I really believe a battle was raging throughout that week of camp.
"Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm."
Satan and his troops were most definitely on the attack, trying to thwart God's plans at every turn. Satan should have known he would lose, but I guess he wanted to try anyway. And try, try, try he did.
Scene 1
Saturday, as the kids from Week 4 were coming home, the bus wasn't able to "get up and go." Lacking power, the bus couldn't get beyond 45 miles per hour. The hills of Arkansas require a bit more "umph" and so we were left wondering how we would transport the 50+ boys and girls from Sedalia and the KC area who had registered for Week 5. As Lawrence and I drove down to camp on Saturday afternoon, wanting to get there early and set things up for the next week, we were frantically calling people (even random churches with buses in their parking lots) and posting on facebook about the situation in hopes that we could somehow find a replacement bus. Coralyn caught on to the fact that we needed a bus and was quite distraught. Every time we saw a bus, she would shout out, "We can use that bus!" We tried to explain that God was going to get us the bus we needed, but before we knew how God was going to answer our prayers, we reached the point of our trip where we lost cell-phone coverage. We were in the dark, so to speak, and simply had to trust that God would take care of these "minor" details.
Already, before camp had even begun for this new set of kiddos, Satan was at work, doing his best to prevent them from even reaching Ponca! Thanks to wonderful volunteers and multiple trips to and from camp using vans and a shuttle-type bus, though, all 87 campers arrived at Ponca at some point Sunday afternoon. God could not be stopped. He had work to do in the hearts and minds of those boys and girls and wasn't going to let anything stand in His way -- not even a "small" thing like transporting the kids to camp!
Scene 2
As is the case in many areas right now, Ponca is experiencing a very dry season. The water levels were getting so low, in fact, that swimming in the Buffalo River was questionable for this week of camp. Due to lack of rain, the water was not only low but also stagnant, causing bacteria levels to be higher. Anyone who had a cut or open wound would not be able to swim. Jumping off the bridge might be banned for all campers as well. Again, it was as if Satan was trying to halt our regularly planned activities and take away some of the fun that goes along with camp.
Sunday (I think), God rained on Satan's parade, literally. The skies opened and rain started to fall. Granted, it wasn't a flood, but it was something! As the rain fell, Coralyn shouted out, "Thank You, Jesus!" Once more, God showed Satan who was in charge and that He could not be stopped. God - 2, Satan - 0.
Scene 3
More than a one-time battle, this part of the war was ongoing throughout the entire week. In working with kids, you can be guaranteed that at least one child will be "difficult." We had "one of those" campers. He was fighting and resisting the work God wanted to do. He was disobedient, defiant even. Every day, often multiple times, Lawrence would have to bring this camper aside and deal with the latest problem. Counselors had tried working with this particular camper, and couldn't seem to get through. Lawrence tried as well -- he showed this boy verses about respecting authority, having the fruit of the Spirit, and being humble. Nothing clicked. Until Friday night, at the very last chapel. The speaker gave the campers the time to talk with their counselors about anything and everything that was on their hearts. (I will write more about this in much more detail in a bit.) God's Spirit moved, in a big way. Camper after camper after camper got up, touched their counselor on the shoulder, and then together went off to talk on the rocks and trails surrounding the chapel. At some point, this "trouble camper" also responded to the Spirit's whisperings and visited with one of the staff members. Later, he shared how he had asked Jesus into his life and could feel the change that was taking place within him as a result!
Satan may have thought he had finally won, but he couldn't have been more wrong! God was moving and working all week, behind the scenes. When He made His presence known, He did so in a huge, undeniable way! Satan didn't just lose, his troops were decimated!
Scene 4
Our scheduled speaker was unable to come to camp this year due to heart problems. Instead of bringing God's Word to the boys and girls, he was undergoing surgery! Satan started rejoicing, thinking he had somehow been able to prevent God from doing His work. His shouts of joy soon turned to tears and cries of defeat!
You see, that was just a tiny part of this particular battle. For it had actually began long, long before camp ever began. Rewind to a little over a year ago, far away from camp, all the way in Colorado: a 12-year old boy murdered his mother and father (shot them) and attempted to kill his little brother and little sister as well. Only by God's miraculous grace and power did the two younger siblings survive their wounds (multiple stabs to the back for the boy and two different slits on the throat for the girl). For some reason the court chose to try the 12-year old boy as a juvenile. The pyschatrist even deemed the killings as a random act, despite evidence that would most certainly indicate forethought and planning on the part of this 12-year old boy (at least in my opinion). The boy was found guilty and is serving his sentence now. However, when he turns 18 (I think), he will be a free man.
How in the world could God use this terrible tragedy for His good and to bring glory to His name?! Certainly, Satan could claim a victory, at least this once.
Oh no! Not so fast! The little boy and little girl who survived that viscous attack were at camp with us! Their uncle (who has adopted them) was our speaker. Wally Long not only challenged the campers to live out their faith in Jesus, but modeled what that looked like in real life. Satan could not take this soldier down! Despite losing his sister to suicide, his brother and sister-in-law to murder, and his mother to cancer (all in about a one-year period!), Wally has remained faithful to the Lord, joyfully serving Him in whatever capacity He desires. Throughout the week, Wally spoke to the boys and girls about making decisions and how those choices affected their various relationships. The boys and girls heard him, loud and clear! Out of the 87 campers at Ponca, about 60 of them shared on the last night about some kind of decision they had made to trust Jesus as Savior, rededicate their lives to Him, and boldly live for Him once they returned home!
Take that Satan! In case you've lost track that would be God-4, Satan-0.
Scene 5
I have mentioned parts of this "scene" before, but I want to describe it in full detail, as it deserves a whole blog post of its own really.
That one "special" camper wasn't the only kid who was fighting against God throughout the week. He may have been the most difficult, but other boys and girls were resisting the Spirit as well. Whether they were distracted by bugs during chapel or discouraged that their cabin didn't win the team game competition, these kiddos were not allowing the Spirit to have complete access to their hearts and minds. God's Word never returns void, however, and on Friday night the floodgates broke open as His living water rushed through the camp and drenched everyone present.
I have never experienced anything like this, and I have been attending camp (as a camper or counselor) since I was in 5th grade. Not to say that God hasn't done amazing things in the past 19 years. He has, but for me this was the most special of them all (so far!). And it was a miracle of sorts that I even got to witness this event and be a part of this last chapel. For the first time all week, Kellah was asleep and Coralyn was content to play with Bekah (who came with us to help with the girls). I walked into the chapel, praying that God would not let any of these campers leave unchanged, that He would move in their hearts, and help them take care of any "unfinished business." I knew for certain that several girls from our area had yet to make the decision to trust Jesus as their Savior, and I prayed specifically for them. I prayed as well for anyone else who had yet to respond to God, in whatever way He may be trying to reach them. I had absolutely no idea what was about to happen!
The chapel service was almost over when I arrived. The songs had been sung, Wally had given his last "sermon," and he was now giving the campers the time and opportunity to let God speak to them. He invited them to talk with their counselors about anything God was showing them. At first no one moved. I kept praying. Still, nothing. Then, one camper stood up and walked over to his counselor. The two of them went off to the side of the chapel, sat down on the rocks, and began to talk and pray. Soon, another camper was motioning to her counselor. Before long, every single counselor was in deep discussion with one of their campers. In fact, one counselor whispered to me on her way out that another one of her campers might need to talk and asked if I would keep an eye on her. Sure enough, seconds later the girl was looking around trying to find her counselor. I had the privilege to talk with this girl and pray with her! We went back to the chapel and watched as camper after camper after camper continued to get up and visit their counselors or other staff members. Lawrence got to talk and pray with a few boys as well, discovering that some of them had already made decisions earlier in the week to accept God's free gift of forgiveness made possible by Jesus' death on the cross!
I'm not sure how long this went on, but it was quite some time. When everyone was seated inside the chapel again, Lawrence announced that he was going to open up the floor and give the campers the chance to share what God had been doing in their hearts this week. Usually, there is at least a minute of awkward silence before that first brave camper gets up and goes to the front to share. But before Lawrence could even finish explaining the whole "Open Mic" process, at least 15 kids were up and forming a line!!!! And they kept coming, and coming, and coming! They reported that they had asked Jesus into their lives, that they had realized they weren't living like they believed in Jesus and wanted to change that when they got home, that they had forgiven someone, that they were committing to reading the Bible and live it out, and so on. Over and over and over again we heard (and saw) how God had changed these boys and girls. I had goosebumps and chills were going up and down my spine.
Finally, after the last camper had shared, Wally invited anyone who had made any sort of decision during the week to come up front to pray together. The small stage couldn't hold us all! Coralyn was worried about all the people who were crying and thought they were going to make themselves sick (as we tell her will happen when she is crying hysterically). I tried to explain that these tears were happy ones, from joy because they were so happy and in love with Jesus. Whether she understood what was happening or not, Coralyn saw firsthand what it looks like for God's Spirit to move and work in people's lives. She too witnessed Satan not only losing the battle but being crushed to smitherines!
Apparently Kellah also wanted to get in on the action, as Bekah carried her over to me just as the chapel service ended. The celebration wasn't over though; oh no, it was just beginning! For the next hour or so, campers and counselors hugged and laughed and cried some more as they continued to rejoice with those who had become Christians and others who had promised to live like they had Jesus in their hearts.
I could share many more "battle scenes" from Week 5 of Ponca Bible Camp. In each and every instance Satan did his best to stop God, but he failed each and every time. As Proverbs 21:31 promises, "The victory belongs to the Lord!"
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