Knee-Mail
Camp Deerpark Kneemail
December 16, 2011
Greetings in the name of Christ from Camp Deerpark.
James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Thank you so much for supporting Camp Deerpark with your prayers.
What’s going on at Camp Deerpark
Through the challenges and perceived risks of adventure we are able to grow in self-confidence and transfer the lessons we have learned into life! On December 3-4 Camp Deerpark hosted 32 students from Baruch College. Their leader, Ben Messner, wanted to give the students in his leadership training program a very different camp experience. The students were told it would be a wilderness adventure that included cooking and sleeping outside. When they arrived at 11:00 AM on Saturday they were split into four teams. Their first task was to choose the supplies they would need from a random pile of items laying on a tarp. There was rope, tarps, hatchets, plyers, pots, toilet paper, water jugs, etc. The only catch was that there was four teams, but no more than three of each item. As the teams took turns choosing their items they were required to prioritize their supplies even though they didn’t exactly know what would be needed.
I checked in with the group several times throughout the evening and everytime they seemed to be in great spirits. The next morning they came into Spruce Lodge for a warm bathroom and a breakfast of pancakes and sausage. They had all survived the night in their hand made shelters.
After breakfast I had the opportunity to drive a portion of the group to the train station. I asked if they would do it again and the van unanmously said “Yes!” Ironically, most said their highlight was going 24 hours without cell phones or electronics. When I spoke with Ben a few days later he told me that the group won’t stop talking about Camp Deerpark and braving a December night in the woods. I am very proud of Ben and his vision for leadership training with the young adults at Baruch College.
The 2012 Calendars are now available. If you have not already received one please email the camp office or call 845-754-8669 and we will be very happy to put a calendar in the mail
Praise God with us for:
• Two great weekends with the men from Recovery House of Worship.
• Sarah and Zachary arrived here at camp on Monday evening and we were able to get our first look at Adelina on Tuesday afternoon. It is always exciting to have a new baby at camp.
• Bob Martin is stripping a waxing the dining room floor. We are very grateful for Bob and all of the work he does here at camp.
Please Pray for:
• It will be kind of quiet around camp for the next few weeks. Pray for Mike and Chris, our interns, who will be fighting a bit of boredom.
• Pray for safe travels for all of our staff who will be visiting family in the next three weeks. The Bontrager family will be traveling to Iowa and then on to Colorado and back.
• James Park and the youth from KAPCQ (Korean American Presbyterian Church of Queens who will be holding a retreat here at camp between Christmas and New Year
• The Bob Martin who will be having their family gathering on New Year’s weekend
• The youth of Conestoga Mennonite Church who will be cutting firewood and bringing in the New Year here at Camp Deerpark.
Thank you so much for your prayers for the children, youth, and families of New York City.
Ken Bontrager
Camp Deerpark Kneemail
December 16, 2011
Greetings in the name of Christ from Camp Deerpark.
James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Thank you so much for supporting Camp Deerpark with your prayers.
What’s going on at Camp Deerpark
Through the challenges and perceived risks of adventure we are able to grow in self-confidence and transfer the lessons we have learned into life! On December 3-4 Camp Deerpark hosted 32 students from Baruch College. Their leader, Ben Messner, wanted to give the students in his leadership training program a very different camp experience. The students were told it would be a wilderness adventure that included cooking and sleeping outside. When they arrived at 11:00 AM on Saturday they were split into four teams. Their first task was to choose the supplies they would need from a random pile of items laying on a tarp. There was rope, tarps, hatchets, plyers, pots, toilet paper, water jugs, etc. The only catch was that there was four teams, but no more than three of each item. As the teams took turns choosing their items they were required to prioritize their supplies even though they didn’t exactly know what would be needed.
I checked in with the group several times throughout the evening and everytime they seemed to be in great spirits. The next morning they came into Spruce Lodge for a warm bathroom and a breakfast of pancakes and sausage. They had all survived the night in their hand made shelters.
After breakfast I had the opportunity to drive a portion of the group to the train station. I asked if they would do it again and the van unanmously said “Yes!” Ironically, most said their highlight was going 24 hours without cell phones or electronics. When I spoke with Ben a few days later he told me that the group won’t stop talking about Camp Deerpark and braving a December night in the woods. I am very proud of Ben and his vision for leadership training with the young adults at Baruch College.
The 2012 Calendars are now available. If you have not already received one please email the camp office or call 845-754-8669 and we will be very happy to put a calendar in the mail
Praise God with us for:
• Two great weekends with the men from Recovery House of Worship.
• Sarah and Zachary arrived here at camp on Monday evening and we were able to get our first look at Adelina on Tuesday afternoon. It is always exciting to have a new baby at camp.
• Bob Martin is stripping a waxing the dining room floor. We are very grateful for Bob and all of the work he does here at camp.
Please Pray for:
• It will be kind of quiet around camp for the next few weeks. Pray for Mike and Chris, our interns, who will be fighting a bit of boredom.
• Pray for safe travels for all of our staff who will be visiting family in the next three weeks. The Bontrager family will be traveling to Iowa and then on to Colorado and back.
• James Park and the youth from KAPCQ (Korean American Presbyterian Church of Queens who will be holding a retreat here at camp between Christmas and New Year
• The Bob Martin who will be having their family gathering on New Year’s weekend
• The youth of Conestoga Mennonite Church who will be cutting firewood and bringing in the New Year here at Camp Deerpark.
Thank you so much for your prayers for the children, youth, and families of New York City.
Ken Bontrager
