Camp Hope, Day 1

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.    Colossians 1:13 (NKJV)

Camp Hope is located on over 100 acres in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia.  Camp Hope offers multiple weeks of camp in May, June, and July for homeschoolers, juniors, teens, and girls.

T was a camper for the first time ever...at Camp Hope's homeschool week in May! It was a week-long session for homeschoolers 7-19 years of age.

Camp started on Monday afternoon, May 25th (Memorial Day), and ended on Saturday morning, May 30th.

Registration and check-in was on Monday from 3:00-5:00 pm.  We arrived at 3:10 pm, and it seemed like most of the children were registered already and outside playing!  However, we had plenty of time to get checked in and settled before supper.

The girls stayed in several cabins, according to four age groups.  The boys stayed in three cabins, according to three age groups:  younger juniors, older juniors, and teens.  Although T didn't stay in a cabin with other boys, he was grouped with the older juniors for activities (called "skills") and meal time line-up.

I had made special arrangements to stay with T for the week in order to help him with his personal hygiene and other needs.  (He would not have been able to attend camp otherwise.)  Those in charge graciously offered us a hotel-type room...a number of which the camp has available as accommodations for the guest speakers, kitchen helpers, and some of the camp staff and volunteers.
What a blessing it was for T to be given the opportunity to attend camp!  :D

This was the serene view from the walkway outside our upstairs room.

The theme for the week was:

The homes and the places we love have been destroyed by a world-wide nuclear exchange.  Camp Hope is now the only place of refuge for the few existing survivors.  Join us for a week of Nuclear Winter themed games, meals, and messages.  Each day, we will grapple with the effect of invisible radiation and invisible sin.

After supper, the campers watched a skit...with a nuclear winter story-line which was on-going throughout the week.  Campers who forgot to wear their name tags...

were not safe from radiation and were subject to water-fire!

Next, it was time for games.  All of the junior campers were divided into four teams.  Throughout the week, the teams competed to see which could achieve the most points.  Points were given for games won, daily and weekly Bible verses memorized, a notebook kept during chapel, and so on.

T with his team

Each team had to come up with a team name, team chant, and team flag design.

team discussion time

Each team painted a team flag.

The team of which T was a part called themselves the Flaming Orange Marshmallows.

the orange team

Each team performed its chant and displayed its flag for the other teams...and the judges!

the pink team

the green team

the blue team

The orange team performed its chant:

       Marshmallow, marshmallow,
       Burn, burn, burn.    (spoken quietly)

       Marshmallow, marshmallow,
       Burn, burn, burn.    (spoken normally)

       Marshmallow, marshmallow,
       Burn, burn, burn!    (spoken loudly)

       Marshmallow, marshmallow,
       Burn, burn, burn!!    (spoken very loudly)

       Who are we??!
       The Flaming Orange Marshmallows!!!

T was prepared for the loudness!

Yep...it was loud!

Their team won the competition for the best flag and chant.  :)

happy campers  :)

There were two Bible study sessions each day:  morning chapel and evening chapel.  Nate Thomas was the chapel speaker for the junior campers.  Before the Bible study began, the children sang many songs.

Nate Thomas is a ventriloquist...and brought along many of his friends.  :)
Here he is with his orangutan.

After evening chapel, it was time for devotions and bed.  T and I had no trouble falling asleep!