The Fruit of the Harvest

28-29 July 2011 Thursday & Friday

Trying to Give God Room to Work-- The last thing we did Wednesday night in our leader's meeting was to imagine a world where the students at the camp were already prepared to make a decision to believe in Jesus as Savior and to repent to Jesus as Lord of their lives. We didn't want to limit God so we rearranged the camp schedule to leave a ten minute time for the students to go the the worship area if they wanted to make that eternal decision. Who knows? The Holy Spirit might want to break out into he hearts of the children in a dramatic way.

Watching God Shine -- On Thursday morning, Allen went off to write the morning blog, and by the time he came out of the office, three students had made a decision to accept an eternal relationship with Jesus. Two of the students were sweet twin teenage girls, Emma and Sophie, who were among the camp leaders. Allen told them that this was indeed a historic moment: he had never heard of two sisters being born on the same day, and then both being born again on the same day. He calls that double twinning. A young boy who is a special pal of Allen's also made a committment. On Friday, a young girl joined them as new creatures. Four out of eighteen children saved in a four day period is a pretty good day even for Billy Graham. It is absolutely monumental for the drier, rockier spiritual climate of Wales. When Allen received his call to become a missionary to Great Britan three summers ago, it was at an outdoor worship service for school children. It is so gratifying now for him to be present to see Welsh school children transformed for spiritual death to spiritual right before his eyes. It is easily worth the price of admission.

Sharing the Word -- Doug Dees continued his tradition of light-hearted and engaging, though paradoxically deep and profound theological lessons for the Leaders' morning devotions. Thursday was on the Great Commission and Friday was on how each Christian is God's individual and artfully crafted Poem. Owain Ap Howell, part of the great triumvirate of legendary Ap Howell lads (Iestyn and Euros have been mentioned numerous times in previous blog entries), gave his testimony in the Thursday morning worship and Doug Mikes gave a powerful testimony (props and all) of his rise from a dark past to a bright eternal future. Thursday night, Jennifer Nath gave a mini-sermon comparing eating and drinking to Bible Study and Prayer, encouraging the children not to be discouraged when they return to the drier spiritual climate of their own homes, compared to the spiritual feast they have enjoyed at Camp Bala. Derek showed a clip from "Finding Nemo" on Thursday morning about how the Father doesn't give up pursuing his son, even though the son caused his own peril through rebellion of sin. On Friday morning , he showed the clip where the Father rescues his child so they can have a new, sweet, deep relationship together. How true for us all. It was in small groups after worship over those two days that the four children made their decisions.

Fun & Games -- Thursday morning Hannah led the group in some American games (Red Rover and Frisbee Football), Arawn led the children on a scavenher hunt in the afternoon, and Derek led the men in Featherball (now a longstanding Welsh tradition one year old). Tracy led them in the evening party in "I love you but I cannot smile" (the less said about this, the better), and in a series of "A Minute to Win It" competitions. After the games, there was music that was appropriately painfully loud and wild, histrionic dancing, that was more like full body contact roller derby.

On the Mountaintop -- After the children went to bed on Thursday night, the adults had their last Leaders Meeting. The consensus was: 1) We didn't want to leave, 2) We wanted to live together forever, and 3) We were going to do this next year, even if none of the kids decided to join us. We lingered long after the meeting's close because we didn't want this time to end. Friday, the children seemed to feel the same way. We are all literally and figuratively on the mountain. I can be a sad thing to descend to the arid plains.

Sharing the Harvest -- Henderson Hills Baptist Church has sponsored twelve missions to Wales in the last two and a half years. Mission number Thirteen arrives in a little over a week. Is Camp Bala the best one ever? Yes! But to be fair, all of the missions have been the best ever. One must plow superbly before one can plant, or sow, or weed. The Harvest Time gets all the glory but is possible only becasue of the other selfless endeavors. But there is no doubt Harvest Time is especially sweet. Thank you to all those who have labored in the field till now. Thank you to all those who continue to labor. Thank you for our Welsh brothers and sisters, heros whose hands never leave the plow just because the Americans pull out for a season. Thank you to God for making Wales the deep focus of His Eyes and for glorifying His Name through individual (and little by little) national revival. And thanks be to Him for letting the Americans be there to see it!