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Teen Camp

Since 1997, many youth groups and individual teens have spent much time on numerous projects and in various ministries. Youth rallies, youth missions trips, retreats, mentoring, and other things have been part of the ministry since that time. Still, we have never attempted a teen “camp” until this year. While it was only a daycamp, it was a great experience and provided opportunity to connect with a handful of new teens. We discussed depression and loneliness and were able to play games each day that helped illustrate various points. We made connections that it looks like will be kept throughout the coming months, as each of these young men (still can’t seem to get girls interested) are looking forward to being part of our weekly Friday night teen activities here at the Center. This has proven to be a huge avenue for mentoring young Christian men, and it is exciting to see more wanting to become part of it.

Daycamp 2010

Our theme for daycamp (ages 5-12) this year was God’s word. The kids learned about the Author, why He wrote it, how He wrote it, and how it accomplishes His purposes. On the last day they memorized Hebrews 4:12, which talks about how God’s word is “sharp” and “pierces” the soul. Indeed, they experienced it firsthand - at least one did, anyway. One came under deep conviction that she needed forgiveness. She sought us out after the lesson and practically begged to receive God’s forgiveness, which is available to all who believe in the payment Christ made for our sins when He was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead!

While it was not a record year in terms of the number of campers each day, it was by far the best year in terms of the Lord working in and through every aspect of the camp. A youth group from Hutchinson, Kansas, came to help alongside numerous volunteers from several local churches. One of the neatest things about these daycamps continues to be the opportunities for people of all ages and from all walks of life to interact with and minister Christ’s love to many kids and their families. The close camper to helper ratio gives any helper who will take the time the ability to befriend a camper and thus have a huge impact in their life. Of course, not every volunteer has those gifts; there were also those who worked more behind the scenes fixing lunches and snacks, cleaning up, watching the Pinto toddlers, and doing other crucial support tasks.

Roller Skating

I have never enjoyed roller skating. I have always wondered what is wrong with me that I never seem to be able to figure it out… and I’ve tried many times. People who can skate always say, “it’s easy, just…” which really is no help to those of us who seem to have a skating disability. So because I can’t skate should I therefore never take youth roller skating because “it’s just not my gift?” Certainly that thought appeals much to me! Still, I recognize that God has called me to this work, and just because I’m not good at something doesn’t mean I can use that as an excuse to avoid doing it.

Recently, I saw how God can use us not only in spite of but because of our “disabilities.” One young teenager who had never skated simply would not even try. I had planned to skate that night, but I knew there were two who also did not want to skate. This would provide a convenient excuse for me to hang out with them and not have to skate. When the only skates they had close to my size were two sizes too small, I almost went to get my money back right then. Instead, I tried them on and decided I could deal with the tight fit. It became obvious quickly that even if I wanted to skate, the two non-skaters were going to require too much of my attention to leave them. I began to encourage them to try to skate, since my skates were their size anyway. I was easily able to identify with their hesitation and their frustration as they began to try it. They both ended up trying it, and despite the best instructions of those there that could skate they never really picked it up. However, it provided a great opportunity for me to connect with those two young men in ways I could not have had I not chosen to skate that night.

Pilgrimage Satellite School Fall Semester

As the board of Pilgrimage continues to work toward a more formal Christian training center, we continue our relationship with Anchor Theological Seminary and Bible Institute. On August 23, the Pilgrimage Learning Center in Cherokee Village, Arkansas, is scheduled to start its fall semester with a class dealing with the nature and attributes of God. As this course progresses, audio recordings of each class session will be put online, making the second complete course available online with classroom instruction. The spring course is already online. The goal is to eventually have all of Anchor’s material available online and create its first “global classroom.” This will also make it much easier for Pilgrimage students to receive Anchor’s affordable, quality teaching while getting their practical training on site at Pilgrimage-Cedar Springs.

Local Youth Learn Practical Skills

Despite our best recruiting efforts, no youth have been willing to commit to any length of stay as interns. However, some local youth have been able to participate by coming regularly to help with various projects. They have learned mechanical skills by repairing equipment, like getting a donated 1991 Ford 15 passenger van on the road to use for ministry. After helping repair our little backhoe attachment, several have also begun learning to use this piece of equipment. Numerous other mechanical repair jobs have been completed as learning experience, too.

Road Progress

Pilgrimage-Cedar Springs is located on Lower Guntharp Road, which is a public “gravel” road but not a county maintained road. This leaves the improvement of that road as the responsibility of the interested land owners. There are three other families living on the road, and they are willing, like we have been for the last 13 years, to live with the occasional inconvience of not being able to go anywhere due to high water or other conditions. However, as we continue to develop camping and recreation facilities, the road becomes more of a hinderance to the ministry. It seems as if, in many ways, the ministry has reached its potential until the road is improved.

While Lower Guntharp is better than most county roads in the area, there are some issues that prevent many who might otherwise be interested in coming. The biggest is the steep hill ending abruptly at a low water bridge in the first 600 feet of the road. This prevents RV’s and discourages some with trailers from making it to our facilities one mile from the highway. The best (least expenseive) solution to this problem appears to be to either build a bridge or install concrete box culverts to handle flood waters and fill in the bottom of this hill to make less grade. This solves not only the steepness factor, but also the flooding problem (on one creek). The hill only rises 41 feet above the creek, so with 15 feet of fill, over one third of the hill is taken care of. Naturally, this project involves engineering skills, legal knowledge, heavy equipment, and lots of money – none of which we have. We have received estimates ranging from $30,000 to $200,000. Which, of course, is well out of our price range for work that would be taking place on land neither owned nor controlled by Pilgrimage or any of its constiuents. The county judge has been working closely with us on this project, and has already provided some legal help. He has also said the county might be able to help with some of the work, especially the dirt hauling.

With the help of local youth we have begun clearing more trees near our “lake” in preparation to take fill from this area to use in the road project. Our objective being to obtain plenty of “free” fill and at the same time double or triple the size and depth of our lake. Things are beginning to dry out (mainly the lake) and we would like to see work begin at least on getting fill moved within the next couple of months.

Website Overhauled - Introduced

Over the years, several have helped build and maintain websites for Cedar Springs Camp. During the last several months, two new websites have been developed to help expand the ministry. www.cedarspringscamp.org still provides general ministry information, news, and pictures of activities and facilities. Now it also offers an option to donate online (although a portion of each donation goes to paypal), reserve facilities, or purchase merchandise (to promote the ministry and raise funds).

www.pilgrimagecc.org puts the Pilgrimage Learning Center courses online, and provides information on other training courses. Please check both sites out and let us know how they work for you. As a school, Pilgrimagecc.org requires a login, but you should be able to log in as a guest to see most things.