Cascades Blog

God Makes Beautiful Things

posted in Blog | Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

As we sit down to write this reflection on summer 2011, we are astounded at the beautiful things that God did in the lives of campers, guests, and staff. The newly named Gungor band gets it right when they sing, “You make beautiful things out of the dust [and] you make beautiful things out of us!” Even in the midst of a lot of rain and strange weather, campers had a blast, learned how to live a Christian life, and made commitments to follow God.

At Timber Rock, junior high campers played wild games and enjoyed exhilarating activities with a Nautical twist! Each Thursday night, campers created a tapestry together out of prayers written on colorful strips of paper. Each week the tapestry truly displayed the ways that God takes our brokenness and makes beautiful creations out of us!

Brightwood Station was filled with elementary aged kids who daily learned about God’s magnificent love for them through Bible studies led by their counselors, chapels, jubilations and cabin time. Brightwood was Wild West themed and campers traveled out to Frontier village, slept in teepees and even played a night game to rescue a western character!

Rainier Kids day camp reached an all time high this summer running eight full weeks and hosting 128 kids, with some coming back for second, and even third weeks! Cascades also offered a new bonus to Yelm families by providing transportation for Rainier kids to and from town. At camp, the kids swam at the waterfront, shot wrist rockets, participated in culinary arts, and learned about Christ in daily morning chapels and story time.

Sunrise Ranch campers blazed trails on horseback, rode in area class and enjoyed general camp fun all summer long while living at Brightwood and Timber Rock! Cascades also ran three weeks of Horse Intensives where campers were able to further develop their equestrian skills and dive deep into scripture.

The S.A.L.T. (Servant and Leadership Training) program ran with 129 high school students who learned how to work at camp by following Jesus’ example of servant leadership. They rocked the summer by jumping into service projects, assisting counselors with kids, and hanging out in fellowship with one another. As usual, camp could not run without the humble service and energy of our S.A.L.T.’s!

Our summer family camps were filled with joy as families took time out of their busy schedules to rest, enjoy a myriad of exciting activities, and spend time with God and each other! This summer, 216 families came out to Cascades to participate in family camps.

All in all, beautiful things happened this summer, and it is all because of the love of our good God working in and through the lives of staff, campers, guests, and all of you! Thank you for your prayers and generous support. God is indeed faithful and has blessed us abundantly!

-Darek “Delta” Hollis and Ellie “Dandy” VerGowe

Labor Day Family Camp 2011 Podcast

posted in Blog | Saturday, September 17th, 2011

Flash back to this Labor Day: if didn’t make it to Cascades to hear our family camp speakers or you were here and you just can’t get enough – the Labor Day Family Camp sessions are now available to download on the Cascades Camp Podcast via iTunes.

Check it out!

A New Season

posted in Blog | Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

Wow, it is amazing to think that the summer is over and we are heading into fall. Things are definitely a lot quieter around here as the campers and summer staff have left us. It gives me some time to reflect on what God did this summer.

It seems so long ago that I drove up to Cascades Camp with Caleb “Southpaw” Nyquist discussing our fears and excitements for the summer. My desire this summer was that it would be about God’s agenda and not mine. As I think back through the past few months, I see that God definitely did things his way. I remember our second weeks of camp when the unending rain seemed to continue to mess up our plans. But it didn’t affect God’s plan. It was definitely a very challenging week, but God worked through it all. Josh “Gattuso” Phillips, the Timber Rock Program leader, shared with me that the rain made for the most epic and exciting guys night of the summer. That Friday night, at D.O.S. (discipline of silence), kids shared about struggles in their lives and the hope they found in Jesus. Brendan “Hushpuppy” Melhalf, related to me that one of his campers was in tears as he accepted Christ, having never understood before how much Christ loved him. And all of this was in only one week of camp! As I think back through the summer, I see so many faces of smiling children, guests and staff. Though I am sad to see them go, I look forward to the season ahead and what God has in store for me and for Cascades Camp.

Now looking into the future, I remember a lesson God taught me a while ago, that with each new season, God brings new blessings that could never be experienced had I stayed in the past. There is definitely a lot to look forward to in this coming season and a lot of unknowns still to be explored. My prayer remains the same: that God’s will be done and His name be glorified. I thank the Lord for a great summer and for the work ahead he is preparing for me.

-Darek “Delta” Hollis, Rec. Leader, Brightwood Station

SALTing Truths from Blitz

posted in Blog | Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Over my time at Cascades, I have been so privileged to work with SALTs — high schoolers who come to spend multiple weeks of their time in our servant-leadership program at Cascades. Two summers ago I served as SALT Crew leader, working with mostly 10th graders in our 2-week program that focuses on service and discipleship. During that time I was blessed to have Stephanie “Blitz” Crouch as one of my SALTs, and since that summer I have been fortunate enough to watch her work through the SALT program and grow summer to summer. Now that she’s home, she posted a blog about the impact of her time at Cascades. With her permission, I’m sharing an excerpt from that blog below — enjoy!      

-Loren “Dory” Liden

It’s ironic that someone who hates numbers so much would end up reminding herself how to live her life with one.

That number is fifty-one.

I was away at camp for a month. It’s a Christian camp, and I (unknowingly) went there with a broken heart and a shattered soul after a huge disappointment that left me confused and upset for days.

I went to camp and I wanted a change. I was more open to that change than I ever have been before in my life. I wanted God to take my heart and change it.

And He did.

God took that broken-ness of mine and He’s been, one could say, remodeling my entire heart.

After three weeks of busy-ness and bonding, helping and hugging, praying and studying, we had a morning devo (devo= devotional) with the girls. Just like every other morning.

This Thursday morning was different. Our leader NeveaH (Heaven spelt backwards) read us this list she made two or three summers ago of things she learned during her summer on O-Team (O-Team= Operations Team). Then she challenged us to do the same– make a list of what we learned over our month there.

I’m generally not good with lists. I can make packing lists, but that’s drawing off of what I already have. This list that I made is drawing off of what I know, what was in my head. And sometimes it’s hard to find things I’ve learned that are floating around in my mind.

But within the first ten minutes I had twelve things written down. And as the day went on, these truths just kept popping into my mind, so I’d write them down in my notebook.

And by the time we left on Saturday the 13th, I had fifty-one truths that I had written down.

Fifty-one.

That’s a lot. And not just for me– but for anyone, really.

I got home and I got a new journal (:D) and the entire list is written down in the first three pages. It’s lovely that every time I open it to journal every night I get to see that list.

But now this number is what I remind myself everyday. When I wake up, I tell myself “fifty-one. Just remember that list and how much God has done.”

talk about irony.

-Stephanie “Blitz” Crouch, Seasoned SALT 2011

 

Summer with the Health Assistant

posted in Blog | Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Below is a reflection from our summer Health Assistant, Melissa “Keenwa” Nordlie. As the health assistant, she had the opportunity to experience camp from a different perspective than many others. Enjoy! – Loren “Dory” Liden

Although being the camp health assistant definitely had its challenges, it was one of my most enriching experiences. I was given the privilege to see camp from a very special angle and watch how each department intricately serves and supports the other departments. I was given opportunities to get to know staff from all different departments and children from the various different camps. I felt honored to be put in a position where God could use me to serve staff and children in times of illness, injury, and pain. As a nursing student I was able to utilize and implement the skills I had spend so much time learning about, as well as learn new techniques from my supervisors and the people around me. I was nervous at the responsibility that this job entailed and shocked at how God provided me with the resources, people, skills, and the desire to handle it to the best of my ability.

This job challenged and stretched me, it was hard to be needed in twenty places at once one minute and needed nowhere the next minute. Each new day presented a challenge of completing important tasks and managing the unexpected situations that would spontaneously arise. I loved pouring into people and meeting their needs, but I also learned about the beautiful cycle of needing to be filled up and discovering what that looks like for myself at different intervals throughout the summer. I also learned what genuine servanthood means. It’s a beautiful thing to give the little that you have left (whether the last surge of energy, the last hour of sleep, or the last ice pack) and watch God take that and use it. Just when you think you can’t go any farther, He provides you with exactly what you need, a friend to tag along on midnight calls, a moment of silence, or the sweet words of appreciation from those you cared for.

Not only did I receive a lot of great experience from a community health perspective and got to have fun at camp, I also learned a lot about people. The more people I met, the closer I felt to God. Each person seems to have their very own way of displaying God’s image in their life and personality. I understand a sliver of the pain He feels when God sees His people in pain. He hurts for them and desires to help them. Again, I am blessed that I was able to serve the Cascades community in this way and I pray that God continues to develop this passion He has given me. Even with the challenges that presented themselves throughout the summer, I wouldn’t change my experience one bit, not for the world.

Mornin’ Ranch!

posted in Blog | Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Here’s a little video blog from our three Sunrise Ranch counselors this week. Enjoy!

A Dandy Life at Brightwood Station

posted in Blog | Monday, August 15th, 2011

I love my job. I work as a program leader at Cascades Camp and Conference Center just outside the small town of Yelm, WA, and though it might sound ominous, my job is anything but that.

Each week begins with staff worship and meetings with counselors before the new bunch of kids arrive. I work the week supporting the counselors, talking and playing with kids, swimming in the lake, hiking around the property, speaking at chapels, organizing games, leading devotions each morning, getting make-over’s from 9 year old girls, and constantly praying that the kids would know God’s amazing love for them.

My job is everything I want and anything but easy. This week was one of the hardest yet. I came into it so excited to give my all and love each camper with the love that Christ shows me. I was passionate to go all out as the summer came to a close. BUT THEN the week brought me communication confusion, one scheduling obstacle after another, kids who argued with one another, and kids who missed their parents so much that even my extensive list on how to comfort and distract proved totally unhelpful. Counselors were frustrated and tired. I got sick on top of it all, and no matter how much I pretended it wasn’t affecting me, it kept making my head ache and my words less than gracious.

To top it all off, we had to do a little shuffle on Friday night and relocate out of Brightwood and into Timber Rock due to some scheduling conflicts. Though it seems easy to move that half mile down the road, it isn’t really when you have seventy campers between the ages of eight and twelve to move with you. It was only when my work partner and recreation leader suggested that we chant things like, “They can take our land. They can take our cabins, but they cannot take our freedom!” and “When I say Brightwood, you say, In our hearts!” that any of the staff and campers felt anything besides frustration and exhaustion. There is nothing like those seventy kids painted and shouting things from scenes in “Braveheart” charging into their new lodge. It makes me laugh and feel a deep-seated joy.

Now, at the end of week #5 of kid’s camps and successfully moved, I am sitting in Horseshoe Hollow Chapel for D.O.S., or Discipline of Silence. The kids have spent 20 minutes out on the hill talking with God. Some have now have made their way to their counselors to talk more or down to the chapel to share what God has done in their lives. As each kid makes his or her way up to the bench to tell their stories, I am struck by the faithfulness of God.

This week was rough, no doubt about it. But even in the exhaustion and doubt that anything good was happening from our work, God was present. Even when we couldn’t give any more to each other or to the campers, God poured himself through us. It is a beautiful thing when God uses broken people and circumstances for his good purposes. It is a beautiful thing when God does what he wants despite us. It is a beautiful thing to rest in the knowledge that I did nothing but cling to God and God did my job.

As the kids come up to share their stories of joy and pain with remnants of the face painting booth of the carnival on their faces, I thank God. I wish I could capture this picture of kids respecting one another and listening, kids telling stories of pain, counselors and SALTs praying for them, kids teaching each other as they tell of God’s work in their lives, etc., but no words can describe it. God is here. Each kid was shown and told of God’s abundant love for them this week, whether they know Him yet or not. He adores each of them more than we ever could, He knows their stories, and He has a plan for their lives. Even in our exhaustion and frustration, God still did everything He wanted. All of the roughness of this week was worth it. The God who created this entire universe loves us and shows that despite our failures. I can’t think of anything more beautiful. In the words of a wise song artist, “I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way that he loves us!”

-Ellie “Dandy” Vergowe, Program Leader, Brightwood Station

Men of Faith 2011

posted in Blog | Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Men of Faith Promo 2011 from Cascades Camp on Vimeo.

Tapestry and God’s Work

posted in Blog | Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

Today I write to proclaim God’s provision and almighty reign over the chaos of our lives. Last week was insane. Between the rain, some particularly rowdy cabins, and a few other unexpected hiccups throughout last week it seemed like camp-world was moving a million miles an hour. Caught up in the mix of logistics and reacting to the circumstances at hand, it was so easy to forget the work that God was doing in these campers’ lives. But God showed up last week, and will continue to show up as this week wraps up.

Every Thursday, at Camp Timber Rock (our middle school camp), cabins spent time doing the tapestry activity. Built from a rustic wooden frame and twine, this structure has become a place where campers let go of burdens in their lives, set goals for their walks with God, and make decisions for Christ. Woven throughout the twine grid every week are countless strips of papers with confessions and prayers, and many colored strings symbolizing commitments or recommitments to Christ. The result is a beautiful tapestry of God’s work in these campers’ lives.

But the Thursday tapestry is not where it ends; Friday’s D.O.S. (discipline of silence) will continue to bear fruit of God’s deep ties to His children. After some alone time with God out on Jubilation Hill, campers will return to chapel to share with the group realizations they had about struggles at home, or meet one-on-one with their counselor.

In the midst of it all, I try to remember that whether we see the ways God is working or not – He does, in fact, have them in the palm of His hand, and is working His way in their lives.

Join us in prayers of thanksgiving and in faith that God’s will is being done tonight in our campers’ lives

Family Camp messages are up!

posted in Blog | Monday, July 18th, 2011

 Check it out – we’ve got the messages from Independence Day Family Camp 2011 up and available to download for your listening pleasure on the Cascades Camp podcast via itunes.  Enjoy!

Click here to be directed to our podcasts.