Obviously it has been a while since I posted an update, and an update is certainly in order. So much so, in fact, that I don't know where to begin. Within the past few weeks, I learned that I am over two-thirds of the way to my fundraising goal of $14,000 (Glory, hallelujah!); I said goodbye to my parents, who are moving to Texas and whom I may not see for over a year; I've been working as the Assistant Director of Adventure Education at a summer camp, where a "typical day" might include scheduling ropes course activities, observing the operation of said ropes course activities, inspecting gear, helping set up/tear down different "things" (intentionally broad noun), checking in with and teaching my staff, watching the radar (it's been a very wet summer so far), and assisting with general camp programming; and, I came to the rather startling realization that I am scheduled to leave the country in less than two months. Now to break that all down a bit.
I'll start with a story about funds. Once a month, around the middle of the month, I receive an update from the OPC Foreign Missions Office detailing the financial support given the previous month. Prior to my May update, which I expected around June 15, I was at approximately $5,000 with another $2,000-ish pledged. In other words, I was about half-way to my goal. Consequently, with only a few months left before my intended departure, I still felt a little uncertain as to whether or not I would actually be able to go. I waited expectantly for my May update. But it didn't come. June 15 passed and no e-mail from the OPC. June 20 came and went, and still no update. I e-mailed but received no response. I wondered gloomily, did no update mean there was nothing to report? Finally, nine days after I originally expected the update, I called the OPC office. After a short round of telephone tag, I got in touch with Linda, who manages the accounts for the Missionary Associates.
Linda explained that the office scanner was down for the count--a problem with which I can certainly sympathize. Obligingly, Linda then pulled up my account. I don't remember exactly how the following conversation went, but I believe she said something about $7,000. I'm sorry, how much did you say? About $7,000. Total or just from May and June? $5,000 for May and about $2,000 so far for June. Beg pardon? Can you say that again? $5,000 received in May and $2,000 thus far received in June. Wow, sounds like I have some thank you notes to write to a lot of very generous people! (Thought but not spoken, I'll believe it when I see the official update.) The next day, the official update came: $5,000 given towards my going to Uganda in the month of May. Current total: $10,000. I do indeed have a lot of very generous friends and family members to thank!
I expect my update for the month of June next week.
In the meantime, I am working at camp. As someone who never attended a traditional summer camp as a kid, I know that camp is hard to understand without actually seeing it. Ligonier Camp and Conference Center, the camp where I work, runs several different camping programs during the summer, ranging in length from two days to two weeks and for campers ranging in age from six to 17. During the course of a summer, some 1,700 kids come through camp. In addition to having a fun and memorable session of camp, we want every camper to hear the gospel. We seek to share the gospel with kids in a plethora of ways and activities, sometimes explicitly and sometimes simply by example.
I won't go into too much detail about camp because, as I said, it's a little hard to understand without actually seeing it. Last summer, I had the very great pleasure of showing my parents around camp on what happened to be Christmas in July. While I assured them that camp wasn't always quite that odd--there were Christmas carols playing over the loud speakers and the maintenance worker mowing the lawn was wearing a Santa hat--I cannot deny that camp certainly is at least rather odd. Costumes, dancing before meals, silly skits and songs, and even accents are a normal part of life. Camp life is also very busy. Morning meeting starts at 7:30 and the day ends sometime around 10:00 pm. Currently, we are halfway through our forth week of camp--or seventh week if you count all of training. It has been a remarkable good summer so far despite the rain, and yet people are understandably getting tired. At our all-staff devotions this coming Friday morning, I expect our Executive Director will remind us that this is the time of the summer where the choice to rely on our own strength or on the strength of the Lord becomes not only stark but also crucial.
I also expect that there are a handful of lessons that camp has for me as I prepare to go to Uganda. I think of the story of Joseph, who never expected to be second in command of Egypt and certainly was not ready for that job when he was a young man, favored by his father and arrogant towards his brothers. However, God took him and prepared him, one step at a time, for "the next thing." He was faithful to God as a slave in Potiphar's house and God blessed him. Perhaps that was where he learned to manage an estate. Then he was imprisoned. Even there he was faithful and given responsibilities. Perhaps that was where God taught him humility. And then Pharaoh made him second in command of all of Egypt, and by then, in God's providence, he was ready for it. I trust that God is doing the same thing in my life. While I cannot clearly see what lies in front of me--although I hope I see it more clearly than Joseph did--I trust that my experiences here at camp are preparing me to serve in Uganda. Concerning the specifics of what I am learning at camp, I will save that for another blog as this one is already getting quite lengthy.
One last closing thought. As I said, it has finally started to register that I am leaving in a relatively short period of time. The aforementioned developments helped this sink in, as did saying goodbye to my parents. Obviously, I knew going to Uganda would mean saying goodbye to a lot of people, including my parents, for roughly a year. However, with them moving to Texas, the moment of farewell came sooner than I was mentally prepared for. I said goodbye to them in the lodge at camp. As they headed to the car, I returned to my room to deposit the iPad they gave me (so I can FaceTime them while in Uganda). I stood in my room, feeling off-balance, that something wasn't right, as if I couldn't quite believe I had just said goodbye. Then, I dashed out of my room and out of the lodge, hoping to catch them in the parking lot before they left to say goodbye again in what I hoped would be a less surreal way. Instead, I watched and waved as they drove down the driveway.
I think it is easier to leave than to be left.
