Bonjour!
As most of you know, I will be traveling with my dear friend and former classmate, April Welsh, to France. The camp is Camp des Cimes (Camp of the Peaks) in Bourg d'Oisans, France. It's an English youth camp run by Greater Europe Mission--their aim is to build relationships with the unbelieving (and believing) youth of France. The mission statement of Camp des Cimes is, "A haven in France for God to save the lost and strengthen the found."
Although April and I will be heavily involved as counselors in all areas of the camp, our main "job" will be to lead worship twice a day for the two weeks of camp. We are both extremely excited, anxious, and hopeful for what God has in store for these campers. We are ready to be instruments of the Lord!
Yesterday was the first meeting of the North American team going to the camp. 4 of the 6 of us got to finally meet each other face-to-face, learn more about camp, and bond as teammates! April and I are in the process of getting the rest of our needed documents together so that we're in the clear for heading over there. Plane tickets are purchased, hiking packs are ready to go, and we leave in t-minus 33 days!!
It was hard to focus in church today. Our team will be responsible for some of the morning and evening activities, so each of us will be brainstorming over the next few weeks, coming up with some different things we could do. As I sat in the chair at church today, my mind was deep in its creative crevices trying to think of activities that would engage the youth in something fun and interesting all the while communicating the Gospel of Christ. The Lord has been placing a heavier and heavier burden on my heart for the people of France and I pray that through that burden, God will make me more in tune to what the youth of this camp need.
We still have so much to do before we leave on the 12th of July! Although we are over half-way funded, we still have a good $2,300 to go. April and I have a lot of needed supplies that we need to purchase, and we have a lot of music prep work to do. Our specific needs are:
-Prayer for our hearts and minds, that we might be able to connect to the campers
-Prayer for safe travels
-Prayer that all of our organization beforehand goes smoothly (there is a lot of it)
-Donations--$2,300 more (If you or someone you know would like to contribute financially, you can do so at our GoFundMe site
here.)
Also, as a side note, April and her husband Kyle are with their youth group on a mission trip. They will be doing work in Dallas for the week. Please keep them in your prayers!
We take for granted here in the US the fact that we are surrounded by so many other believers. In France, only 4% of the population claims to be Christian. About 90% of the campers at the youth camp are non-believers. France needs to know of the love of Jesus, and we are so blessed to be given the opportunity to be His hands and feet in July.
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:1-8
Au Revoir for now!
--Caitlin
