Students enjoy water games in the hot, Texas sun. They are obviously having a great time.

Mission Arlington^® finished its second youth camp yesterday.  182 students and a total of 220 people altogether attended this free camp provided for students throughout our community.  Bible study leaders start early on Saturday morning, picking up vans from the mission.  They drive across the city, picking up students and bringing them to Mission Arlington^®‘s offices downtown. The student register, receive a colored wrist band, and load on to buses.  Precisely at 9:30 the buses head toward camp.

Once the students and Mission Arlington^® volunteers arrive at camp, they form into groups based on the color of their wrist band, create a team cheer, and then worship the Lord together.  For the bulk of the day, these incredible young people swim, climb rope ladders, play slap dodge ball, enjoy water games, slide down zip lines, and walk across obstacle courses in the sky.  Included in the day is a great lunch provided by the Mission Arlington^® team.

Slap dodge ball is a fun, competitive, high energy game for youth in an outdoor setting at camp.

In the devotional section of the day, the students heard solid biblical teaching about faith, and what it means to be a believer in Christ, and they heard it in a way that was specifically designed for youth.  After the teaching time, the students got into small groups and talked about what they had heard with their Bible study leader.  At the end of the day, Bible study leaders took the students back home.  It was an extraordinary day.

Over two weeks and two youth camps, the Mission has taken 319 students to camp. Still ahead for our youth is a “back to school” event later this summer.  Many of them, of course, will be receiving school supplies from us in the next few weeks, and in mid-August, in partnership with our health clinics, to sponsor both a vision and dental day just for youth.  Young people are an important part of the work at Mission Arlington^®. We are grateful for this incredible privilege.

A special word of thanks, as always, goes to Camp Thurman for their support in hosting this camp for us and providing volunteer help.  We are blessed to have such a great partner.

We also want to say a word of thanks to each of you who pray for us, give to us, or who lend a helping hand here on occasion. We are so grateful for you and your generous, faithful support.  We hope you can see how the gifts you provide to us are being used to make a difference in our community.  These camps are provided free of charge to each student. We can do this, because you provide the resources.

Finally, and most importantly, all glory to God!