Stories From 70 Weeks of Prayer — A Letter From Summer Camp

The Good Thing About Bad Beginnings

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:40

From: 70weeksuvprayr – Rachel

Subject: A Bountiful Harvest – Week 38

Date: August 15, 2002 

Hello friends,

I’ve heard it said that one of the best ways to get your mind off your own troubles is to find a need and serve someone else. That’s how I got talked into spending a week as a camp counselor in a no-frills cabin, bunking with a bunch of teenaged girls.

I actually love camp, so I was happy to be asked. I was, in fact, looking forward to being encouraged in my own hard journey by the transformative work God so often does amongst His people when they have the opportunity to pray, worship, sing, study His Word, and live together in community for a whole week.

And then came the first evening service.

I stood there in the back of the chapel and tried to worship. Really, I did try.

Nearly 100 teens filled the seats. In the first three or four rows, several seemed glad to be there–glad to participate in all aspects of camp. But I was distracted by others, especially near the back of the room, in the rows just ahead of me. These appeared completely disconnected from worship–kids who only tolerated the singing and preaching so they could get onto the real purpose of camp–recreation and free time and (perhaps, the biggest draw) meeting the cute guy or girl they were now checking out across the aisle.

I attended camps in my youth and I’ve been a counselor about a dozen times for kids and teens. Even though I love camp, I’m no starry-eyed novice with romanticized expectations. I’ve seen my share of apathetic and rebellious campers, yet, I don’t believe I’ve ever had such a strong sense of futility and hopelessness about any group of teenagers as I had at the beginning of this week. So many seemed unreachable. I pictured walls built high around each one with a sign in bold black letters saying, DO NOT ENTER.

As camp went on I discovered the program directors had been so bold as to schedule a concert of prayer for the final night of camp. I must confess, I didn’t think it would go over with this group—a two-hour prayer meeting for kids who, in all the preceding days of camp, mostly ignored whatever was going on up front to talk (not so very quietly) to each other.

Honestly, I thought it would be a stretch for even the most mature Christian campers among us. But I held my tongue and the plan went forward without my unhelpful thoughts.

We filed into the meeting room on Friday night, the chairs now stacked along the edges, and sat on the floor, gathering around an ingenious camp “fire” made up of logs strategically placed around an electric fan gently blowing red and gold tongues of streamer “flames” toward the ceiling.

And guess what happened next.

Despite my doubts, the concert of prayer idea did go over. In fact, two hours in, when the speaker announced anyone who would like could go back to his or her cabin was free to go, not one person left. Every last one of those teens stayed to pray on.

When, a few minutes later someone spontaneously began a worship song, everyone else joined in. The last notes faced and another lone singer took the initiative, followed by another. And another after that.

At 11:30 (way past curfew) one of the adults flipped the lights on to signal the close of the service. And no one wanted to leave. These “unreachable” kids walked from person to person giving heartfelt hugs (even to counselors!).

So how did this happen? Was it the phenomenal speaking techniques? Outstanding recreation? Delicious camp food? Extraordinary counselors?

Perhaps these things played a part, but I think the real work was done every afternoon during free time in a quiet, unspectacular set apart room. The assigned each of us staff members to go there and pray for 20-minutes, covering the whole afternoon as one filed out and another filed in.

I know of no better way to break down walls and reach the unreachable. What else but the power of God is able to shine light through the darkness and show His children the way back Home?

Trusting in Him,

Rachel

 

INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY

In late fall of 2001, Rachel Wilson, a ballroom dance teacher living in the small mountain community of Pine Lake, California, discovered her husband, Ben, in an extra-marital affair. Her initial response was much as might be expected—tears, anger, despair, thoughts of revenge and more. But, through a series of unlikely events she was led to an unexpected response – a 70-week journey of prayer with friends.

She wrote an email asking if anyone would commit to praying for her family for 70 weeks, not supposing many would agree to such a long endeavor. To her surprise, more than forty said yes.  

This camp story was modeled after an event that took place at Camp Maranatha during Teen Camp in the summer of 2002.

I hope this story inspires you to take a few minutes to pray for any struggling families you know and/or for the staff and campers at Christian camps serving God throughout the world this summer and beyond.

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