Our Lake Swan project has been completed. This will go down as a favorite. We loved the staff, worked very hard and left the camp in a better physical condition than when we arrived. The electric company had not arrived to bring the power from the pole but that is OK because those that follow will enjoy it. Everyone in the group said that they wanted to work there again in the future.
As is always the case, the hard part of the project is saying goodbye. Larry & Gaylene had to return to Indiana (snow & cold!). Everyone is missing them already. The remaining couples along with us have gone to a new project that we will begin on Monday at Camp Tracey, Glen St. Mary, Florida. Another couple from Michigan have now arrived to make our group 5 couples once again. We worked with them on a Michigan project last year and they are a great addition to this group. In addition to our RVICS group, there are 2 couples here from the SOWERS (Canadian) plus a young couple staying here that do prison ministry. The campsite is full!!
In a future blog I will tell more about this camp as we learn more. Basically, it is a ministry to teens that are one step from jail. (One boy was really interested in our truck---can that be good?) It is a working farm and the kids do all the work etc. Our view from our back window is of cows and barns. We will be eating meals with them (boys and girls are separate) and have already had lunch with 4 boys. We will learn alot, I am sure.
Please continue to pray for us as we work here. Right now, we have no idea what we might be doing but we wish to be useful.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
What a Week!
Another week has passed –can that be possible?? Our time here at Lake Swan Camp has flown by before we knew it. We are now down to the last few days here. Tuesday afternoon will be our last work day before we move to a new location.
The electrical work got under way in a big way this week. When it was found a ditch witch couldn’t do the trenches for the electrical lines, a back hoe was brought in. (In this case, bigger was better!) After all the digging, the RV parking lot looked like a huge mine field that had blown up. However, no RVs had to be moved and nothing was hit. RVICS hours were thrown out and the men worked long and HARD days. It was amazing to see all of these old men digging and the other hard work involved. The women (in the afternoons) served them coffee and cookies, moved dug up roots, did misc. help and were the cheering squad for our hubbies. They have alot done but it is unlikely that we will benefit from the final hook up. The ladies continued in their painting etc. The finished walls/rooms make it worth the while.
Yesterday (our tour day) the group traveled 50 miles to THE BEACH (Crescent Beach on the Atlantic). All of us were like teenagers. We had the absolutely most perfect day to do this. We packed lunch, chairs and flew a kite, played bocce ball, picked up sea shells and walked barefoot in the sand!! This week, we played just as hard as we had worked! The sun was out and the temperature was about 80---in February!!!! Oh, did I say, it was perfect?
One of the couples from North Carolina had to go home on Sunday. They found the problem to be related to his back rather than an old hip injury. It was hard to loose one of the group. We are now a group of 10 (5 couples).
Thank you for all your prayers. It was amazing that no one suffered any permanent damage etc. from all that was accomplished.
The electrical work got under way in a big way this week. When it was found a ditch witch couldn’t do the trenches for the electrical lines, a back hoe was brought in. (In this case, bigger was better!) After all the digging, the RV parking lot looked like a huge mine field that had blown up. However, no RVs had to be moved and nothing was hit. RVICS hours were thrown out and the men worked long and HARD days. It was amazing to see all of these old men digging and the other hard work involved. The women (in the afternoons) served them coffee and cookies, moved dug up roots, did misc. help and were the cheering squad for our hubbies. They have alot done but it is unlikely that we will benefit from the final hook up. The ladies continued in their painting etc. The finished walls/rooms make it worth the while.
Yesterday (our tour day) the group traveled 50 miles to THE BEACH (Crescent Beach on the Atlantic). All of us were like teenagers. We had the absolutely most perfect day to do this. We packed lunch, chairs and flew a kite, played bocce ball, picked up sea shells and walked barefoot in the sand!! This week, we played just as hard as we had worked! The sun was out and the temperature was about 80---in February!!!! Oh, did I say, it was perfect?
One of the couples from North Carolina had to go home on Sunday. They found the problem to be related to his back rather than an old hip injury. It was hard to loose one of the group. We are now a group of 10 (5 couples).
Thank you for all your prayers. It was amazing that no one suffered any permanent damage etc. from all that was accomplished.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Our Outdoor Education
This week flew by as we continued our work here at Lake Swan Camp! In fact, a few of the projects are now completed. A couple of the women have finished sorting and archiving old files and 35 boxes of have burned, the fence has been replaced/repaired, the key sorting is nearly complete. Sharon and a couple of the women continued to paint and one building is now ready for campers and another is progressing nicely. Don and Larry (in addition to working on the fence) have moved a shed and other misc. items, installed new lights and repaired soffitt. Everyone is anticipating another busy week coming up too.
Stacy Farris (ex-Hoosier) is in charge of the living outdoor school. What an interesting lady! Stacy is a lawyer who walked away from the profession for her love of kids and nature. One night she took our group to the lake and gave us a study on the stars---both the science view of the sky and the scriptural story written in the sky. She has a boa constrictor (among other animals) that she gave a lesson on one day including the feeding (actual demonstration) and care. What will we learn this coming week?
In addition to the work we continue to socialize! On Tuesday night our group hosted another RVICS group that is on a nearby project. Our theme song is “Family of God” and that is actually what we are---a big family. It is so much fun to gather with other RVICS. Even though we had with only one other couple in the past from this group it seems like we have always known the others also. On Sunday my sister and husband paid us a visit while on vacation from their home in Ohio. What a treat!
Florida is badly in need to rain and we had a couple of times of heavy rain. Sun is much preferred but the rain was very welcome.
One of the men is experiencing pain from an old injury. We are praying that he might get relief and to be able to continue work. Thanks for your continuing prayers.
Stacy Farris (ex-Hoosier) is in charge of the living outdoor school. What an interesting lady! Stacy is a lawyer who walked away from the profession for her love of kids and nature. One night she took our group to the lake and gave us a study on the stars---both the science view of the sky and the scriptural story written in the sky. She has a boa constrictor (among other animals) that she gave a lesson on one day including the feeding (actual demonstration) and care. What will we learn this coming week?
In addition to the work we continue to socialize! On Tuesday night our group hosted another RVICS group that is on a nearby project. Our theme song is “Family of God” and that is actually what we are---a big family. It is so much fun to gather with other RVICS. Even though we had with only one other couple in the past from this group it seems like we have always known the others also. On Sunday my sister and husband paid us a visit while on vacation from their home in Ohio. What a treat!
Florida is badly in need to rain and we had a couple of times of heavy rain. Sun is much preferred but the rain was very welcome.
One of the men is experiencing pain from an old injury. We are praying that he might get relief and to be able to continue work. Thanks for your continuing prayers.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Lots Of Work Being Done
What a good week this has been at Lake Swan! Progress has been made on the projects but there is so much more to be done. Don and a few of the other men have taken down a wooden fence and replaced it with a nice new one. Don dug lots of post holes but he said that it wasn’t too bad because it was sand (?) There is just a little more of that to be done before they move on to other work. A couple of men have been replacing parts of a roof that was in bad shape. Sharon has been painting and will probably paint until we leave here. The rooms in the cabins we’ve been working on needed painting badly. One lady has been sorting keys and finding a home for them.
This camp has so much history that we are learning about daily. It was founded in the early 1920’s by a Dr. Minder. Two of the RVICS ladies are sorting through boxes of papers (newspaper clippings, receipts, letters etc) that had to removed from the Minder home that will have new occupants. They will be archived to make tracing the history of the camp easier. Of note is the fact that Billy Graham preached one of his first sermons here prior to his street ministry. The story is that he was asked to preach and he said that he had 4 sermons prepared and preached the entire 4 sermons in 10 minutes. There is a building in the camp that was moved from another location that he preached in also. In the 1970’s he returned for the dedication of one of the buildings in the camp.
The camp director, Gordon Swenson, is a former missionary for 25 years in Indonesia. Stacie Farris, outdoor educator, is transplanted Hoosier. They are very friendly and make this place “work”. Gordon told us that they have 250-450 decisions made here in a year.
We have been greatly enjoying the fellowship of the other couples in the team whether it is a planned social event or around a fire burning the discarded files for the last 20 years.
Don has now recovered from the stomach bug (or whatever). One other in the group had acute bronchitis but with help from the doctor and medication has since recovered. This coming week they are to begin (long story) on the very badly needed electrical work needed in the RV parking. We pray that it might go safely. Thank you for all of your prayers.
This camp has so much history that we are learning about daily. It was founded in the early 1920’s by a Dr. Minder. Two of the RVICS ladies are sorting through boxes of papers (newspaper clippings, receipts, letters etc) that had to removed from the Minder home that will have new occupants. They will be archived to make tracing the history of the camp easier. Of note is the fact that Billy Graham preached one of his first sermons here prior to his street ministry. The story is that he was asked to preach and he said that he had 4 sermons prepared and preached the entire 4 sermons in 10 minutes. There is a building in the camp that was moved from another location that he preached in also. In the 1970’s he returned for the dedication of one of the buildings in the camp.
The camp director, Gordon Swenson, is a former missionary for 25 years in Indonesia. Stacie Farris, outdoor educator, is transplanted Hoosier. They are very friendly and make this place “work”. Gordon told us that they have 250-450 decisions made here in a year.
We have been greatly enjoying the fellowship of the other couples in the team whether it is a planned social event or around a fire burning the discarded files for the last 20 years.
Don has now recovered from the stomach bug (or whatever). One other in the group had acute bronchitis but with help from the doctor and medication has since recovered. This coming week they are to begin (long story) on the very badly needed electrical work needed in the RV parking. We pray that it might go safely. Thank you for all of your prayers.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Lake Swan Camp
Goodbye snow, cold, wind and Indiana. Hello north central Florida. Soon after we left Indiana one week ago, it wasn’t too far down the road that we found the warmer temps and abundant sunshine that retirees are always wanting to find. After spending a few days with Kim, Chris and grandkids, we gave hugs. After getting the RV out of storage, we finished our journey to Lake Swan Camp near Melrose, Florida.
Lake Swan Camp is a place that we have heard of for many years but have never visited. Clyde has been bringing the senior high youth here for spring break for a long time. Even though this is in Florida it has impacted many lives even back home in Indiana. This camp has suffered through many years from attacks from the neighbors around the lake on which it sets. Everyone is trying to preserve their little piece of heaven no matter who it affects. This has resulted in many law suits over the years---even to the extent that vending machine lights must be off. As a result of all the lawsuits that left very little to no money for the physical facilities. In fact, they have had to cancel RVICS projects in the past for lack of funds. Now that the suits seem to all settled they are trying to upgrade some.
They have a place for RVs to park on the grounds. The electrical hook ups barely work. The men will be replacing the electrical lines to bring the up to date for one of their jobs. We haven’t heard what the women will be doing.
Even though we are just meeting the other couples in our group, we anticipate a really good and fun month. There are 6 couples in all---North Carolina (2 couples), West Virginia, Minnesota/Illinois and, our good friends the Holloways from Hartford City. We are anxious and excited to get going.
Lake Swan Camp is a place that we have heard of for many years but have never visited. Clyde has been bringing the senior high youth here for spring break for a long time. Even though this is in Florida it has impacted many lives even back home in Indiana. This camp has suffered through many years from attacks from the neighbors around the lake on which it sets. Everyone is trying to preserve their little piece of heaven no matter who it affects. This has resulted in many law suits over the years---even to the extent that vending machine lights must be off. As a result of all the lawsuits that left very little to no money for the physical facilities. In fact, they have had to cancel RVICS projects in the past for lack of funds. Now that the suits seem to all settled they are trying to upgrade some.
They have a place for RVs to park on the grounds. The electrical hook ups barely work. The men will be replacing the electrical lines to bring the up to date for one of their jobs. We haven’t heard what the women will be doing.
Even though we are just meeting the other couples in our group, we anticipate a really good and fun month. There are 6 couples in all---North Carolina (2 couples), West Virginia, Minnesota/Illinois and, our good friends the Holloways from Hartford City. We are anxious and excited to get going.
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