Week 2 - Tim

​“Time flies when you’re having fun,” and Week 2 flew by like a jet! After taking the weekend to refresh ourselves from a week of camping, we packed our bags and began a four-day long backpacking trip along the Southern Shore of Lake Superior. We started our trip near Munising, Michigan, and trekked nearly 30 miles northeast along the North Country Trail. Our average day consisted of a hike of between 4 to 6 miles while carrying a 30 lb. pack full of food, tents, personal clothes, and other camping gear. We only had room in our packs for the bare necessities, and the only necessity we didn’t carry was water, which we filtered from the lake or streams we came across. At times, it was difficult to carry so much weight on our backs, but the beauty of Lake Superior, the beaches, the cliffs, and the forest was well worth the exertion. The awe-inspiring cliffs and the beautiful blue-green water were captivating to look at, and we were thrilled to watch a glorious sunset over the water on more than one occasion.
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world, and it is so deep that the water never reaches a warm temperature, even in the summer. But the cold water didn’t stop us from enjoying swimming, even if it felt more like an ice-bath at times than a trip to the Atlantic.
 
We were blessed to be accompanied by Aaron Brewster, who led chapel in the evenings at our campsites and challenged the campers to examine their beliefs and deepest motivations of their hearts. He explained what it means to believe in God, and that real belief demands action in response, and that when our lives manifest “bad fruit,” it is because we the truth about God and who he is. It was a message most of the campers dearly needed to hear, but unfortunately was not valued as it should have been by them.
 
When people are put under pressure or into difficult situations, they reveal the true contents of their hearts. As campers grew tired from hiking with heavy packs and dealing with each other, I had the joy of getting some time with a few of the campers 1 on 1. I was encouraged to hear testimonies of salvation from some, and to clearly explain the gospel to others. Please continue to pray for these campers, that Got would open up their eyes to their need for him, and that the Word would not be snatched away from their hearts, but that it would take root in their lives and bring forth fruit. Additionally, please continue to pray for the counselors. As we enter the third and final week, we need now more than ever to be focused on loving the campers and sharing God’s truth with them even when we are tired and frustrated. Although some of them are not open to the truth, we are excited to see how God will work in them during the canoe trip next week, as well as to see how God will work in the lives of those campers who are open to his Word.