This week I talked to Paige, a college senior from San Antonio who has been on staff at Echo Valley for the last 5 years. I was the kitchen director the year that Paige served on work crew.  Although she was the most reserved in the group, I remember being impressed by her unique sense of humor in the kitchen. Sometimes the life of a crew girl can seem pretty mundane- imagine endless dirty dishes, a huge ranch- house floor to sweep and mop, and sleep-deprived cooks. Somehow Paige seemed to get a kick out of it all.

I saw the same spark years later- whether she was with the oldest, coolest girls in camp or some quirky little Cabin A girls, she seemed to be able to bring out the best and brightest in her campers.

Here’s Paige in her own words:

“For the past eight years, I have spent glorious summers in the canyon that we all call our home away from home. Where else in the world can you scream your lungs out daily to Taylor Swift songs, participate in structured yet chaotic activities and make friends for a lifetime, all while developing faith and a relationship with our Lord? Camp fosters a feeling of overwhelming peace and acceptance where campers and staff are celebrated and loved for who they are – the beauty and the despair – solely because we share in the grace of Jesus Christ. Camp is the safe place in our crazy world where you are constantly affirmed that you belong, you are special, you are loved, and you matter. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to have the greatest job in the world and to be a part of the LLYC family, and I will continue to spend summers at camp as long as I can!”

The question came up recently over dinner at my house with a few Echo Valley staff.

Jenn sat beside me recounting her childhood summers spent attending  a secular (and beloved) summer camp. Eventually she served on staff there, and realized that the camp’s day-to-day culture consistently contradicted with the life of love, service and integrity she felt called to lead in Christ.

She says she found the purpose and vision she’d been looking for in camp ministry when she drove into Echo Valley last summer. She sees it as a place where creativity takes the place of competition, and where staffers and campers alike can feel the freedom to be themselves. Most importantly, it’s a place where the staff feels called to serve God, campers and each other in all that they do.

It’s that common purpose- to love campers as we have been loved by God- that makes our staff (and entire camp experience) different.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. – Romans 5:1-8

Billy Craft, LLYC camper and Varsity Football player, O'Connor High School in San Antonio, TX

For the past few months Fridays have meant one thing – football. Businesses close, buses travel, and bands play as entire towns flock to the football field. And it does not matter if that field consists of a couple of goals posts stuck in a field or a stadium that rivals most NFL teams’. For those few hours, we are all united, or at least with our side of the field.

We love cheering on the same boys, week after week, dreaming of one last scoring drive or a turnover from the other team. We love the fight, the struggle, and hopefully the victory. The unity is powerful, but is there something more? I think this game reminds us of who we are and what we are doing in life. Maybe there something innate in us that relates to the struggle in football on even a spiritual level? Somehow we are learning about ourselves as we watch this game.

Football is all about perseverance. We watch these teams work so hard against the opposition to gain maybe only a few inches, and sometimes, a few inches is enough. But no matter what, they regroup and they restart, and they keep on pushing toward the same goal…. the end zone!

So what is the end zone in our lives and who is the opposition?

In our determination to reach the end zone there will be opposition. In Thessalonians 2:18, Paul said that Satan “blocked our [Paul and Timothy] way.” We have to remember that there is someone actively working against us as we push toward our goal. But what is the goal, thing that we are supposed to keep pushing toward no matter who or what gets in our way, no matter how many times we get pushed down or stopped? It is hope in God, who through His perfect love, sacrificed His one and only son and gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us in this life.

Once we have joined the team, as Romans 5:1 says “gained access by faith,” Paul tells us that we should endure suffering, not because it is fun, we all know that it isn’t, but because it is part of the process that makes us more like Christ. That is what verses 3-5 talk about. This sometimes hard, often painful, but always hopeful process is what leads us to shameless and utter hope in Christ.

Today is a good day to look at your life and take note. What are you struggling through, and what are you pushing toward? Is it Christ? Are you struggling through things that don’t lead you to Jesus? Maybe you are resentful for the trial you are facing even if it is leading to Jesus. Whatever it is for you, think about it, pray about it, and if it is of God, embrace it. Take hope in this passage from Romans and struggle. Because suffering leads to perseverance, perseverance to character, and character to hope. The END ZONE!

Go team!

Greetings to you from the Staff at Laity Lodge Youth Camp!  I personally want you to know what a blessing and privilege it is to be connected to your family through your association with LLYC.  It is my greatest hope that camp was life-giving for your child this summer.

During the last twelve months, we have been evaluating several important aspects of camp that could impact you next summer, and I wanted to give you sufficient time to process these changes.

You are probably already aware that our order of sessions has changed for Jam Session, Third Session, and Fourth Session.  After many years of Jam Session being in the middle of the summer, we are moving Jam to the end of the summer.  This decision was driven by the need to complete our two-week Fourth Session before August 1 to avoid early departures created by school-related demands.

Another significant decision we have made relates to campers who are currently in sixth grade.  This year, almost 70 percent of our sixth graders attended sessions in Echo Valley, and it is our belief that our programming and ministry to this age group will be more effective when they are all together.  Therefore, beginning next summer, we are excited to host all of our sixth graders in Echo Valley. 

And finally, we have made a decision to raise our camper eligibility for Jam Session at Singing Hills.  Effective next summer, campers must have completed second grade before they can attend camp.  This decision is based on our practical history that suggests the majority of those who have completed first grade are simply not ready for the experience of being away from home for a whole week. 

I realize one or more of these decisions may have a personal impact for you, and I am available to further explain our decisions and to hear your thoughts.  You can reach me directly at 830-792-1226.  As a reminder, our 2012 Registration will begin the week of November 14.

Grace and peace,

Kevin Mayne
Executive Director, LLYC

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We invite you to be the hands and feet of LLYC this summer. The things that God will do through you will be incredible.

Being on Crew is an amazing experience. It’s a volunteer staff position open only to applicants who are in their junior year of high school at the time of the application.

In general, our girls Work Crew is responsible for the setup and cleanup of our meals and special events. Our boys Program Crew is responsible for outdoor cleanup and maintenance tasks as well as program event setups and breakdowns.

Crew members serve diligently behind the scenes, living and working in authentic community. This is a position for people who want to learn what it means to give themselves away and develop deep relationships in the process. Many people who have served on Crew consider this to be one of the most significant – and fun — experiences of their lives.

If you are interested in applying for Crew go to our Hiring Process page. That will take you to the “Crew Application” link. The program will allow you to save and return later, so remember your username and password. Take your time. Be thoughtful and thorough when answering the questions. And be sure to notify your references as soon as possible. The deadline for applying is November 1st.

Please understand that this is a job application and interview, not your typical register and come to camp process. We, the full time LLYC staff, will be intensely reviewing all applications and references. We will schedule and conduct interviews during the month of November and have our hiring decisions completed prior to Christmas.

During the month of November, we will be traveling to various places around the state interviewing potential LLYC staff. Of course, we would love to meet with you in person, but if that’s not possible, we will contact you for a phone interview.

Study hard. Laugh a lot. Let us know if we can help you in this process. If you have questions, please direct them to Diane Henry at diane@llyc.org. You can also call her at 830-792-1215. We look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy your year.

Blessings,
Chandler Pruitt for the LLYC staff

“The children don’t know anything about you and they run up to you, grab you and just want you to love on them. They love on us when we haven’t done anything to earn their love. It’s a very cool representation of God’s love.” — Bridgette McCann

“Your mental toughness and your spiritual toughness are tested.” — Hayden Smith

These are just a few of the comments from last summer’s Outbound to Haiti team members.

Are you ready for this challenge?

Outbound is a program of Laity Lodge Youth Camp created for our oldest campers (current 10th-12th graders) designed to reach destinations beyond our Canyon.

These unique events offer personal challenges, opportunities for amazing growth, new cultural experiences, and quite possibly, the reality of being changed from the inside out.

We are making an important announcement regarding the launching site for the Spring Break Outbound Haiti Mission Trip. The trip will begin in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday, March 11, 2012. LLYC will not book group flights for the domestic portion of this trip, because we believe individually one can search and find a less expensive airfare than what we can negotiate through group travel.

We have booked the international portion of the journey, and we will give you more details on the carrier and flights soon.

We have reduced the amount of the trip to $875 per participant, which includes international travel, departure taxes from Haiti, lodging in Ft. Lauderdale, and a medical/travel insurance policy. Our host hotel is the Embassy Suites at 1100 SE 17th Street in Ft. Lauderdale, LLYC is handling all hotel reservations. The deposit amount due upon Camper Registration in November is $400 per camper with the balance of $475 due on January 17, 2012. If payment arrangements are necessary, please contact us for assistance. In addition, there will be limited scholarship funds available to assist eligible families for Outbound Haiti.

Once your registration is confirmed, you should begin searching for your domestic flights to and from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. We want all members of the team to arrive on Sunday, March 11, at the Ft. Lauderdale airport (FLL) between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. We will meet all participants at baggage claim and shuttle them to the Embassy Suites Hotel. Return flights should be booked no earlier than 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17.

Orientations and group activities will begin at the hotel at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Our flight to Haiti leaves early Monday morning. Parents, we are not requiring you to be present for the orientation in Ft. Lauderdale; however, if you would like to attend and need overnight lodging, please let us know and we can assist you.

Registration Dates

Registration for Outbound Campers will coincide with LLYC Camper Registration the week of November 14, 2011. All registration will be completed online at www.llyc.org.

Potential staff interested in participating must complete the LLYC Staff Application online which will be available by November 1, 2011. The staff for Outbound Haiti will be announced by November 18.

After registration, we will launch our Outbound Haiti website for parents, staff, and campers to gather all the information needed for this mission adventure. We want you to understand an important commitment to this mission trip is securing partnerships through family, friends, church, and community contacts. We have set a goal for each camper and staff member to raise $1,000 to support the Haitian children at Jacob’s Well Camp, the purchase of medical supplies, and to facilitate the purchase of building materials for a multipurpose structure that will serve as both a church and school.

Find out more

Find out more details about this trip on our  Outbound Haiti 2012 overview page.

See our team in action through photos, video and reflections on our 2011 trip.

If you have questions about Outbound Haiti, please call Kevin Mayne at 830-792-1226 or Ang Aadahl at 830-792-1219.

What would traveling on this mission to Haiti be like? Here’s just a taste of what it’s like in this video from last summer’s trip:

One of my favorite things about this cabin is how they use their “older girl” influence to impact their younger sisters in Christ. One morning I was walking to breakfast from my cabin on the far end of Girl’s Side, and all along the way there were bible verses and encouraging words chalked onto the pavement. It’s so sweet to see Cabin I taking advantage of they’re seniority in a way that is so loving to the younger girls!

"Live 4 Him"

"Romans 8:38-39"

"Proverbs 17:17"

Cabin I traditions are the best!

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Campers will be given five camp sessions to choose from with the ability to rank them in order of preference. If your camper is eligible, they can register for one regular session and the Haiti OUTBOUND session. Your camper will be confirmed in the first available preference only. Note, a camper will not be allowed to be confirmed in one session and on the wait list for another session. Please choose only the sessions that your child is willing to attend, as the program will confirm your camper in their first available choice.

The Registration Data Verification is not for camper confirmation; it only allows time for the registration form to be completed prior to your submit date. It is our hope that by allowing families several days to complete and review their registration form, the accuracy of the data will be improved. We urge you to input all information during this time. When the date and time to submit the registration form arrives, campers will be accepted on a first-come/first-served basis.

Campers may go back to their registration form for corrections or additions any time during the verification period. Once the registration is submitted, the camp session will not be available for changes. Subsequent payments may be made online.

Your family will be sent an email to confirm that we have a valid email address. Your password will remain the same as the one you used for this past summer. If you do not have your password, please use the “Forgot Password” option on the website.

New families will enter a valid email address and follow the directions on the website to create a New Family Profile.

Let us know if we can help you in this process. If you have questions, please contact me at Emily@llyc.org or 830-792-1220. We look forward to seeing you at camp again next summer!

Emily McRae,
LLYC Registrar

When we go to the canyon for those two magical weeks, we can count on God moving in our hearts. We can count on relationships that are real. We can count on transformation. But what does that mean for the other 50 weeks of the year?

That is a question I ask myself all of the time. How can we bring the Camp High into our lives back home and what could that look like? This brought me to a passage in Isaiah,

But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
– Isaiah 40:31

In most areas of life, we think of starting slow, taking it easy, and working our way up. But in this passage, Isaiah suggests the opposite of that for our faith. We start soaring, then we run, and finally, we’ll walk with the Lord. This actually is great news for the Camp High. We leave camp soaring, and as we settle into life at home the goal is not to try keep on soaring, but to eventually be walking with the Lord.

How do we do that? Good question! The beauty and the challenge is that it is difficult for everyone; however, there are some good places to start. Reading God’s Word, the Bible, is essential for walking with Him. The Bible is the story of God and it is how we find out about Him, and how do you walk with someone you don’t know? Other things that will help are going to church, joining a youth group or ministry and having a mentor. We are not meant to do this alone. Actually, it is the exact opposite.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes about the way we should relate to each other. This passage is often used to talk about marriage, but it is also talking about friendship. He says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

Yes, we all miss camp. Most of us are already counting the days until next summer. (It’s 245 for those of you who are wondering.) So what can we do in the meantime? First, enjoy soaring as long as you can… let the Camp High linger! Then run, and before you know it, you could be walking with the Lord, which is actually the sweetest place of all!

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