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Published: September 13th 2008
We have lots of humming birds
landing at our window. I tried to take a picture of one in a hovering pattern, but my camera is not THAT good! It'll catch a road runner, but not a humming bird!(Miracle Camp and Retreat Center)
Have you noticed that I’m out of the habit of blogging? But I miss doing it, and so I’m working on getting back in sync!
We’re at Miracle Camp, in Lawton, Michigan. Before I tell about the camp and the team, I want to talk about the countryside. We’re in southern Michigan, and this is grape country! Seriously. There are wineries, but many of the grapes are grown for the Welch's Company. We’d hoped to get a tour through there, but again, because of the economy, they’re no longer giving tours. The country is gorgeous~~very green, with large trees overhanging the roads, kind of forming tunnels! I’m not sure how well my pictures will show this, but you know I’m going to try! I hear it’s been very dry here, but we’ve had plenty of rain since we arrived! (Think: “Usually we don’t have rain/wind/heat this early/late”!) The humidity is still a huge factor, but it’s not hot like it was in Michigan City, so that makes it more tolerable.
We’re working with five other couples, and four of them are from this area! And I mean really from this area~~within a
A covered road
This is what I was trying to describe. Many of the trees are oak or maple, and have grape vines climbing them! few hours of here! We’re accustomed to all of us being away from home, and yet everyone else knows this area, so that’s different. The other couple is from Ohio, but originally they’re from Minnesota. It’s a fun group (have we been with one that wasn’t?!) and we all work together well. All of them are new friends for us!
Ok, now about Miracle Camp~~this is a first class camp~~fancier than any we’ve been to before. It sits on a small lake, so there is swimming, canoeing and kayaking. The main lodge has always housed adults on the second floor, and they’re now planning on putting youth up there, so fire regulations say the outside staircases have to be enclosed~~there you have the men’s job! It’s quite an undertaking, but just like it always works, God has provided workers capable of doing the job. All of the men have some sort of building experience, and the contractor for the project is patient enough to work with them. There are two staircases, but it's doubtful they’ll get them both finished.
The women are doing a plethora of jobs: several of us spent Monday through Wednesday stripping and making beds
Jelly-type grapes,
rather than wine grapes. I haven't tasted them, but they have to be sweet, right?! and cleaning the rooms upstairs, as one group left and another was arriving; Linda spent her time in the laundry room (with the sheets and towels) and the others were vacuuming and washing windows and blinds. Thursday some of us worked in the kitchen, doing prep work, and the rest finished the windows on the second floor. Next week we have to get the rooms turned before a group comes in on Wednesday, so we’ll probably be doing the same thing.
The camp has many dormitories, as well as staff housing. It has an outside chapel area, and an enclosed chapel. It’s quite a large camp, with a mini-golf course, full gym, zip line, ropes course, hockey rink and archery range, so there’s a lot for kids to do, as well as adults.
I’m going to get some pictures posted, and then I’ll get another entry on soon to let you know about our tour…
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Joan Matz
non-member comment
Blank pictures
I love getting your blogs and have missed them. This one is great but all I got were black squares with white words, but not one picture popped up. I hope you can send them again so I can really see what you were writing about. Blessings to you both!!