Summer Wrap-up

Today marks the official end of our 2014 summer camps.  We have been greatly encouraged through the summer seeing how God has shown himself throughout Binghampton and Orange Mound.

Campers embraced the discomfort of rooftops in the humidity of a Memphis summer to make homes warmer, safer, and drier.  They were poured into by their team leaders and shown how to deshingle, repair, and shingle a roof.  Staff endured early morning wakeups and lengthy projects that tested their endurance to keep going over the course of the summer.  Homeowners greeted a new crew of hyper campers each week as their homes were being repaired.

Our camp theme was IN-SIGNIFICANCE as we desired to point to John the Baptist's words from John 3:30, "He must increase and I must decrease."  We must find and point others to our significance being found in Christ!  Through the sweat, energy, and devotion that has been poured out by summer staffers, many lives have displayed Service Over Self.  But, we at SOS are quick to point to Our Lord and Savior Jesus, who "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).

Here are some camper quotes from this summer:

I’ve come to see that God’s family is everywhere. I can’t wait for the day when every ear has heard. I want to be a part of that.

Before I came I felt like God hated me...but when I came here I felt like God was there w/ me and he really loved me.

When I came here I was a selfish person and I learned to put others needs before mine.

It’s not all about what I’m doing and how I can help, it’s more about God’s plan and how he’s using me to help.

God has shown me that Christianity is not spelled DO but DONE. I can't deal with my struggles alone.

I'm a tool in God's hands to be used to help others.

This past Tuesday, we had a celebration with the homeowners that we partnered with this summer.  Great BBQ and funny stories about the summer were shared as we recounted how God had been at work.  Men and women from Binghampton publicly claimed new "sons" and "daughters" that they met only in early June.  We think that the gospel is a beautiful exchange that encompasses our relationships with others.  The relationships that are formed between staff, campers, and homeowners show how the gospel unites us together.  It displays to Memphis and beyond how the gospel affects how we live and love others.

We praise God for all He did this summer!

Enjoy these pictures from the summer: