Camper Testimony: Sharing the HoneyRock Experience Together

I recently had the opportunity to hear two friends share
their insights on what it has meant to them to have shared in a camp experience
at HoneyRock together for the past two years. 
Here are a couple of the things they shared.

“Experiencing
HoneyRock with your friends from school lets you get to know your friends on a
whole new level, and experience growing in Christ with them; it’s awesome!  Some of my favorite memories are late night
singing around the campfire, wilderness trips full of endless jokes and painful
sunburns, the beauty of early mornings spent doing Solid Rock together and
jumping in the freezing lake, sitting to do devos for morning watch, and
intense high ropes!!”

“It is comforting to
have a familiar face in your cabin, and it has been even cooler to watch our
lives change so drastically together. 
Finding Christ at HoneyRock was amazing, and doing it with your closest
friends is even better!  Some of my
favorite memories are the prayers and the worship that we experience together at
HoneyRock are eye-opening (so simple, yet so life-changing), as well as archery
and Chief (it’s basically jumping up and down, and shouting for hours – so
fun!).  HoneyRock is a beautiful place; a
great place to slow down, breath, look around, and praise the One who made it
all.”

The girls went on to share how their friendships have been
affected after HoneyRock….

“Our friendships have
totally evolved.  The bond we all have is
special since we all know God, and love Him, and talk about it all the time.  School is
so much easier – there's less pressure, for sure, knowing your friends have
your back and want what's best for you.”  

“I've never had
friendships like this in my life.  The
bonds we formed at HoneyRock have never faded away-- in fact, I'd say they've
continued to grow and strengthen.  The
three girls I've been going to HoneyRock with have been my support group.  We're constantly talking about Jesus
together, and we truly "have each other's backs."  We are sisters in Christ.”

** "Rejoice with
them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Rom 12:15). **

Living Love

Lately, I’ve been struck by how loud people’s actions
actually speak -- how even a mere response to a situation, a spoken word, or
an action by another can build someone up or tear someone down.  The things we do and/or say are so powerful.

This weekend, I read a question in Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love, that took this reality even
further.  Chan asks, “How would my life
change if I actually thought of each person I came into contact with as Christ
– the person driving painfully slow in front of me, the checker at the grocery
store who seems more interested in chatting than ringing up my items, the
member of my own family with whom I can’t seem to have a conversation and not
get annoyed?”

I think of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 about love
and I have to ask, is this the love others see when they hear me and watch me
interact with the people around me?  It
is clear and true, our love is shown by how we live our lives.

“Dear children let us not love with words or tongue, but
with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). 

Church Fun Day

This week has been about updating you on things that have been happening here at HoneyRock, or exciting things that are coming up.  So today I thought I'd take a quick moment to share some pictures with you from this past Sunday afternoon here at HoneyRock.  We invited the entire congregation of the Three Lakes Evangelical Free Church to come out to HoneyRock for an afternoon of fun and dinner.  We had a blast.  About 80 people came (the congregation is about 120 people).  We went tubing, had pony rides, played broomball, went climbing, and enjoyed each others company. 

The Church in Three Lakes is a crucial partner with HoneyRock is reaching out to our local community.  For the past 2 summers, and again this summer, because of a generation donation we've been able to allow local children to come to camp for only $150.  The Three Lakes Evangelical Free Church is key not only in spreading the word in the community and encouraging kids to sign up; but also in follow-up with kids to came to camp. 

It was also a great treat to have Jackie Ribbe join us!  She was in Three Lakes visiting friends and was a part of our fun day.

Enjoy the pictures!

Spring Break

Rick Masters - Adventure Ministry Program Manager

Spring Break is upon us, one of the biggest vacation times of a college student’s life.   A break from classes, pressures, and the winter season “rut.”   Wheaton has an amazing repertoire of choices for any student, many of which are over-seas and cross-cultural missions opportunities or unique "beyond the classroom" course opportunities.   These options stand in contrast to the “check-out and party” culture of today’s spring break.

One new choice in this list of options for Wheaton students is one of three Applied Health Science classes offered by HoneyRock: Mountain Biking and Backpacking - both in Moab, Utah, and Downhill Skiing in Winter Park Colorado.   Currently we have twenty-five students spread out among the classes signed up to leave this Saturday for a five-day course.

I will be leading the Backpacking/Canyoneering course and my excitement for this trip lies in being able to implement in the lives of students the HoneyRock “process” and values that you read about in this blog, or you may have experienced at camp.   Learning to navigate in a completely new environment, with unpredictable circumstances (e.g. Weather), new people, and learning new skills that are pertinent and necessary for the day’s safe and successful journey pushes us way out of our comfort-zones.   We will find out quickly that we cannot do it alone, making collaboration and trust essential.  Lastly, I am looking forward to the times of solitude; and nature of the environment that force us to pray and reflect on what has happened and what God is doing in our lives.

I believe in Wheaton College/HoneyRock's idea to use spring break to stop, renew and reflect, yet still be outwardly giving and loving.   I hope students realize negative habits, meet new people, and engage in learning and growing as a follower of Jesus.  I see this trip as a significant investment in a college student’s spiritual formation, and collegiate success amidst many pressures, failures and seasonal lows.  It will be a fun and fulfilling class for me, surrounded by God's amazing creation with deep ministry opportunities.

Camper Update

John Vandervelde--Program Director

We have had a number of calls and emails this week asking if there is still space available in camp this summer.  The answer is YES, but we encourage you to act fast because things are beginning to fill up.  Last night we had 18 kids register for camp and over the past two weeks we have received over 150 registrations!  Camp is filling up quickly and our registration numbers are ahead of where we were last year at this time.

If you haven't registered for camp yet, we'd encourage you to register now.  If you have friends or others you'd like to invite to camp this summer, you should talk with them soon so they can get a spot.

Financial assistance is available, so please don't let finances stand in the way of sending your child to camp this summer.  Here are some important links for you:

To register for camp click here:  REGISTER HERE

For financial assistance information click here: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Camper Scholarship Opportunity: T-Shirt Design Contest!

HoneyRock is excited to announce a scholarship opportunity
for campers!  We are having a HoneyRock
t-shirt design contest for campers entering Grades 3-12 and
will accept entries from Monday, March 1 through Wednesday, March 31, 2010.  The winning design will be used for t-shirts
sold in the Beehive this summer.  We will
accept computer graphics and hand-drawn ideas. 
All ideas must be original and incorporate the word
"HoneyRock."  This scholarship
can only be used for 2010 Summer Programs at HoneyRock and is
non-transferrable.

 1^st
Place:      $250 Camper Scholarship

  Design used for a Beehive t-shirt

  Free
t-shirt with the design

 2^nd
Place:      $100
Camper Scholarship

 3^rd
Place:      $50
Camper Scholarship

For questions about the contest
you can email Liz
or call 715.479.7474 ext. 240.  Only one
entry can be submitted per person.  Offer
is not valid for the children of HoneyRock staff.  

(Pictured below is the winning design from our contest last year.)