tour

2010-07-14T07:23:00.001-04:00

A REALLY quick tour of Champfleuri. One minute long!
Hopefully this gives a good idea of the actual size of this camp.

Just to clarify, YES it is this small, YES I did cover everything, and YES God is at a lot of work even in a tiny little camp like this!
~Justin

Kayaking Day!

2010-07-12T14:29:00.002-04:00

This is yours truly Tim Shackleton with today's blog. Today was another "off campus day." We travelled by bus two and a half hours to a river where the lot of us rode in either two-person or one-person kayaks. We floated/paddled seven hours down the mildly flowing water. My friend Benjamin Garrett (Yes, brother of Jonathan Garrett for those of you who might remember him from earlier years), with the help of my steering, managed to flip fifty-some kayaks. We stopped half-way for a fantastic lunch of egg salad sandwiches, chips, cookies, fruit, cheese, and bread. Other dining consisted of snack at the conclusion of the kayak route which was made up of a liter of water and two chocolate chip muffins. Then we drove the two and a half hours back to camp and ate dinner (Cucumbers with bread followed by veggies with bread, followed by chicken with bread followed by potatoes with bread and then donuts for dessert). Everyone is pretty tired, but I suppose that is ok because there is only one full camper day remaining. Thank you for your support; we love you all. Keep praying, we need it. God bless, hope you all are enjoying yourselves back in the States!

Tim Shack

Water Olympiad

2010-07-11T10:52:00.004-04:00

Wow. These two weeks have been absolutely amazing. The relationships have gotten stronger and, like Meredith said, it has gotten so much easier to approach the French students and just start talking. Sometimes, though, talking isn't always a good thing. I am in a room with three other French girls-Oriane, Stephanie, and Sophie(all 17 years old) and one other American who is 16. Pretty much every night...except maybe the first couple awkward nights...we have gotten scolded for talking too late into the night. After our talks during cabin time, it is so hard to go to sleep. We just want to keep conversing with each other. The counselors usually have to tell us to be quiet at least twice every night. But in my mind, this is not a bad thing becuase it makes me get to know the French girls as much as possible = ) And I feel that night time is the best time of the day when girls are willing to open up easier-both to talk about their lives and ask questions. So I am willing to get scolded for staying up if it means I can get closer to my roomates = ) Oh and by the way, Stephanie has dread-locks and they are growing on me...I may want to get dreads when I get home = )

Today was a very, very hot day. But the water olympics made up for the heat. We started the day pretty normal. Prayer time first thing in the morning ( I admit it is getting harder and harder to wake up every day ), breakfast with tons of bread and coffee and cereal, and then our large group talk. Today, Joe talked about the story of Mary and Martha. It was very engaging. Chris Yake gave his testimony afterward which added to the talk. He talked about the death of his friend and how this affected his life. As I looked around the room when he was done, I saw at least three people crying because his story was so moving and honest.
After large group, we had workshops. These are definitely a highlight of the day because it gives us Americans a chance to talk and converse and have fun with a smaller group of French kids. All of us Philly kids usually host some workshops. I have been in charge of cooking twice. We made banana boats one day and yesterday we attempted to make dough boys. But, Thomas didn't want to build a fire so we just made them over the grill. Usually to make dough boys, you use pancake mix and water, but because this is France and pancake mix isn't easy to find, we made our dough from scratch. It was crazy to say the least = ) Not to mention the barbecue grill made my group twice as hot. It was hard to get closer than five feet from the grill because of the intense heat. But, it was fun and messy and everyone had a great time. I admit that they did not taste the best though. Oh well...it was an experience = )

Pretty much every day we take part in a large group game, ranging anywhere from sports to memory games to crazy physical games that make you wonder who in the world made them up = ). The other day, we were all split into groups and had to move from station to station gaining points. Then, we had to play a memory game with a pizza box and about 15 different objects-very interesting. Congrats to Jennie Holland's team for winning this challenge and earning free coupons for the snack bar! So today we held the Water Olympics, compiled of various games involving (thank Goodness) water. And at the end, we all had a blast getting wet and filthy on the slip and slide =)

I have to go because we are about to have small groups. My group is called Igor. There are about 7 of us campers and we usually play a small game and then get into the Word. It is very enjoyable helping the Frenchies to speak English and engaging in the Word along with them. I would write more, but the bell just rung.
Keep praying that God will give us energy and strength for the next few days. Hopefully we will have more chances to share Christ with the kids.

In Him,
Natalie Scott

Sunday, July 11, 2010

2010-07-11T03:22:00.002-04:00

Wow! After reading Rachel's, Chris', and Meredith's blog posts, I believe we are well covered for giving perspective on the last few days. Gorgeous settings, developing relationships, and life learning. Great stuff.

I'm going to keep my comments to a specific few this morning (I think it's Sunday today ... I truly lose track around here). I agree with Meredith ... please pray for the final few days. Two are classic full days at Champfleuri, and one will include canoeing locally (I'm sure it will be surrounded by mountains!). Every day is precious to our Lord, and to his work here in many lives. Thank you for praying.

Everyone on your team is fine ... a touch of cold for a few, but a bright spirit for all ... a great blessing. Life here is a wild amount of new experiences for all ... great opportunity for our kids to be growing in their own faith. Chris Yake (who has gotten to know virtually every young man at camp) gives his testimony this morning. Lift that up as well. Tim Shack's was solid yesterday ... and he did a great job of being engaging while sharing.

Gotta go. Bell has rung for this morning's meeting!

Jim (for the team)

A Day at Champfleuri

2010-07-10T12:13:00.003-04:00

Over the last week, we Americans have been beginning and growing in our relationships with the French teens. It has already become evident that God is at work here by how much participation there is in small groups and singing.

Today was the day after the hike/lake/camp out and everyone was very tired to say the least. We began our day like every other. We ate breakfast, had some free time, broke up into small groups, and then had a large group talk. When we are together in a large group we sing and it is so amazing to just hear all the voices of the French teenagers trying (and mostly succeeding) to pronounce each word that appears on the screen. It just goes to show how wide God's love goes over all the earth. It is becoming sooo much less awkward to walk up to one of the French and randomly begin a conversation, it feels like we've known each other much longer than a week.

Please keep us in your prayers as we go into our last 4-5 days with the campers, that we will be given opportunities to share Christ and answer all the questions that they may have. Pray that we have courage to answer the questions and not to fear the possibility of failure. Lastly please pray that we all will have the physical strength to make it through (especially the counselors) because everyday is very fun-filled but exhausting. Love you fam and see you in a week!

For His Glory,
Meredith DiRico

Day at Lac du Bourget

2010-07-10T02:59:00.003-04:00

After everyone's respective hikes, needless to say, we were all exhausted when it was time to set up camp on the soccer field. Thankfully, no rain came to spoil our parade as some of us slept out under the stars, but we all awoke to a hot morning--perfect conditions for a relaxing day at the lake. Everyone piled onto the coach buses that were to take us to Lac du Bourget (Lake of Le Bourget in English), which is the largest natural lake in France.
Upon arriving, I was immediately struck by the gorgeous landscape, where the lake was surrounded by mountains on all sides and lake houses were set into the mountains, creating a peaceful and majestic ambience. What a blessing it is to revel in God's presence in his beautiful creation! The campers engaged in water activities including jumping off of the high dive, horsing around on a floating dock situated in the middle of the swimmable section of the lake, throwing a frisbee and soccer ball around, and pushing innocent campers relaxing on the pier into the lake. When everyone had enough of the water, it was time to recline in the shade and take a nap after the tiresome previous day, complete with ropes course and challenging hikes.
The day by the lake was one that needed by campers and counselors alike, and gave the GVPC group a chance to catch their breath and talk to French campers without the hustle and bustle of everyday camp life at Champfleuri. After speaking with both French and American teens, it sounded like everyone greatly appreciated the step-away from the craziness that is Champfleuri. It was amazing just to be an observer and watch how well both our team and the other American group from Boston reaches out to French students who may be secluding themselves from group activities, or are just too intimidated to join in a dicussion among American teenagers because of the language obstacles. I believe that everyone is stepping outside of their comfort zone to be intentional campers to the French, which is where the true mission of Champfleuri flourishes. I pray that this branch of intentional missions continues through the last stretch of camp, and ask that everyone back in American keep us in their prayers to remain strong to the end, even as we become both physically and mentally exhausted, so that we may be witnesses to Christ and deliver the Good News to those who have not experienced it.

-Chris Yake

Hike In The Alps

2010-07-09T13:54:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the Champfleuri campers and leaders went on a hike in the Alps. It was gorgeous! In the morning, we took a bus to a big high ropes course. It was quite an experience for everybody. Everyone enjoyed the different ropes courses we could choose, from the easiest starter course(my personal favoite!) to the courses including zip-lining across the tops of the trees. After we had all had our fill of climbing across the treetops, and with minimal injuries, we headed out from our hike. Hiking groups 2 and 3 left first, and they traveled uphill, passing a waterfall and a cross set on the top of a mountain point. Group 1 left next (my group). We walked downhill for a few hours, and at each turn it seemed like there were a new row of mountain ranges. This part of the trip was a highlight for me in terms of recognizing the majesty of God and the beauty of his creation.
The campers started hiking at about 12:30 to 1:00, and we all gathered together again at about 6:00 PM. We all slept in tents on an unmowed soccer field in a nearby village. We were looking over cascading mountainsides: it was The Sound Of Music all over again! (Complete with the Americans from Boston and I belting out; The Hills Are Alive ...! It was awesome! My group (1) saw wild mountain goats, cattle, and even a few wild horses, who came up to meet us right by the edge of the mountainside road. After coming together again as a large group, we all collapsed into our tents and fell asleep.
It was a wonderful day full of breathtaking views, quality bonding time, and the reminder that our Lord is the Wonderful Maker and is the creator and the controller of the universe. Au Revoir for now!
Rachel Schuck

Full day in camp ... heading out on the hike!

2010-07-07T18:46:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Hey GVPC (and many others) -

This will not be a long blog entry, for I'm up early for hiking tomorrow!

Weather has been absolutely great, other than on the warm side (we had some sunburn going on from the lake time yesterday … Justin, Tim, some French students … don’t know about our gals) … and I understand you are getting plenty of heat and humidity back on the US East Coast as well. We had another full day today, this one around the camp. Morning small groups, followed by worship and a large group talk by Damien … all focused on Jesus and Simon the Pharisee (and the woman visitor who dried Jesus’ feet with her hair). Damien has a speaking style that really connects with me, and he did a nice job of taking us through three embarrassments of the event (Luke 7:36-50) and then what Christ was teaching … that although Simon was a good, religious guy … he had started to see himself as a good, religious guy before God … rather than as a sinner that needed God’s mercy (as the woman at Jesus’ feet was an example). Oops … the anti-gospel … that we can earn God’s favor and meet his perfect standards (harken back to Dana’s talk on full day no. 1). The gospel is presented often here … and Champfleuri TED is a very intentional atmosphere, but without any pressure conditions … simply people that know the Lord being moved to a closer walk with him … and people that don’t know the Lord being prayed for, and brought alongside a number of healthy relationships. Pray for our students, for they really are the missionaries on this trip … and God is at work through them in that regard.

Anyway, the afternoon was filled with games and preparation for our hike, and our evening included more games … and a bit early to bed. I’m looking forward to the hike, for although it will be an easier hike than previous years, the hike time and tent time is potentially really effective. I was reminded again by the Lord today that I needed to push my conversations beyond trivia quizzes, or idle banter ... to discussion on Him! Some of these students are believers now ... but hearing about the Lord ... or about how the they could be serving the Lord with their natural, God given abilities is new to them ... and therefore pleasant to be used of God to foster.

Love from the team (probably won’t hear from us for a day and a half),
Jim

Kajabee Can Can

2010-07-07T11:55:00.002-04:00

The day was started by a talk from Damien (the camp director) on Luke 7:36-50 about the extent of our sin. We then moved onto extremely active games led by the Californian team which included the Kajabee Can Can, the Ninja game, and the Samurai game. The Kajabee Can Can, one of the most painful games ever invented, is played in a large circle with memebers connected by holding onto bandanas. The goal of the games is to throw (literally) other members into a trash can (or in this case, a suitcase) or make them release the bandana.

It has been announced that tomorrow is our hike. The camp has been broken down into 3groups, each of a different skill level, and we will be hiking anywhere from 5-15 miles, and then will be camping out in a nearby soccer field at a local town. Please pray for saftey and strength. So, the remaining part of our day will be consisting of prep work for the hike.

In him,
Christine F

Continuing to pick up speed!

2010-07-06T18:42:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

We had a long, active day here at Champfleuri, including:

Morning worship of singing and exposition of three Peter passages by Buan. Here's what excited me, though. Bailey shared her testimony, and I heard French campers related well to what she shared from her life ... and this was a great introduction to the talk. Ask Bailey about her story sometime. They were a great way to convey her trust in the Lord. Buan then shared … (well, check out Kris Peterson’s blog input … it explains it well). Christina did a great job of talking her cabin time students through this (oh yea … cabin time is new to us, started a year ago … a counselor joins with each dorm room inhabitants to review the day and test for spiritual interest … it’s is a good add, and worthwhile for all parties). The students categorized themselves into 3 categories … seeker, doubter, and imperfect believer.

Oh yea … one thought about yesterday that I don’t believe I’ve mentioned. We’ve done two rounds of activity workshops that our students lead (along with Boston and California folks). Round 2 consisted of Tim with volleyball, Bailey with Henna and hair, Natalie with cooking, Kris with Frisbee golf. Well done, around the horn.

We then supervised and played a variety game in the evening that included round robin ping pong, spoons, fishbowl modified, blanket ball, and team jump roping … simultaneously played by different groups. A full day, with good support by the Philly team!

Today then included a great day at the lake … but you can read about that in Kris’ file as well. The evening (pretty fine exhaustion today) concluded with the movie ‘Holes.’ A lot of redemptive themes here … good cabin time in this regard as well. There is an interesting spiritual buzz in the air … lots of questions currently.

Keep praying please (thanks!),
Jim

He is Mighty to Save

2010-07-06T12:02:00.004-04:00

Hello blog followers! The daily blogger for today July 6th is me, Kris Peterson. Today was (and still is) the 4th day of Camp TED (3rd full day). Today was awesome! It was a break from the normal schedule.
In the morning there was breakfast (Yes the French do eat like we do in the United States) and it consisted of bread and cereal with orange juice. After that, we went to La Grange for Bailey's testimony, worship, and a large group talk by Buan. They were all great. Buan's talk was about the story of Simon (aka Peter) and his confrontations with Jesus. The first one would be when Jesus led thousands to Simon's boat and Simon caught lots of fish when Jesus told him to fish. The next was when Simon was in the middle of the lake and saw Jesus walking on water. Then how Simon walked on the water, but then he doubted and sank. The last story was when Simon was on his ship and saw Jesus on the shore (post resurrection), but then failed to walk on water and had to swim to shore. Buan related all of these to our relationship with Christ. We are either meeting him for the first time, trying to follow him but then doubting, and then trying to renew our relationship after messing up. I think that everyone in the camp, at least most of us, could fit into one of these categories. I just really liked the talk this morning (that's why I talked a lot about it).
After the talk we were told to pack our backpacks. We were going to a lake to go swimming. The lake was about 25 mins from the camp. When we arive many of us played volleyball, then ate lunch, then went in the water. The water was not to hot and not to cold, just perfect. After that we played American football with the French, and then attempted to play wiffleball (but that didn't work out so well). We then left and on the bus back to Champfleuri I had a good conversation with Elodie, about how we became Christians. It was a very good conversation because we both got things to pray for each other out of it.
Finally, like an hour ago, after we got back. We had a meeting as an American team (the Philadelphia team). We talked about moving from Stage 1 to Stage 2. Stage 1 being talking about our lives and their lives. Stage 2 being talking to the French campers about Christ. Please pray that God would give us the strength to move from Stage 1 to 2. It will involve a lot of questions that may make us feel awkward, so it would be great if you all prayed for that.
One last thing, I love you Mom, Dad, Andrew, and James. And all of you who are praying for us. Thank you very very very much!

In Christ,

Kristopher Peterson

TED Day 3

2010-07-05T09:59:00.002-04:00

Hello blog-followers! Today was the second full day of camp and it has been good so far (HOT, but good!). Workshops today were great- we made banana boats in cooking, played tons of volleyball, and made dozens of friendship bracelets. The language barrier is slowing becoming less of an obstacle , but it is still difficult to overcome. Please pray for God to give us courage to talk to someone new, patience when campers don't understand what we're saying, and perseverance during the hot days and nights. God has blessed all of us with such an amazing opportunity, so pray also for safety on the long journey home so we can show off our pictures! I hope all is well back in America.

-Corey Pittounicos

2010-07-04T18:28:00.000-04:00

Sunday , July 4th, 2010

First Full Day Impressions!
With this first full day under wraps, our days are now officially 'smoking,' with small group discussions, large group talks (both with a 'Jawing with Jesus' theme ... hence Matthew 4:1-11 today), and games galore. These all lead in significant ways to relationships (with our Savior, and with each other). Let’s see if I can give a good overview of some typical daily events.

Our day started off with a simple breakfast (bread, cereal if desired, coffee, and fruit), followed by our first small group hour. The small groups are classified by English speaking ability, with our team spread out completely among the 10 groups (8 each, full camp!). Although English speaking ability helps, this can be significant time for every member to form deeper knowledge of each other, and have meaningful conversations. I believe Becky and Justin and Bailey and Christina are with barely-English speaking groups. Large group follows small groups, and told of how Satan’s temptations of Christ, and how Satan would have loved to knock Jesus off of his purpose of fulfilling His Father’s Will, and being our substitutionary Savior. Lunch followed, very American cuisine for July 4th reasons. Fun afternoon as well … digital scavenger hunt and workshops. Rachel (music reading with Stephanie and Justin), Meredith (line dancing with Christine), Jennie (jewelry and hemp with Becky and Christina), Chris Yake (American football with Kris Peterson), Liz (Tye Dye with Natalie and Bailey). Dinner … and then the evening was consumed by ‘Pictionary down the Lane’ and showing the pictures from the Digital Scavenger Hunt. Great relationship building day.

We’re on the move.
Until next time,
Jim

day 2 at camp T.E.D( totally english days)

2010-07-04T11:52:00.004-04:00

Bonjour Everyone!!! Bek here. i am so blessed to be here right now. God has already used so many things to show himself ... and many situations to intervene in and show us his truth. i am so excited for the days yet to come and i really believe that God is going to be changing and working through both the French students and our team as well.
Today was our first actual full day and it was a little tiring ... (still recovering from jet leg) and hot. It always seems to be dry and hot up here! Anyways things with the French students are working out really well for us and things are going better then i thought they would. The language barrier has not been a big problem at all for me. It gives me a desire to learn the language. For our small groups, i am in the group who is the lowest in speaking English, and it has gone very well, and i honestly am really enjoying it. Dana leads it. Today, it was the 4th of july and all of the Americans were going crazy as well as some of the French students. Some of us were dressed up and had red, white and blue everywhere. Counselors of the day were Mary and Monica, who are leaders from the Boston team. They are a lot of fun and the girls on our team seem to be bonding well with the other teams.
The California team is very nice and fun to be around. Dana spoke today on how Jesus took the place of us dying and now we can have new life in him and forgiveness of sins without eternal judgement. A number of the French students have rarely (or never) read their bible. So my goal is definitely to get them to read something from the bible, so what I did for the girls in my cabin was ... I gave them each a verse and now i am going to translate it in to French for them, that way they can understand it better.
My prayer right now is that God would work in the lives of the French and that he would give us all patience to help and encourage them to know and draw closer to Jesus Christ. My personal prayer is that i would be uplifting with my actions and words and that i would set a christlike example to everyone here, french students, team members and leaders/counselors.
Anyways, all is well and safe here in France and i hope that everything is going well back at home. Love you all! and please keep us in your prayers! Au revoir!!!

America Day!

2010-07-04T09:46:00.002-04:00

Hello to everyone back home and Happy 4th of July! Today here at T.E.D we celebrated "America Day" which included singing the naional anthem at our morning meeting, dressing in red, white and blue, and eating an American lunch(chicken nuggets and potato chips). Just a little while ago we completed our group activity for the afternoon. In our small groups(which include 2 leaders, 2 Americans and about 6-7 French teens) we went on a "digital" scavenger hunt. Using digital cameras we had to take pictures of about 21 different things, for example getting our picture taken with the kitchen staff and building a human pyramid. We all had fun and shared many laughs along the way. Next acitivity planned is our small workshops in which I will teach the French teens how to make jewelry and hemp.
So far my experience here at Champfleuri has been amazing and it can only get better from here. God has been with me as well as others as we struggle with the language barrier, play games and much more. He has given me faith to preach His word to others who need his love in their life. Thank you for all your prayers and please continue to pray for us. Hope all is well back home and to my family, I miss you all very much!
Jennie Holland

2010-07-03T18:53:00.002-04:00

Saturday, July 3 (evening)

The very critical first day has gone well (more below). I realized as I sat down tonight that I have not given you a sense of the leadership here at Champfleuri. I am always struck by the incredible diversity of the leadership team. Check this out:

1. Damien. Camp director, and overall top dog (and Texan of all things), along with ...

2. Joe Mellon (Camp TED interim director, Joe is actually a long term Philadelphia guy … anyone heard the name?) ... actually these two share many responsibilities for Camp TED (Totally English Days). For instance, Damien leads the long and short-term planning for camp TED, while Joe is helping administer every detail, including the difficult task of doing any necessary discipline work with the French students (surely there wouldn’t be any with the American students … Dana or I will be handling that ;-). This duo makes quite a team, and maintains a very pleasant, upbeat, loving demeanor in the midst of a ton of details.

3. Buan (pronounced Boone). Buan is a Wheaton undergrad and grad student from a few years ago. He spent some of his youth in France, and has always had a hankering to return as a missionary. He met Theresa while at Wheaton, and they formed their plan to be involved with youth camping ministries in France, so I'd say Champfleuri is a direct hit. Buan brings all kinds of things to the table (music leader, very relational, small group leader, etc.).

4. Thomas ... I don't know his last name (these things take time)! Thomas is now responsible for the upkeep of the facilities, but also helps with language translation and small group leading. Seems like a good hard worker.

6. Craig Davis … pastor in California who heads up student ministries in general and is hands on with the college ministry. Craig learned of Champfleuri from John Pavey (John is a pastor in Grenoble). Craig has been bringing college students for 3 years now to help lead TED. He brought 6 this year and they are very relational and pleasant. The younger set is larger! ...

7. and 8. You know Dana and I. Dana simply does a great job, leading a wide variety of responsibilities, while also filling gaps as needed (for instance, he ran tonight’s game set because of an impromptu request to do so. Dana brought two leaders with him, Mary and Monica. Great leadership team, with a group of five well prepared students.

9. and 10. Wendy and Christina! What a great blessing these two are. Wendy and Christina simply perfectly fit the model of being intentional with our lives for God’s glory … and loving our kids and the French kids. They are leading small groups, helping with a wide variety of logistics, and are constantly on the move. With the large group of students we have, we are all blessed to have this leadership team.

9., 10., 11., 12., 13, et al. Add a support staff that hails people from Canada, Germany, France (etc.), and this becomes one of the finest melting pots I've ever interacted with! Just a taste of the diversity God designs into his kingdom, now and into eternity. He is the common bond to bring together a team that loves the Lord, and shows love to a variety of kids that may or may not have heard the gospel message before.

(By the way, no lost luggage this year! A first! I did get a kick when I saw that they had inspected the suitcase in which we had all of our game equipment (balls , Frisbees, cones, etc.). First of all, it was locked … second I have no idea how they got it re-closed. But they did it.)

Please pray for the many French students that came today (it is really quite a day for them as well ... being tossed into an English speaking environment) where they don't know many ... and for God's blessing in allowing relationships to take shape in a hurry.

Our students are proving that they got the message of all of our preparation ... and it applies to all our lives. Intentional service to God and others.

Also, please pray for these first few days. The French are not used to speaking English, so we are often left out of conversations at the meal table (do you know that we have a rule that only 2 of the Philly team are allowed at any one table?) or in the dorm room (each GV High Schooler is in a room with 3 or 4 French campers). In the past, God has always been faithful that this naturally comes around, but it is always an awkward couple of days. There is also a joy in meeting new people and having such opportunity to serve.

Through your prayers and by God's grace we are working our way into the French teens lives, even at this early stage. Please continue to pray that hearts would be open and that the Holy Spirit would speak and work through us. First full day of camp tomorrow!

Bon Nuit, Jim

French Camper Arrival Day

2010-07-03T14:15:00.003-04:00

Today is the day that the French campers arrived! Some came by car, and some came by train. Our team has been very busy with getting to know the campers a little, playing games and asking questions. We can't wait to get to know everyone better. We are all charged, mostly done with jet lag, and ready to face the coming weeks. Keep praying, and merci!
Rachel Schuck

2010-07-03T07:43:00.001-04:00

Saturday, July 03, 2010

What a group of Sr.Highers we have!

I couldn't be more appreciative of the fabulous Sr. Highers that we have sent over to serve in France. Today is quite a day, with 55+ French campers filling up the camp between 3 and 6 PM. This day is kind of a bellwether (sp?), as there are plenty of awkward moments (French students with little English ... about 50 %, and Americans with 'un peu' French). Our Champfleuri 15 are great! I watched as luggage got carried, inclusive games got played, conversations (some with a bit of body language) got started ... and re-started. No joke ... have you tried to speak to someone of another language lately?
Here's what I am most proud of. These 15 are outgoing (even if it doesn't come naturally) in order to help those French who also don't know any others, and because they know they will not integrate if they give up on getting to know their French peers. That is a difficult ... and worthwhile effort!

The leaders (Wendy, Christina, and Jim … yes, I arrived no problem yesterday … and have now caught up on sleep!) have spent many hours in meetings going over many details of camp operation for the next 12 days. Details like small group activity workshops, small bible studies, large group afternoon activities, whole group evening events, clean up crew responsibilities, overnight hiking responsibilities, sleeping arrangements, etc. You get it ... a ton of information and planning! Damien (used to be named ‘Blain,’ changed his name a couple years ago to be more French and less Texan sounding) does a great job getting after this with the full complement of counselors. I am thankful that he's an organized planner.

Anticipation!

Whoa.

The anticipation here is thick enough to cut.

The weather is quite pleasant (keep praying for that … very helpful to camp purposes). Campers start to come in just a few minutes, and then the bedlam begins.

Our students are meeting and greeting, while the counselors test the French campers for their English fluency and other interests.

I've got to go. Camp is underway! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. More tonight.

Jim

Campers Are Coming

2010-07-03T05:52:00.004-04:00

Today the campers will arrive! I am very excited! I want to give a real fast shout out to my Family...I hope you all are doing well. The food so far has been interesting. The bread is really good and everything else is interesting. The other California team and Massachussets(Boo the Red Sox)have mixed well with our team. I think the whole team would appreciate prayer as we embark agianst a battle with Satan to win the hearts of the teens with God's help for God. God is 100 percent evident in this camp. The mountains here are magnificent just like the one and only God who made them. Jesus is awesome and I am excited to share his work with everyone! The trip was just such a blessing. Despite my insistence that we would die on the plane we made it with no luggage lost! I hope the US is great because France is! God Bless everyone! Bailey

Up, Up, and Away!

2010-06-30T11:31:00.000-04:00

It's go time for the Champfleuri Team!

The team leaves Newark International Airport at 6:25 PM for London, landing at 6:30 AM (OK, how many kids will actually sleep?). We meet the Boston team (with Dana Smith!) in London … then a quick flight to Lyon. Then a coach bus ride straight to Champfleuri. Whew! We'll arrive at Champfleuri around 3 PM (that would be 9 AM here in the NE USA) and fight to stay awake for the day, doing a variety of preparatory tasks.

I (Jim Shack) will be joining the team a day late, after spending the day at the USNA with my wife and son Dan, who will be inducted as a Plebe. Pray for Dan as well, please. He’s in for a very full summer!

I'm sure I'm the only one going to Champfleuri that remembers the song referenced in the title ('Fifth Dimension' for all you adults that are struggling with this one … particularly Les [you’ll have to attend a PHR Sandwich Making Night to understand]!). Although not in a 'balloon,' this theme represents our day a bit, as we move away from everything we know so well (families, homes, familar surroundings) and venture out by God's hand to meet many French teens, many of whom know little of the Lord. This becomes quite a day, as everything is new. Please pray for ease of separation, and a smooth transition to meeting the other leaders (French students come on July 3rd), along with camp preparation time.

Justin Sybrandt will post on this blog when the team arrives at camp tomorrow, and Lynne Shack will be calling or making contact with all of you parents. My hope is to use this blog for our whole team to give a sense of what is going on during camp … not just a select few. We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m sending a shout out to Justin for administering our whole blog, and showing the initiative to get us rolling. Thanks Justin!

You’ll hear from the team tomorrow! Jim

Champfleuri 2010 Final Prep!

2010-06-29T16:30:00.002-04:00

Greetings to everyone in the Name of our Lord Jesus! It is hot and humid here in PA, and so there is a bit of added incentive to spend some time in the cooler (hopefully) French Alps sharing our Lord with 60+ French campers (full camp!). What a blessing this trip has been in the past, and we are excited to see what the Lord will carry out this time around as well. We have just a few returning campers, and very few that we know since we haven’t been back since 2007 … so there will be many new relationships to form! There will also be several new and returning faces on the leadership team, so excitement is building on our end.

As for our team, I couldn't be more pleased with its make-up. We have a younger-than-normal high school team that has absorbed a great deal through our weeks of preparing (via Bible studies, logistical planning, crafting and sharing of testimonies, praying, fundraising, etc.). We are set to head out and put what we've learned to the test, trusting that the Lord will use us to His glory. (Lest you think otherwise, we are more than aware of the fact that no amount of planning on our part can ever replace the planning and work the Lord has been doing behind the scenes!). I'm picturing frantic households in final preparation as I write this!

Please remember to pray for us while there, and make sure that you track our every move every day via this blog. Specifically, pray that we would honor the Lord by being faithful witnesses to Christ's saving work. Pray that unbelievers who will be at the camp will come to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, believers would be encouraged in their faith, and that all attendees will be moved closer to a thriving walk with Him. Pray that Satan would be bound and that TED 2010 would be a memory for all to look back on and see God's goodness. Pray for wisdom for the leaders to handle the plethora (whoa, big word) of issues that are bound to arise. Finally, please pray that we would be servants, even when the days get long and language barriers become more difficult. So you will not forget, here is the GVPC 2010 Champfleuri team... "Intentional campers" (alphabetically): Bailey Barstar, Meredith DiRico, Bek Fanus, Christine Farrell, Jennie Holland, Stephanie MacDonald, Kris Peterson, Corey Pittounicos, Rachel Schuck, Natalie Scott, Tim Shackleton, Jon Steel, Justin Sybrandt, Liz Turner, and Chris Yake. Leaders are Wendy DiRico, Christina Hoffman, and Jim Shackleton.

See you in France!

Two Days Left!

2010-06-28T14:10:00.000-04:00

Now that all there is left to do is pack, (not to say that packing does not remain a very intimidating task) our thoughts turn more toward Champfleuri and the activities we as campers will be doing there. On the "To Look Forward To" page are two slideshows that show some activities and some scenery of Champfleuri. These pictures were taken by the 2007 team and do a great job bringing on the excitement for this trip.

Commissioning

2010-06-27T13:45:00.003-04:00

Today the Champfleuri Team was commissioned in front of both Great Valley and Grace Valley. This is our last real step toward our preparation, because on Wednesday, we are boarding for a seven hour flight, then a three hour flight, then a two to three hour bus ride right to the camps doorstep.

Despite the intimidating travel, it feels great knowing how many people are here praying for us and have supported us so far, and all we can ask is that you all continue your prayers and your support.

As we start to head off, we ask that you pray for a safe journey for us, and for Dana Smith's team who will be meeting us during our transfer in London-Heathrow, and for our leader Jim Shack, who will be joining us the next day.

Suggestions?

2010-06-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

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