Grateful!

This past weekend was Camp Beechpoint's 7th Annual Benefit Auction and Steak Fry!  Every year the auction is a great day of food and fellowship for the great big Beechpoint family and many new friends of the ministry.  With a crowd of 400 we enjoyed a live band, a steak and chicken dinner with a build-your-own ice cream sundae bar,  and camp activities like go carts and rock climbing.

During the live auction we have a time where we auction camper scholarships for the coming summer.  It is an incredibly moving, Spirit-filled, beautiful time.  To see God move in the generosity of His people to provide a way for kids to come to camp - where they will experience His love and learn of His sacrifice for them.  I am teary just typing about it.  I was most definitely teary watching it happen.  In less than 15 minutes, $46,000 was given in camper scholarships!  The song Grateful by Hezekiah Walker has been flowing from my heart for days.  The total received from the auction was just over $68,000!  Praise God for his favor and provision!  Praise God for allowing me yet another opportunity to witness His faithfulness and mighty hand.  Praise God for the children who will be able to attend camp because of the giving of others!  Here are a couple of camper testimonies from last summer.  Lives are changed at camp!

"Thank you for sending me here, because without you I wouldn't have had my first experience of seeing Jesus and talking to him.  I thank you for sending me because Alaina, my camp leader, she has shown me a new light and taught me how to be a teenager.  I love her so much!" - Latanza, age 13

"The counselors here treat you as if you are their children.  Which in this case I love that cuz I don't have anyone to care or pray for me back home.  It's real heartbreaking living in the ghetto and now I know what real friendship is between me and another Christian.  Some of the older counselors, they have experience with a lot of things like manhood, and I applaud them for it.  If you want to grow in your faith you have to come here." - Mario, age 13

I have not used this blog as a platform for giving before, but if you were unable to attend the auction and would like to give toward camper scholarships you can still do so.  Many of the families who come are unable to pay the full cost.  Camp actively seeks out children who would not be able to attend otherwise and does not turn children away who are in financially difficult situations.  $300 will sponsor one child for one week of quality Christian camping and any amount will help us to provide assistance to families.  If you would like to be a part of giving camper scholarships you can send your check to:

Camp Beechpoint

3212 125th Ave

Allegan, MI  49010 

Please indicate that your giving is for camper scholarships.  You will receive a tax-deductible receipt and, at the end of the summer, a thank you letter written by the youth you sponsored.

A couple of photos from the day:

This bike was a raffle item this year.  They tell me it gets 100 miles to the gallon!  Can you just see me zipping around camp on it in the summer?  I'm guessing Mr. D was having similar thoughts while he was getting the auction set up. :-)

Live auction in the Lakeview Lodge.

My friend Daniel and I.  Daniel is our Water Front Director in the summer, has on his chef coat from working in camp's kitchen, and handled the financial check out for the auction.  He also "made" me watch Fast Five on Sunday, explained the parts I didn't get, is not offended that I don't all the way love his dog Lucy, stayed up late with me to process the auction paperwork, and fusses at me like a brother.  Ya gotta love a camp friend!

I love that this was the donations bowl for the steak dinner.  It made me smile that a bowl full of cash can sit on the table at the end of the buffet line and be just fine.  Someone made fun of me for taking this picture, but this moved me in some deeply restorative way that I can't quite put into words.

It was a beautiful day and I love camp in the late spring!  (Not to be confused with the early spring when it rains every day and camp is one giant mud puddle.)  I am "moving" to camp in 10 days!!!  I'm happy to be reunited with a deck chair!