And They're Off...

John Vandervelde - Program Director

Last Wednesday I had the privilege of dropping off the boys' DTP (Discipleship Training Program) group in Minnesota for their 10-day wilderness trip.  These 7 campers and 2 counselors are going to hike on the Superior Hiking Trail in the Sawtooth Mountains of Northern Minnesota.  I dropped them off at the Northernmost terminus of the trail, about 20 miles outside the small town of Hovland, MN.  They started their trek about 10 miles from the Canadian border and their hike will take them about 60 miles south where they will be picked up at Cascade State Park, just outside Grand Marais, MN.  We had a great drive up North.  The van was filled with excitement as the group anticipated a great adventure ahead.

At the same time I was taking these young men to Minnesota the two female DTP groups were being dropped off in two different spots in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they too will travel for 10 days through the wilderness, spending most of their time hiking the North Country Trail and going through the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

These wilderness trips are the first phase of the six-week Discipleship Training Program (DTP).  DTP is designed for high school students who are ready for challenge, service, and the adventure of really deepening their faith.  After spending the first two weeks preparing for and going on a wilderness trip, the next week is spent at White Buck Lodge, a camp area off the main HoneyRock property.  While at White Buck the DTP cabins become a unified team.  They cook their own meals, do work projects, and have a lot of fun together. 

After a week at White Buck the team will spend a week doing service projects in our local community.  They will paint, mow lawns, do yard work, split firewood, wash windows, and do a variety of other things to help those in need in Three Lakes and Eagle River.  The following week is spent in Minneapolis, MN at Park Ave United Methodist Church.  While at Park Ave the DTP team will run a Vacation Bible School program at the church for inner-city youth.  They will also do some other projects in the community with the church.

The final week of DTP is spent back here at HoneyRock.  The campers and staff will participate in camp activities and enjoy camp life for a few days before heading home.

The core of DTP is teaching young people what it means to be a full-devoted follower of Christ.  Through adventure experiences, mission opportunities and other challenges campers learn what it means to live their lives as disciples of Christ.  The teaching times and Bible studies this summer are centered on the life of Christ.  Counselors will lead nearly 40 Cabin Impacts (Bible Studies) about Jesus and what it means to live like Him, follow Him and give your life to Him.

DTP is truly a unique and special program.  Six weeks of time together creates the opportunity for young people's lives to be transformed and inspired to be disciples of Christ.  It also allows for a lot of life-long memories and friendships to be created.  Please pray for the counseling staff and all 23 DTP campers this summer!

The DTP guys group a the start of their wilderness expedition.

Adventure Camp!

This summer we have 52 campers in 2 different sessions of Adventure
Camp.  This program is run by our Adventure Ministry Program staff under
the direction of Rick Masters.  In 2009 we started this new program for high school students and it's been a great hit.  Adventure Camp is two-weeks long and involves adventure activities like challenge course elements, wilderness trips, biking, rafting, climbing, etc.  It is a great program for campers who can't get away and be at camp for a whole summer (most of our high school programs are 3-8 weeks long).  It gives kids an opportunity to still have a camp experience and reconnect with friends.  Adventure Camp participants are a great mix of first time HoneyRockers as well as seasoned veterans having their final HoneyRock experiences as a camper.

Below you'll find some pictures of this session's Adventure Camp.

Ski Show

Each Family Day is marked by a special dinner treat - an outdoor picnic and ski show, featuring a handful of campers from each week's session.  Parents get the chance to chat with each other while their kids show off their new skills.  At every ski show, there are a few classics we would like to mention for you to reminisce about or look forward to at Family Day.

Human Skis: Two of our counselors laid on their backs in the water while a camper stood on top of them and skied away from the dock.  This was quite entertaining and our camper did a GREAT job, despite the difficulty of this feat.

Canoe Pull: The Voyageur, our 15-seat canoe, pulled a camper on skis.  The canoe was propelled forward by 15 strong rowers and believe it or not, the skier was able to go pretty far!

Ski Jump: We sent our biking instructor, Jud, to take on the ski jump. Another exciting ride!

Five Camper Pull: If you thought one skier was entertaining, then five will blow you away.  We pulled five campers behind the ski boat for an exciting synchronized skiing success.

Grudge Match: Our two ski boat drivers faced off in this action-packed thrill.  They both started off with two skis, then dropped one, then dropped the second ski.  The challenge was to see who could stay up the longest while bare-footing.

Everyone enjoyed the picnic and the ski show.  The campers were fantastic and the boat drivers did a great job.  The audience was certainly entertained.  Make sure to come to Family Day so you can take part in this awesome tradition as we celebrate our campers before they head home.  See you on the water!

 

My Eight Nephews

By Sarah Gallagher -- Receptionist

For those of us who do not get the daily privilege of hanging out with campers, take heart.  There is hope.  While the counselors are responsible for their campers and get to spend time with them 24/7, there is a special role for other staff members who wish to be involved with the campers.  They are given the honorary title of Cabin Aunt or Cabin Uncle. 

I had the great fortune of being a Cabin Aunt for the very first session and absolutely loved it!  Nearly every morning, I would join my eight nephews and their counselors for camper worship - a time of singing, dancing, and celebration of God.  It was so much fun to dance around in the tent with all of the campers and praise God with all of our energy. 

I also had the opportunity to meet my group, who called themselves the Knights of Light, for dinner.  It was great to hang out with them and hear about their days.  They told me in great detail and with much enthusiasm about kayaking, swimming, riflery, and their many other activities.  One morning, I met them for an early Wrangler Breakfast.  We took the wagon to Wagon Circle and met three other cabins.  The boys sat around talking and laughing while the Wranglers cooked up their specialty breakfast.

Another afternoon, I had the opportunity to join them for archery.  I was heading to the office when I heard a chorus of, "Hey Aunt Sarah!"  They asked me if I would come watch them, and I couldn't disappoint.  They were each their own Robin Hood - brave archers of the Northwoods, living one adventure at a time.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each of them and hope that I can live each day as they did - embracing it as a new adventure with an excitement that is contagious.

Cabin 18 - 6day Res Camp - KNIGHTS OF LIGHT!

The Buses Have Arrived...

Liz Henderson--Program Team Assistant

Yesterday afternoon marked the start of the Discipleship Training Program, Adventure Camp Session One, 12-Day Residential Camp Session One and the Sawtooth Mountains wilderness trip.  As you can see from the pictures below, there was great excitement when the campers arrived and met their cabin mates and counselors.

We are delighted to have so many campers here and are thankful for your investment in sharing your children with us.  It is exciting to be a part of the work that God is doing in their lives. 

Be sure to check the blog each weekday for pictures and updates about how camp is going.

Reminder:  If you haven't yet signed up for the monthly e-newsletter from HoneyRock, you can do so by clicking here.  The e-news is sent out at the beginning of each month and will keep you up-to-date on what's going on at HoneyRock. 

The Power of Getting Away

John Vandervelde - Program Director   

Camp is busy with activity today.  In a few hours over 216 campers attending 4 different programs will arrive at HoneyRock.  It is one of our busiest arrival days of the entire summer.  You can feel the excitement in the air and hear the counselors and staff running around, checking off their task lists and making their final preparations. 

If today was your first time at HoneyRock, you'd probably think, "Man, this place is pretty crazy!  So many people, so many activities, so much going on!  What a busy place!"  At one level that's true: HoneyRock can be a busy place, full of life, activity, and people doing lots of great things.  But, HoneyRock is also a place of rest, quiet, and stillness.

One of the special things about HoneyRock is the intentional time set aside throughout the camp programs to provide people with space to be still and quiet.  We all need time to get away from the craziness and busyness that we often find ourselves caught up in.  A place like HoneyRock--set apart from the routine of everyday life and surrounded by God's glorious creation--is the perfect place to get that much needed time away. 

Throughout Scripture God teaching his followers to spend time in solitude and in stillness.  There is a powerful connection that takes place between God the creator and us his creation when we unplug from the daily busyness of life and plug into the stillness that can be found when we are quiet in God's presence.

So while today is busy and active, I know that soon the calm and stillness are coming.  Soon, there will be campers doing their Morning Watch (personal devotions), High School students going off on solo, and staff waking up early to watch the sun rise over the lake. 

I encourage you to take some time today to be still and know that He is God.