Calvary UMC from Ames, IA

"I can't remember ever making the effort to write something like this, but I want to be sure you appreciate what a fine group of people are here at Kingswood. Lately, it seems I only meet the self-centered, undisciplined, deceitful kids, and learn about the miserable homes they come from. I'll admit that when I arrived Sunday evening, it looked like we would be trying to get some work done while riding herd on a bunch of "teenie boppers." But what a delightful surprise it was when we started working together. And when the kids "made" Bob's birthday. How great was that!" Pastor Dass adds "Thank you all for refreshing my spirit especially the young people's passion and devotion to helping others, refreshed my faith." Charlotte and Gib Bentley Esther Vilmont Pastor Dass Keith Boldman Bob Bergeson Chris Marty

Thursday

Today we woke up bright and early after a very warm night sleeping. There isn't air-conditioning in the cabins. The first couple days were nice and got cool in the evening, but Wednesday had heat advisories. so, we were all dragging a bit this morning. We have group time in the morning before breakfast. We sing worship songs, read scripture and have a morning start. After that we eat breakfast, pack our lunches and then head out to job sites. I am on a job site with Jill and Ken (who chaperone with me), Tyler, Josh, Chandler, Charlotte, Josie and Katie. We had Reverend Doss, from Ames, IA with us up until today. He was only able to make it for part of the week. We have been painting at the parsonage in Mound, MN. It's a two story, four bedroom house. Very different from our own parsonage! We are painting it Newbury blue with white trim. It used to be a cream color. The church has been very nice and has been allowing us to use their air-conditioned fellowship hall for lunch and have been providing us with cold drinks. Today they gave us rice crispy treats! One of the trustees has worked with us today. She is a very nice lady and worked side by side in the heat with us, had lunch with us and chatted with us throughout the day. The paint has really transformed the parsonage and it will be so nice for the new minister and his family. The church has a very large parcel of land and they have a monsterous community garden and have installed raised beds for those who are disabled to be able to share in. We've had a chance to speak with many of the church members who come out to tend the garden. It's really been an amazing job. We are so hopeful that we can finish our paint job before our time here is done.

Wednesday

Today was the designated fun day. Some of us went to the baseball game, some went to the Mall of America and a couple of us decided to go with the other church group to a job site. We worked at Olives house drywalling the basement. olive is a lovely lady who has spent most of her life taking care of others what money she earns has been given to benefit others. Because of this, she doesn't have the funds to pay someone to do the work on her own house. We had a couple of the men who are contractors. A couple of the ladies have worked on these types of workgroups several times before, so they jumped right in and knew what they were doing. Those of us from St Paul were new to drywalling. Happily, they had power drills for us to put drywall screw in. Someone before us had started the drywall job and they worked very hard to use every piece of drywall - small and large. I was impressed by the creative piecing together - kind of like a patchwork quilt. It became clear to me later as we were taping and mudding all those patched together seams - that maybe all those sweet little pieces were not so cool after all. The guys had obviously worked together before, because they put their heads together and worked out solutions for the job. They were all very patient explaining and instructing those of us who are less experienced. It was really a productive day. The St Paul workgroup came back to camp, cleaned up and met up with the baseball and mall groups at the food court for dinner. We all talked about the day and the baseball group showed off their sunburns. Later, we came back to the camp for worship time. We met outside in the worship area, with lots of bugspray. We sing songs by torchlight, listen to devotions and pray together. It's a special time together. Thursday is back to workgroups for everyone! Some will paint at the parsonage, some will go to Bob's, some will finish drywalling at Olives and some will work at a thriftstore.

Ken's Tuesday Camp Thoughts

As a adult leader for this year's mission trip, I not only get to watch over the youth as they are here at Camp Kingswood but I am also eating meals with, enjoying outdoor activities with, and working alongside them as we head out for each day's job assignment. In just a short period since arriving on Sunday afternoon, we have done a lot of good work in honor of the Lord! Yesterday, the group that I am a part of packaged over 80 boxes of food destined for starving regions of the African country of Nambia and we repurposed and packaged 1,000 pounds of rice destined for Minnesota area food pantries and soup kitchens. Early today, we helped out at a fellow United Methodist church by repainting the exterior of their parsonage house. Bethel UMC has welcomed a new pastor to their church and will be moving into the parsonage at the beginning of August. Our great youth group from St. Paul is not afraid of hard work! They having been giving their all each day and I, along with the other adult leaders, are very proud of their efforts so far. We begin and end each day with a time of devotions and prayer. Not only are we working hard but we also building team skills and striving to develop a better understanding the world around us. Many of us are learning how we can serve others through even the smallest good deeds. We have free time each day to enjoy outdoor activites from basketball and baseball to hiking and swimming. The weather really has been beautiful this week! We are also joined this week at Camp Kingswood by our brothers and sisters from Calvary UMC out of Ames, IA and have enjoyed spending time and interacting with them. Wednesday is a free day for our group (non-work day). Many of us will head over to downtown Minneapolis to watch the Minnesota Twins baseball team play an afternoon game. The rest of the group will head over to the Mall of America in Bloomington.

Josie's thoughts

Today was pretty fun! I got in a paint fight with children. He started it though. I got really tired really fast.

Tuesday

Well sWe've had a pretty busy time so far. It's been a little challenging to get posts out to you because the only Internet service is in the boys lodge. We have done loads already. And I seriously mean loads! On Monday two of our groups started out at Feed My Starving Children. We worked in smaller groups and were able to package a total of 81 boxes of manna rice meals. They consist of chicken, vegetable, soy and rice. Each meals feeds a family of 6 for a day. Each box has 36 meals in it. After lunch we went to Second Harvest. There we packed a ton of rice into 1 pound bags. It was dust and we all looked lovely in hair nets, but what a sense of accomplishment! We weren't too tired to miss out on swimming and canoeing in the evening though! We met and shared our stories together, had fellowship time and worship at night. They grow the Mosquitos pretty big and plentiful up here, but bugs spray helps a lot.

We made it!

We made it safe and sound have had a busy evening already and are going to bed soon!