Labor Day Family Camp and reflections

Its very rewarding for me to see all the people at our Labor Day Family Camp. It always amazes me to see all the ways people are connected to the camp. People that used to be campers in years past that now send their kids here now. People that come here because they consider it one of the few places that they can retreat from everyday life and relax. We even had two women bring their families that were YAA counselors more than a decade ago. These are just a few of the ways that people have been impacted by and impacted the camp itself.

Considering that I have been here for only a year, Family Camps help me truly realize the impact that YAA has and the long history it already has. When you are in the midst of running around while directing a summer camp, you are not allotted much time to see how each individual camper is effected. By the reports of our summer counselors, I can say that 22 campers dedicated their lives to Christ for the first time ever this summer as well as numerous other rededications and the like. I always appreciate parents coming up to me and other staff thanking us for the change that goes on in their children's lives, and I appreciate the God that allows us to be a part of that change.

As I reflect on this summer season, I am at peace that God is in control of every outcome of this summer. We as a staff have poured ourselves out in the hopes that God will use our actions and means in order to "Direct people to Jesus Christ and develop them to reflect His Character." There's a reason why that is our camp motto, and we intend to continue with that as our mission.

Thanks to all of you who made this Family Camp a memorable one. It was a time to relax and connect with old and new friends. It was a time for you to recharge and disconnect from the possible troubles and responsibility of everyday life. It was a time to hang out with the family while shooting an arrow or playing carpet ball. As you already know, its not the events that are important here at YAA. It is the relationships that are formed and grow during the events that we try to encourage.

Now it is time to transition into retreat season. We have various groups come and rent out our facilities to them, usually on weekends. Though our interactions are not as direct as they are during our programs, it is always good to see people up here. Though next summer is still a long ways away, it is time to start thinking about it nonetheless. Thinking of ways to build upon and improve an already outstanding program. Thinking of ways to get the word out about our camp to even more people to attract more campers and summer staff.

I am now finishing up my one year internship at YAA, but don't worry. I'm not leaving anytime soon. I am staying on as staff for the next year. My role will basically be the Program Director. So, I still get to have the pleasure of creating all the fun schedules and lessons we have here. I look forward to continuing here at YAA with a year of experience here under my belt. I look even forward more to continuing to form more relationships with all the people that are connected to YAA. I love working at a place that I can contribute to an already rich history.

For all of those reading these blog entries, you can see this one takes on a little different flavor than the past ones. I want you to get a better understanding of the heart of the camp here as well as know some of the actual events that go on. I hope to get the rest of the staff to do entries as well. I don't want you to get tired of just hearing from me. We each bring our own passion and character to explaining why we are here.

So, as we transition into retreat season, I hope you also enjoy our blog transition as well. Thank you for all the ways that you are connected to this awesome camp. I look forward to seeing you soon.

David Denny
current intern, future Program Coordinator

THURSDAY!!!!! RAFTING!!!!

Hello all, my name is Aaron Devine, and I am a counselor for seven of the guys at camp this week. Today was a full day indeed! Waking up, I prepared for the day, and, arriving in front of the office, I was cordially greeted by 11 campers, all bright-eyed and rearing to go hiking. Actually I don't think that the sleep was out of their eyes until lunch:)

God blessed us with a beautiful day, and as we hiked over a ridge we were greeted by the sun shining boldly through the crisp air.

Breakfast, again was wonderful, and we were fully satisfied as chapel began. We praised the Lord, Jesus, and then we listened to a good message from Mr. B.

After chapel we went to skill builders, and as I am the teacher of Camp Craft, I can tell you what we did. For the last day I have been trying to set up a compass course in the woods near the Square Fire pit, and finally this morning, I had it finished. So, when our skill builder began, I handed the kids a compass and sent them off to find the treasure! (With an accompanying staff member of course) The treasure was marshmallows, which we cooked over a fire that the campers built.

After skill builders we rushed down to lunch and ate quickly and then loaded onto the bus and were on our way to the Madison River for an afternoon of floating. Much fun, sun, and water was shared by all. Let me tell you, a raft loaded with twenty people in a shallow river is hard to move! But the strapping staff members that manned the paddles were well up to the task.

We finished the trip, and made the drive back, with many laughs, at least on the bus. I can see why sports teams take buses on trips. A good trip in a loud bus just serves to unify a group in a way that few other things in this world do. Dinner was delicious, and after I cleaned our table of the water that mysteriously appears (I believe there is a natural spring in the middle of our table!) we were released to half an hour of free time before fireside begins.

We all thank God for the day, and for the opportunity of serving your children. Please drive safely tomorrow, and we'll see you then!

May God bless you with the knowledge of Himself.

Aaron Devine

This is a day that the Lord has made

Hey All,

Wednesday already!!! The week always goes fast when the days are filled with fun.

My name is Anna Kirtley and I am on program support. This means that I'm not a counselor (bummer) but it also means I get to observe and interact with the campers in a different way.

The morning was started by filling water guns for the alkaseltzer fight. Each kid received an alkaseltzer tab tied to their forehead. Then they all received water guns. The point of the game was to spray the other opponents alkaseltzer tab off while keeping yours from being sprayed. The winner was the last person with their tab still in place. I was proud of the kids in the contest; the weather was not hot like July usually is here in Montana.

While the kids were in chapel, I headed off to each cabin to inspect for cleanliness. Before the morning game all the kids have a time with their cabin mates and counselor to clean and dress up the cabin for inspection. The cleanest, and most creatively decorated cabin wins. Today, I chose the cabin that was the cleanest (of course) but also the one that showed creativity by writing verses on their name tags. They also had a lovely welcome sign made out of flowers outside of their cabin door. This special cabin was called "Cabin Deer".

During morning skill builders, I took a group of kids on an adventure in search of a geocache box. We all programed our G.P.S and headed out. Today was the longest and most strenuous of all the hikes we've taken. The kids did good! We were delighted to see that the huckleberries were ripe and big this time of year:)

Later on in the day, we all split up into activity areas. Some kids did paintball, while others went canoeing or hiking. The group I was with went hiking. We drove up Highlight Canyon with the canoers. After we dropped them off at Hyalite Lake, us hikers went further up the road and hiked up the Grotto Falls. It was so beautiful. We all had a good time; one of the campers said at the base of the Falls, "I could stay here forever".

After such a busy afternoon the dinner was well deserved, but it had to be eaten quickly seeing how we had a talent show scheduled for seven.

Most all the campers participated in the talent show. It is always a joy watching kids step out of their comfort zones and share some of their talents. We enjoyed skits, songs, interpretive dance...... It was a nice evening.

And once more all this fun was finished up by fireside.

Although sometimes it can seem overwhelming having so many kids in one place; it can also be so rewarding. It boggles my mind when I took at each one of them and see the unique characteristics and backgrounds that each of them have and to know that God holds each of them in His hand.

Well, sleep good; I know I will:)

YAA Great Race

Hello Everybody!
It's hard to believe that the second full day of camp is almost over already! Today started out with sunshine, which was definitely welcomed by all of the soggy campers and staff. Some of us celebrated by going on the optional early morning hike again. It was a muddy, but fun hike!

After breakfast, we got into our teams and had a bat and glove relay- but this game had nothing to do with baseball. Half the team spun around baseball bats and then ran dizzily across the field, and the other half of the team got to build strong lungs by blowing up a disposable glove using only their noses. It was fun to see all of your kids getting excited and being goofy together!

During chapel, Mr. B gave another compelling message about making Christ supreme in our lives- that He should be the center of every part of anything that we do.

For skill builders today, we got to practice what we learned yesterday while adding to our skill repertoire. I get to help with archery this week, and it was really fun to watch kids that had never held a bow before improve hugely today. It's possible that you might have some new archers in your family next week!

This afternoon, instead of activity areas, we played a game called The Great Race. We split into our teams, and each team got clues that directed us to a skill builder or other part of camp. Once we got there, we had a challenge to complete before we got the next clue. I really enjoyed watching people from other skill builders show off their new skills to their friends and counselors. The last clue led us down to the field, where there were water games and a huge slip and slide for us to go down. The slip and slide is always a favorite of many. In the end, I'm proud to say that my team, the Pandas, won the whole race. Nice work, team! We all had fun getting wet just in time for the sun to go under the clouds. After the race, anyone who could stand the cold stuck around and had fun with a water balloon fight. Throwing water balloons at new friends is always a good way to make some awesome camp memories!

After the water games, we had some extended free time to shower (hopefully) and get warmed up, and also to just hang out and get to know our cabin mates a little better. I know a few cabins are hard at work preparing for the talent show tomorrow night. I'm excited to see what your creative kids are coming up with!

Soon, it will be time to wrap up the day with another fireside time, then cabin devotions, and then it's time for some much needed sleep!

Thanks so much for letting us, as camp staff, have a part in your kids' lives this week! I'm having a blast getting to know each one of them, and I am excited for what the next few days hold. I'm sure you will be hearing lots of camp stories throughout the next few weeks and months, so get ready to wish that you could come to camp too!

In Christ,

Amy Heitz, counselor of the HERO cabin

Hey Everyone!!

My name is Keith Forkin, and I have the privilege of being a Counselor in Training, with Shawn, this week. I can already tell I have got some great guys in my cabin, and I am going to have some good times with these guys.

Well to start things off, it was Ah-mazing. The morning started off with a beautiful hike up the hill. When everyone got back we sang some songs, ate, and the games began: mattress surfing to be exact. For full details of that game you will have to ask your kids when they get home.

Then we moved on to chapel. This morning we talked about how not to waste our lives, and how to make choices that will please God. We referred back to the book of Ester and her braveness to save her people.

When chapel came to a close, skill builders began. Geo-caching, climbing wall, archery, camp craft, arts and craft, and riflery are the skill builders everyone had to choose from. I have the privilege of teaching riflery, and hopefully watching each and everyone of them improve throughout the week.

The bell rang and everyone headed to the dining hall for an absolutely amazing lunch, and then off for some T.I.E. (take it easy) time. But there were a few that decided to go on the eight mile History Rock Trail. This decision turned out to be a very soggy one, and muddy for a few who had troubles staying on their feet during the down-pour. Those who stayed at camp got to play some paintball, ride the zip line, play field games, and do some rock climbing, which turned out to be a little damp also.

When dinner rolled around the History Rock hikers showed up for some food before a spectacular game, and my personal favorite, Killer Ball. Now don't worry, no one actually dies, but everyone did get extremely soaked today. Killer Ball is an everyone vs everyone dodge ball game. Imagine, for me, about 50 middle schoolers, 15 counselors, and a lot of dodgeballs flying around, and there you have a game of Killer Ball. I don't think i have ever seen anyone win a game, but its still fun to try.

After the ingenues game was over it sounded like a good time to wrestle around in a mud puddle with all the dudes that felt like it, which turned out to be quite a few. Seeing as I was the only counselor, i was the main... maybe 'only' is a better word... target. I managed to escape with only a broken bill on my hat, but that's all right, it was all in good fun.

So now we are running off to fireside, and then into the cabins for a devotional before bed. Today was pretty awesome, and I am sure that all of your kids think so also!!

And that concludes the first day of camp!! What a day!!

Enjoying your children,

Keith Forkin
Counselor in Training

6th to 8th Grade Camp has Begun!!!

Its hard to think that the last camp of the summer has arrived. It has been a fun run, and we are certain to end on a high note. Its impossible to not have fun with this age group.

We started off camp with some icebreaker games and came up with cabin names. There was everything from "David's Mighty Men" to "Heroic Energetic Real Ostriches (HERO for short)". They were quite creative.

After going through some introductions, rules, and lowering our U.S. flag, we had an amazing dinner: chicken fajitas. Delicious! After having a meal like that, its only appropriate that we run around to get that full filling out. Right?

So, we proceeded to divide the cabins up into 6 competition teams. Throughout the week, we will have various competition games to determine a winning team by the end of the week. We first came up with yet another set up names. They seemed to get even more creative with these names. Maybe its because the best cheer was going to get points for it. Those point went to, "The Hillbilly Unicorns of Utter Despair." The cheer was amusing to say the least. I can't remember all the names at the moment, but just to name a few: "Gideon's Army," "Nuclear Narwhals," and "Fat Cats." Once we got that squared away, we got our newly-formed teams to play a little tug-o-war. They really have a competitive spirit.

After some free time, we ended our day with Fireside. Every night, we gather around our fire pit and have some fun. Our high school staff does a funny skit, followed by Joel leading us in some interactive worship songs and then its story time. Jerome and Harriet Jackson have been with us this whole story, and they share stories about different missionaries throughout the world. They get everybody on the edge of their sit.

Well, that is certainly the short version of what goes on at camp, but it is getting late. I don't want to be late for lights out, especially since I'm the one that scheduled it. I'm the Program Director at YAA, and it is a blast being able to program all the fun that your children will enjoy this week. Thank you for entrusting me and the YAA staff with your children. We look forward to the rest of the week and seeing you all this Friday.

God Bless,
David Denny

Day four: Wet watery wonder

Good evening to all, or as you may read this after the sun has risen, good morning. I am Aaron Devine, counselor of Taco Bell, otherwise known as cabin three. As I sit and listen to the thunder rumbling outside I have a short respite to reflect on the happenings of the day.

This is my first time being a camp counselor, and sometimes I think to myself that my twenty-two year old body is getting a little too old for hanging out with 40 eight-to-ten year olds for a week at a time. Just kidding:) This morning we started out with the ridge hike, and all thirteen of the kids who went had a bit of a drag in their step. I was sure proud to see how many are hanging in their!

So, today was a water day. And after we had the flag flying above our camp, we headed up to the water pit, for the morning team games. A large PVC pipe stretched across a span of water and the kids would scoot out to the middle from both sides and try to knock the other into the water. That's quite a wake-up call at eight in the morning!

After the pit, we returned, (some still dripping) to the dining hall for a wonderful breakfast of chocolate-chip pancakes and bacon. (Eating is always a joy here at camp)

A bit later on in the day we had skillbuilders, and I had the privilege of helping at the climbing wall. (The skillbuilder I usually teach is camp-craft and I teach that in the afternoon) John from my cabin belayed me. It was quite the thrill:)

After TIE time, we broke with the usual schedule and had "The Great Race" where each of the four teams got a clue and went to the specified skill-builder area to complete certain feats of skill and strength. There were arrows shot through milk jugs, fires built to burn strings, targets mercilessly hammered by twenty-two shells, and a certain rock-wall that was ascended.

After the kids made it through every skill-builder challenge, they were off to the playing field for water games, which involved large sling shots, water balloons, a hundred foot slip and slide, and of course a whole lot of water. The kids were really excited to be getting drenched on this scorcher of a day.

Tonight we have fireside approaching and more stories of the grace of God to be shared with us. After that, we will prepare for bed, do cabin devo's and once we have the kids quiet and ready for sleep, there will be a surprise party, where much fun will be had by all:)

Well, thank you for following camp, and I pray that safe travel is had by all tomorrow for the award ceremony and the bar-b-que.

May the God of all peace guard your hearts and minds.

Aaron Devine