Summer 2011!

Waving to the buses

Watching the buses come in every Tuesday.

Our summer season at Camp Barakel is well underway as we are finishing our fifth week of camping.  As many of you know, Barakel is separated into two sides of the property, each with its own chapel, dining hall, activity areas, and sleeping quarters, but sharing the beautiful Shear Lake between them.

Running to meet their new counselor!

Each counselor has 8 campers.

This week and much of the summer will host 4-6^thgraders on the West side of Camp and 7-9^th graders on the East.  This past July 7^th marked Barakel’s 58^th summer of Christ-centered camping!  Each camper attends 10 chapel services throughout the week, learning about their sinfulness, their need for Christ and learning to live a life in view of the Gospel.

Our first summer counseling - 2000

The summer is special to Sarah and me because we met each other as Summer Staff counselors 11 years ago in this very place.  It’s also a significant time because we remember the joys and struggles of being a counselor and the way that God gives maturity through them.  During those summers, we met weekly with a Resident Staff member to talk about how our week was going and ask their advice on how to handle our 8 or more campers.  Now that we are the Resident Staff and considered pretty old by the new summer staff, Sarah and I each meet with a counselor every week with the hope to encourage them as they serve this summer.

Crosscut Lodge: Still some exterior stonework to do.

Dan getting some much needed help from Asher.

Since I’m on Maintenance Staff, summer is very different for me than it once was.  Summer is now “farmers’ tan” season as I spent last week with several other guys roofing the Ski Haus at Sno Valley (spell-check is so mad at me right now!) and have been working on the exterior stonework at Crosscut Lodge before and since then.  Part Time Staff (PTS) volunteers, who come to Barakel for the week, are a big help to us.  I had spent a lot of time in the past months working alone, so it’s refreshing to meet new people and have great guys to work with throughout the week.  We couldn’t run camp without PTS.

The Ski Haus with a fancy new roof.

I’ve also been leading the praise music for the Techs and Engineers, the teenage volunteer workers, since they have their own Bible study and chapel time.  I don’t do it every week, but I’m scheduled for about half of the summer.  I enjoy doing  it and it keeps me from getting rusty as a praise-guy.

Songs for the Techs and Engineers. (Technically, the songs were for Jesus).

The interior of Crosscut is almost completed

Don’t let my details and pictures fool you.  Sarah lives a busier life than I, taking care of the boys all day.  Isaac just turned 4 months old today and enjoys eating, smiling, standing (with help), sucking his thumb, and looking at his big brother.  Asher loves to play outside, especially the sandbox at the lake, and loves to play hide and seek (without telling us!).  He also has a great imagination.  We are in the middle of potty-training, so every day when I get home, he gives me a big hug and a nice report of what he did on the potty that day.

(All of the really fancy pictures are taken and edited by BAM Photography. Our kids aren't actually this cute)

Asher 2 years, 9 months

Isaac at 7 weeks

Isaac - 4 months

In June, Sarah had to have her gall bladder removed, which was causing her extreme pain.  We praise God for providing a  skilled surgeon that was able to do the surgery soon after our initial visit to the ER.  Sarah has also had to deal with a broken “pinkie” toe and a sprained ankle, which make being a mom a lot more complicated.  Thanks to everyone that prayed and continues to pray for her recovery and endurance as she takes care of one child that can’t move and another that can’t stop moving. We are thankful that Sarah’s sister, Emily, came to visit and help with Asher and Isaac as Sarah recovered.

A pre-summer trip to the zoo with the Bowmans

This week is a Bowman family invasion!  Sarah’s mom, dad, and brother are all volunteering as nursing staff for the campers.  Matthew, Sarah’s brother, brought his wife, Amanda, and their 3 girls.  Barakel is based on volunteer staff and there is always a need for nurses, so they are a big help (and fun to have around).

We are so grateful for the many of you that work alongside us through your prayers and financial gifts.  You are a gift to us and to this ministry.  We would love to hear from you or see you and would encourage you to come up to Camp Barakel as a camper, a volunteer, or just to visit us.  Thanks again!

Dan – Sarah – Asher – Isaac

HainesBarakel@gmail.com  

HainesBarakel.wordpress.com

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