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Summer Ministry
During the first
week of training,
SMT members
learn how to
drive a tractor
from Supervisor
Ryan Fletcher in
preparations to
help lead starry
night hayrides
for campers.
> By Leslie Harris summer ministry team
Live. Serve. Grow. This is the motto of the Camp Tejas Summer Ministry Team: Live in
community. Serve people. Grow in God’s Word. Not to be cynical, but when I first heard this, I
thought, “Well, nice idea, but yeah, right.” I have been in many environments where people claim
to ‘live in community’ with other believers, but I have found that in most cases, it is not carried
out, especially not when youths are involved. I had lost faith in basically all humans under forty
with only a few exceptions. I had it in my head that all young people-especially high school agewere corrupt and hypocritical. So I thought, “Wow. Those poor leaders at Tejas-despite their best
motives for starting this program, it is going to fail because it involves young men and women.”
Then I arrived at camp.
From the very moment I got out of my car, I was embraced by the love of Jesus. I was greeted
in the friendliest way and I could just tell that this place was different. I was struck by something
I had never experienced in this way-the Body of Christ being shown through people my age. It was
incredible. And I was inspired. I remember one night in particular. The church group staying at the
camp that week provided their own night activities for the campers, so that left Tejas staff without
work after dinner. We took the time off as an opportunity to spend time together and have fun. The
third night, we had an open mic. We all enjoyed watching a variety of entertaining acts ranging
from ‘Love Songs with Mr. Lunt’ to renditions of The Lion King. The last guy to stand up began
preparation to sing a worship song. In my mind, I was beginning to feel sorry for him, certain of
the criticism he would surely receive for doing someth [?? ?\?[?\? ?]\? [???YYX???HY?Z[?B??\? ??[???\][ H ????H H [YH H?\????\??[YH\??[?]?\?[?H ?\? ?[??[??[??[??H H[?X[?H ?\?H ?[?[?? \ [? ?[?X\? ?Y?Y \[? ???\ ? H?[??H???Y?\??[? [X^?Y ?H ?\??]?[? ?X?H?X]]Y?[ X? \?H? ?] H?? H?? ?\?????Z?K?]?\??? X\????]?Z[ ? \ ?]?\???[????]??[??]?\???????\?] ???\ ?[?]?\?B??] X][? H?? H ?X\??\??? ?^\? ? ?Z\?H? ?\? ?]\? ??Y?Y?Y?X\?[?? ?\??[????? ?? ?[??[?? ????\?\? ?]H]?HX\??Y[?^H ?YZ??]Z?\? \?H\??H[??\?\?? ?\? ??\?H\?H ?YH? ?\?????\??? ?\?]?\?[? ?ZY??[?X]?[?[??X\? ?????[\ Z?\??XY?^?[?K?[? ?B?????B??LK?L?? H N?M??M?B??