My Walk With God | SFBBT Church Camp 2018
Church camp has a different meaning to every person. I was 11 years old when I first attended. It was nothing but a fun trip then. I won an award I didn't know I was qualified for - Junior Miss Camper. I assume they saw potential in me? Honestly, I still don't know what that award is for.
As time went on, camp became more of a responsibility, actually a burden for me. A camper becomes part of a group. Each group competes for trophies and prizes: best ID, best banner, best cabin, best presentation, best behavior and so on... I've been to countless meetings and practices and workshops prior to the event. I've done a lot of handmade ID's and banners. It was the same program year after year, just different competitions. The camp I've always known can only be done one way - an overall competition between groups and individual campers. We all have one week to put our best foot forward, get noticed by the organizers, then get awarded on the last day.
I come to camp wanting learn. Sure, there were a lot of lessons learned about leadership and being an active participant in the ministry, about loyalty, giving... It was fun and all, but I always come home tired and wondering if I really progressed in my spiritual life. It seems I've given more to camp than I have gained. Lugi ako. (Sadly, I did not profit as much as I hoped.) Come to think of it, I don't remember any camp lessons about simply how to be close to God.
I never realized we've been doing camp wrong until the culture of competition and idolatry directed to 'personalities' stopped in our church. I'm grateful to God for saving us from the wrong leaders and directing us back to His will. Since April 2015, everything changed.
Magku-kwento sana ako, pero hahaba pa. Sa ibang post nalang.
(I think it's best to dedicate another post for this story I mentioned and here it is. CLICK HERE.)
(I think it's best to dedicate another post for this story I mentioned and here it is. CLICK HERE.)
Pasensya na sa pansamantalang 'hugot.' (Sorry for the brief throwback.) Looking back to the past camps I have attended, I appreciate the recent church camps a lot more.
There was no church camp in 2015, but the one in 2016 was a great new start for us. Look at how happy the kids were!
This is it!
There's no way we'll be absent in Camp 2018!
Babawi kami! (We'll make up for our absence last year!)
And we made it!
We're actually the first people to set foot in the venue that Wednesday morning! What a great feeling!
It's a charming place called Hardin sa Tabing Ilog. We were told that it wouldn't be as comfortable as other campsites we've been to, but I really like it. I felt refreshed and at peace.
This is Xena's first camp!
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| We found out that chihuahuas can really swim. |
Xena made the most of the three days we were there. No one will look after her at home. Good thing the campsite allowed us to bring pets.
We bring her almost anywhere. On the first day, I was assigned to look after her because my husband's group is in charge of the presentation. I took her with me to the sessions and activities. She would bark at the children pero nasasaway naman (it's easy for her to behave herself) when I tell her I'm going to give her a slice of orange.
At night, we leave her inside the room. She would wait for us to come back after the evening program and service. My roommates (also our devotion group, her lola's) grew fond of her. She also grew comfortable of them - almost too comfortable that she would ask them for biscuits.
Other campers would take turns petting her. She's just a noisy, chubby black bundle of joy!
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| Heto sya. Plakda kakalakwatsa buong araw. (She's so spent walking and running the whole day.) |
Siyempre hindi mawawala ang activities at fellowship. (Of course, there are fun activities and time for fellowship.) The spirit of fellowship and unity will always beat the spirit of competitiveness. It's hard to explain, but somehow you'll know you're in the right place at the right time with the right people! It's a joy to be with brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Moving on to the more important aspect of the camp - the lesson...
The camp theme for this year is "My Walk With God."
The lessons revolve around three characters in the Bible and their respective "walks" with God. It's a simple theme, but the lessons are substantial. While we tend to be busy serving in the church and being active, this is a basic lesson we often neglect. It's a blessing that the camp lessons are directing the camper to a more meaningful relationship with God.
We were encouraged to search the scripture for ourselves and share our thoughts about the lesson. It's not a fill-in-the-blanks type of lecture. We only needed to focus on three characters and three character traits: Abraham's obedience, Noah's commitment, and Moses' courage. The group presentations focus on these too. It doesn't dumb down the lesson when we simplify it. It just makes it more accessible, more personal. I commend the authors for making the lessons this way.
Even the devotions encouraged personal reflection and sharing experiences. I'm privileged to be in the same devotion group as elderly women who have been in the ministry for a long time and I learned a lot from their experiences. Choosing to still serve in the ministry in your senior years is a perfect example of commitment!
The preachings I will always treasure. Kasi kapag may pinagdadaanan ako binabalikan ko yung mga notes na sinulat ko. (Whenever I'm struggling, I go back to the preaching notes.)
I don't know about you, but my own definition of camp has changed from "some fun activity" to "a life changing event."
Our Own Walk
Only a few people know what my husband and I are going through. We chose to attend the camp not to escape our problems or beg God to bail us out of them. We can call it a leap of faith. We don't know what's going to happen in the future so we decided to place our complete trust in Him.
Kasi malala talaga. (We are in a really difficult situation.)
First day of camp falls on a Wednesday. Monday night prior to that, nag-iiyakan kaming dalawa (we were crying.)
This is the situation. I'm supposed to help him with the finances through a project that got delayed. The said project was delayed because I had health issues. I had to go on bed rest for weeks and what I earned which was originally dedicated to our camp fee went to hospital fees. This health issue is my totally unplanned third pregnancy. (We found out I was pregnant in February while we were hosting the church's family month program.) Weeks passed and many check-ups and ultrasounds later, we found out it was an an-embryonic pregnancy (a blighted ovum, same as my first). It is doomed to fail. There's no baby, just an empty sac, and all the effort we did to save the pregnancy was useless. My body is going to get rid of the products of conception sooner or later. The only question is when.
The whole March, lutang kami. We were lost and confused trying to figure out how deal with this mess. We only told a few people to ask for prayers... Part of the reason why I insisted to keep mum is that I felt ashamed. I felt like a total failure for losing a baby for the third time, and my career is affected as well.
That Monday night was our breaking point. Our money wasn't enough. My health was unstable. We're emotionally broken and spiritually exhausted, but by faith we decided to go, and by faith we went.
So we went down to the river that Thursday during siesta. Tulala. Blangko. We decided that no matter how overwhelming our present situation is, we're going to trust God. Backsliding is not an option. We'll see this walk of faith until the end.
In our group sharing during the session we were to evaluate ourselves in terms of obedience, commitment, and courage. I can't divulge what the other ladies said but I can share you what I said then (not the exact words though).
I'm used to attending church activities and participating in the ministry. For me, I'm obedient out of habit. There are times when I do it mechanically. If we are not careful, we are following with the wrong motive. I realized that I have to check my heart and see if my actions really glorify God, and not just to comply with His commandments.
Brace yourselves for the REAL TALK that follows.
Madaling sumunod kapag wala kang pinagdadaanan. (Obedience is easy in the absence of problems.)
Nakakairita (I'm annoyed) when I see some people taking commitments lightly. When you can easily quit the ministry the moment things get inconvenient for you, that is not commitment. We all have to play a part and play that part well. You know that God deserves your best so give Him your best.
Will you still be committed when things get tough? This is the real test. Commitments are more meaningful when made in the face of trials. True courage is when you face those trials with God. Keep moving!
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| Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9 (KJV) |
We could stay home and save money, but we're glad to be in the camp. Camp fees both paid. We had safe travel to the campsite and back. Lessons learned. Encouragement gained from other campers. Thank God for church camp!
God granted me one request. He delayed the miscarriage so we can enjoy the camp from Wednesday to Saturday. Nakabawi kami sa absent namin last year! (We did make up for our absence last year.) Special thanks to the people who knew about what we're going through. Your prayers are very much appreciated.
I hope whatever kind of "walk" you are on,
NEVER MISS THE CAMP!
Through this experience we conclude:
Going to camp while at the a very low point in your life is not such a bad idea after all!
When we got home, the situation is still the same. The problems are still here, but we're more committed now and maybe a bit more courageous.
The first two images are taken from my old blog 'blueprints and mascaras' (now deleted).
This post is NOT SPONSORED.
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