S.A.L.T. Program: What Salties Have To Say

Every summer for the past 4 summers we have had 6+ crazy

past or current campers who are older teenage, or young 20s join us for 2 weeks of:

S-service

A-adventure

L-leadership

T-training

What we call our S.A.L.T. Program.

This year we had 6 ladies, all but one from our Phoenix Program, Mentor Kids USA

and 2 guys from Phoenix too.

Jenny, our former assistant program person, (now our business director's wife) lead this group and daily provided them the support and love they needed.

Out our our group 3 are former refugees and have lived through things like unrest, poverty and being disowned by their family for their faith in Christ.

All of them are amazing young people who love the Lord and seek to serve Him with their lives!

We honestly can't do our 1st two camps with out these great servants!

They alone enabled nearly 30 additional campers to attend camp because they provide much needed support staff freeing up counselors to counsel!

Sara - "SALT has taught me how to not serve myself but

 to stay centered on the Lord. Being able to serve and 

help the counselors and have fun at the same time is amazing!"

Denver Falcon Camp!

Today completes our last Falcon (elementary age) camp of the summer... there is a lot of bitter/sweet feelings with our staff as we round up this group. This is our group from inner-city Denver and typically it is our "hardest" Falcon camp.

This week has probably been our best ever Denver Falcon camp!

Great kids.

Fun (safe) times.

Open hearts and minds!

We went into this week expecting more challenges because we have less support staff available to do all the work required to run the logistics of the day to day operations. Think: dishes, set up, clean up, errands, cooking. Our 5 support staffers have ROCKED it. They are serving and not stopping! God's people are showing us all how a little of what belongs to God is mighty!

On top of that, yesterday we had two young ladies profess faith in Jesus as their Savior!
One camper has had a very hard heart the past few years she has attended, she very easily will get angry in a passive way and will refuse to talk to people if they displease her. Mid week her counselor gently told her, "I think you need to stop living for yourself and give your life over to God, things don't seem to be working for you on your own." She spent the entire next day giving her counselor the silent treatment. Her counselor began to wonder if she shouldn't have been so "in her face". Then the next day after playing a game she washed up and peeked around the corner and said, "Hey. Krystina, I am giving my life to God now!"

Tomorrow the camp leaves bright and early to start a very LONG trip home.

Please pray for...
Safe travel.
No road issues with fires.
Easy going travelers.
Not many stops (that bladders hold out).
The late return trip for our drivers.

Everything I Need Is Everything You Are

Written by Savannah

Everything I need is everything You are! 

This is so true at camp! 

As a first year counselor I have learned so much already in the first couple weeks of counseling! 

I am nothing and He is everything! Dying to myself which is so hard but so worth it! 

Through all of this craziness God is working so greatly in the lives of these girls! Getting to be their counselor and love on them is truly a privilege! My first week was such a challenge as I had a camper who was rather difficult and managed to keep me up until midnight my first night of counseling! God worked through this girl to teach me so much and I know she learned a lot as by the end of camp I was able to watch her truly worship God and be able to say she is alive in Christ! I even got a postcard from her this week! 

This past week I have a sweet wonderful cabin that loves to hug, serve and have a ton of fun! After a rough couple of first days God overcame the circumstances and has brought so much joy! I got to see two Burmese girl refugees open up and the first thing she has said during cabin time is “I learned I need to trust Jesus!” 

One of my other girls has expressed her joy in worship especially the song All Because Of Jesus by telling me during one-on-one time “I love worship, it makes me feel like I’m in Heaven!” 

 It has been phenomenal to see God work in their lives and go from not saying anything to saying God is all I need and the joy on their faces as they run around camp! God is so good and so much greater than anything we can imagine! When we die to ourselves and move out of the way to let God move, more amazing things happen than what we can even dream of!

Phoenix Falcon

This week we welcomed our Phoenix MentorKids campers!

This is one of CBX most anticipated camps each summer.

Among our campers we have many Burmese (refugee) children who have a new home in the Phoenix area.

We were also blessed to have one of our longest attended former campers, Kenny join us this week... not as a camper but as our camp COOK! 

His food was made with an extra measure of love!

This week has been FUN and growth producing!

Our campers have really been engaged in Bible lessons taught by local teacher Jack Klumpenhower.

Last night, as I sat in on a lesson this boy in front of me was very intent on listening and participating in the lesson. At the end, Jack, said, "Tonight we saw how Jesus made a way to take away our punishment, we will have to wait for tomorrow to find out how he helps us and provides a way for us to live in the Spirit..." At that the boy sighed a very annoyed sigh and said, to his counselor... "I don't want to wait until tomorrow!"

Nice!

Camp Starts 2013!!!

Almost 3 weeks ago 12 staff showed up on our door step and began an act of faith and service!

We have had mostly ups and a few downs as we have learned and unified.

This staff has the atmosphere of intention, love for children and a desire to serve with enthusiasm!

Then on Monday everything started.

Campers arrived in force. 

And the fun began.

This week we have 30+ local/regional campers.

We have enjoyed the spirit, enthusiasm and joy they have brought to CBX.

Continue praying for CBX in the following ways...

For safety for staff and campers.

For health for campers and staff... particularly our two sick staff Katharine and Shania.

Pray for our cooks who had to leave early and return to Colo. Springs due to the fires.

Pray that we avoid similar fires in our area and that camp can continue with out this issue.

Pray for our married staff members as they navigate family/marriage during this season.

For our new staff members to adjust to camp.

Pray for Tim (Camp Director) and his diagnosis of Lyme's Disease.

We thank the Lord in praise for...

Our amazing SALT program participants... 6 young ladies and 2 gentlemen who are spending the first 2 camps with us serving and growing!

God's ever present faithfulness as we live and serve for him here at CBX.