Pictures from Hi-B.A. Camp 2011!!!!!!

This is Eric Matsumoto. He was one of the leaders for the team from Azusa Pacific University (APU). He is Japanese, but since he is also like 4th or 5th generation American, he does not speak Japanese. Neither does his parents. But during camp, God has called him not only to learn Japanese, but back to Japan for ministry!

These are the girls from APU! They were fun, super cool, and just a joy to be around. The girl in the white actually is not a team member but grew up in Japan and attends APU. The whole APU bunch was just a swell group of people!

Yep, that's all the pictures I took at camp.

But camp was a great experience. It started off rather trying because we had just returned from the Philippines Wednesday night at 11:00 p.m. Less than 48 hours later, Friday night, we were at camp, trying to get settled again. I know I was out of it the first couple of days; fortunately, the campers did not arrive until Monday, two full days after we arrived.

While I really thought I would be prepared for camp since I had worked at one in the past, this was SO different. These kids... When they had nothing else to do, they were inclined to pick up a guitar and play worship songs. They asked great, intentional questions. They loved Jesus. Back home, you would not dream of leaving kids alone for half a minute. These kids, you never worried about leaving them alone except it might make you look bad for not participating.

So with that said, my camp experience really seemed like all I did was hang out, play games, run around, worship God, talk about Jesus, and have fun. I felt like I did not really do anything to contribute, which afterwards I realized to be an attack of the enemy for me to condemn myself. I had a great time altogether.

So now we head out for the last time on "Outreach", yet outreach is far from over. While life is still the same as when I left, my view has shifted so much! Jesus is returning; He said He would. Why are we not like David, who swore an oath to not rest until a dwelling place for the Lord was prepared? If we are now the temples of God, should we not be preparing places for the presence of God to dwell in the nations by bringing people to Christ? It is hard, that is certain. But can you tell me what on this Earth is worth keeping in comparison to the insurmountable riches that await us in eternity with Christ? You know what is even more amazing? That we receive those riches now, our inheritance now, when we pursue the Kingdom of Heaven while on Earth! It is incredible! I tweeted this earlier:

Do you realize that if God never did another thing for you the rest of your life, He is still worthy of an entire life of praise from you?

He is that good, that holy, that worthy. That is the God who loves us. Each and everyone of us with perfect love. Love that took Him to the cross. To the grave. And all He wants is for us to love Him back! So let us return to the first command: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is our calling! This is our purpose! Amen!