I started off the first day, week 1 with Am care, which is 2 staff members are assigned to look after any kids that get dropped to camp as early as 6:50am. But it was pretty good because we ( me and Gabby a Mexican chick) only had 4 kids and they arrived a bit before 8 so we had breakfast with them and played a few games and then the other kids arrived. Then we would raise the flag and the kids would do the pledge allegiance and then we would go off to our activities in our groups. There [View Full Entry]

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I arrived in Detroit on the 1st of June and was met by one of the camp staff, that by the way has been fired for swearing and being rough with the kids. But anyway I got settled in and had a day to chill at camp and have a look around. Then I went to a place called Alma for 3 days, 2 hours from camp to do an American red cross lifeguard course. The next week we had a few days of staff training then a school group for 3 days. I taught a few canoe lessons a day [View Full Entry]

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The weather is hot and steamy in Detroit -- what did you think I was talking about? You can see by the picture that the main focus of my visit to Detroit was to see my newest Midwestern friend, Evrett, son of my good friends, Merrily and Kenny. I've known Merrily since we worked together at Greene Family Camp during the summer of 1991. We got to live together in Austin for a few years, and things haven't quite been the same since Merrily and Kenny left town. Now I can see why they moved back home -- they are surrounded [View Full Entry]

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Everybody has gotten their shots and passports, we've had many many meetings, we've prayed and now it's about time. In 10 days we will get on the plane(s) and head to New York, then Paris, then Chennai. We will be traveling from East to West across Southern India. We will be in constant communication through this blog and here are the details: -Everyday, I (Ben) will take 2 or 3 people to a local internet cafe and post an entry. -Each person that day will post their own entry which will range anywhere from a "hello" to a "here's my new [View Full Entry]

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We are still in America and getting ready to leave next month. We are faithful that everybody will not only live up to the challenge of serving in India but will surpass our expectations. Keep praying for us and the Indian churches. [View Full Entry]

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When this trip was over, and I landed in Detroit to catch my connecting flight to Washington, DC, I had never been happier to be in Michigan. My immediate rehash of the trip left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. So many things had gone wrong, despite the best laid plans of mice and men. I was still missing my boots, my cell phone, all my pictures, the postcards people wouldn't be getting, my credit cards and my backpack. I didn't have a dime to my name to get me from the airport in DC to my home in [View Full Entry]

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I can count on one thumb the number of times I’ve been able to sleep on a plane. Sometimes it’s the right thumb, sometimes it’s the left, but either way I look at it, it’s only one of them. Since my flight had me leaving Detroit at night and landing in Frankfurt in the morning, I came up with the grand idea that I would go to bed at 6 pm the night before my flight, and wake up at 2 am the day of. I figured by the time I got to Detroit and on the plane, I would be [View Full Entry]

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Pontiac knows how to party. The World Cup was the excuse they needed. There are people everywhere in downtown Pontiac. Beer stands everywhere. Especially the Bud girl. Long, brown hair, and wearing a very tight Budweiser dress. A beautiful sight. As close to art as Budweiser could ever come. And the tequila troops. Bottles in their holsters, shot glasses in their cartridge belts. A girl recognizes the colors of my Swedish jersey. ”Are you one of the players?”. A ”yes” would have resulted in a groupie experience. Next time… [View Full Entry]

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Midsummer. Swedish tradition suggests a Midsummer pole, typical food with potatoes, herring, and strawberries, dance, and being together with friends and family. Our group of soccer enthusiasts are in a hotel in a rainy Michigan, so no dance and no pole. Not much family or friends, but we have each other, which is actually not bad at all. It’s gameday, so we have to make it an early and somewhat improvised Midsummer dinner in the hotel conference room. The traditional food is there. And as tradition bids, lots of booze for consumption. There is singing. People are taking turns to tell [View Full Entry]

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