Back in the States

Sorry for the late update and the lack of pictures. I'll need to steal some pictures from everyone since I don't have any of my own since we've been back. Here's a brief update of what we've been up to...

We got back and had a few days rest and preparation for camp season. We had one week of inner city camp an then team week with no camp. Inner city camp was interesting because its the most unorganized thing we do. The neighborhoods and churches involved just operate under different life principles than we're used to in middle class suburbia. It was a great week overall and I think it was good for everyone to get a taste of what some people live like. One campsite was across the street from homeless shelter and had some drug paraphenalia present along with the homeless people sleeping onthe benches next to our field. Quite the picture of a different life than we know.

Team week was a great recharging time after that. We camped out on the dunes of lake Michigan for two days and had a great time of games, worship, campfires, devo's, beachtime, mission clarification, etc. Most of us didn't want to go home! Later on in the week we celebrated the 4th. People really do it up here. We held our own "amazing race" down in Chicago on the 3rd (which is when they do all their festivities). The race was a blast! It was basically like the tv show in that we were split in 5 teams and were given a scavenger hunt list of things to do and video's/pictures to take in front of various places downtown. So all 30-something of us were running all over chicago for about 3 hours taking random pictures and making rediclous videos, using people on the street to complete out lists. We followed the race with devo's by the lake and then the city firework show.

This week we're back to camp. Half of us are down town again and the other half are in a wealthy suburb up north. Both camps are going well and the staff is loving it! Last night we all met up in the middle at the lake again and had small groups and worship. Both teams are also meeting to play games and have practice.

Next week we go straight up to Wisconsin for two more camps and the following week we're back in Wheaton for the last week of camp. Only two and a half weeks left until we disperse...it's gone so fast!