HeartSong at Lake Ann Camp!
June 14th, 2012
Hey, this is Ashtyn! I’m writing from Lake Ann Camp in Michigan, where our team will be for the next 9 weeks of summer! I can’t believe it’s already here, that school is over, and tour is underway. The first couple days of training back at Cedarville were pretty fun and it was great to reunite with our team and hang out with the other teams as well! I love my team and the people God has hand picked for this tour. They are all so fun and unique in their own ways, so I am very excited to get to know each one of my teammates better as our relationships go deeper.
Our first event was in Marysville, Michigan. First Baptist Church was such a blessing to us both Saturday night and Sunday morning. Pastor Chris and each of the host homes were all so welcoming and hospitable. Deanna, Abby and I stayed with a mom who had a young girl and boy, and whose husband is stationed in the Middle East. He comes home 3 times a year, so they really value the time they get to spend with him. It was incredible to hear Alissa’s story and get to know her heart and see the fruit of her faith while her husband is away so much. The girls and I were very encouraged to be there with her and spend time with her adorable children! Overall, it was a great start to our tour and we headed for Lake Ann Sunday afternoon, with lots of anticipation to get there!
It’s the second week of training for Lake Ann staff, which means no campers are here yet. This week gives us a good chance to learn more about how Lake Ann works as well as get to know the staff and build friendships early in the summer. The stars here are incredible. I’m very excited to take advantage of the nights where we get the time to stargaze in such a wide-open property without the city lights around. Maybe that’s a random thought to throw in this blog, but it’s part of what I love about our Creator, and am excited to experience more of this summer! We will be finishing out the training week with a rafting trip for a couple days with the counselors. We’re pumped!
Continue to pray for the campers who will be arriving next week, as well as the following weeks ahead. We are having a lot of fun, learning a lot, and preparing as much as possible for our interactions with the students who we get to meet and hopefully impact during their time at Lake Ann! Also, pray for our own hearts to be continually filled with the Spirit so we have an effective ministry. I know we’re all excited to share more updates and stories when camp officially begins! Thank you for your prayer and support, because we couldn’t do it without it!
-Ashtyn