Weekend Update, Wiffleball World Series Water Balloon Fight

A lot happened this weekend. I’ll do my best to recap all the fun times together along with some meaningful moments I personally got to witness. You can definitely tell that we’re catching momentum, and I believe that our traditional weekend schedule (thank you to all former Huawni Directors…wink, wink) had a big part to play in that.

Cookout, Storytelling, Truckride

Cookout was a huge success. We ate our famous Huawni Cookout Dogs, I told the story of the Blue Wolf, Joe Shields, and Wild Woman, we took a trailer ride back past Pomegranate Hill, and finished the evening at the pool with a Sing Song.

There were definitely some neat moments on Saturday. The first one came with Evan E. reminded me that I left out the part in the Blue Wolf story about the different barks the dogs made. I was very thankful, and was encouraged to see how Huawni Campers remember the minor details of the stories we tell. In fact, I was even reminded of how important tradition is here at Huawni. In a world that is ever changing, kids crave consistency and a sense of home, and that is nurtured here at Huawni. I will remember to describe the different dog barks at the next cookout!

Little Red Church

Sunday morning we all slept in and then took the two mile trip down to the Little Red Church. I welcomed everyone and had everybody take a deep breath as we started the service. I encouraged Camp to practice being present, and not to worry about anything that has happened or will happen this session. The Little Red Church for me, and I’d argue many others, is a place where I feel especially close to God. It’s peaceful, calm, and there’s a certain serenity that’s hard to describe. I played He’s Got the Whole World In His Hand and we sang Father I Adore Your in the round. Billy read Romans 10:9-10, and then Erin and Will led us in more worship songs. For our message, the counselors, led by my wife Mandi, put on a skit inspired from the story entitled You Are Special by Max Lucado. Campers even voiced how they’ve experienced seeking value from others’ dots and stars in an kind of open church forum. It was very enduring, and I was reminded of how aware and intelligent kids are, even at a young age. It was sweet time together.

Sunday Hike

One of my favorite activities is Sunday Hike! We took a brand new route yesterday, back towards the east side of Huawni property, and then winded back down to Huawni Pond. Campers enjoyed ice-cold watermelon and even hopped in for a refreshing dip in he knee deep portion of the pond. My favorite quote from the hike was from Aaron O., who said, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey!” He was encouraging his fellow hikers who were a bit weary through the first portion of the hike. Once we got to the pond and were eating watermelon, the rest of the campers were fully satisfied.

Wiffleball World Series

Round 1 of the Wiffleball World Series got underway last night and Caddo made it count. They won both games 6-1 and then 5-0. They’ll play two more games Tuesday night. If Tejas were to win both games, the winner would be decided by total runs. My favorite moment last evening was when Grant A. dove and caught a liner up the middler. His sister, Emily A., immediately said, “I see you brother!” and then did the two finger eye point. She was proud of her older brother. Again, I was reminded of how special it is for siblings to attend Huawni together. There’s a bond there that grows stronger, and this moment reminded me of that truth.

Water Balloon Fight

We concluded last night with the epic water balloon, shaving cream war between boys and girls camp. WBF did not disappoint, and campers were covered head to toe in shaving cream. A dance party ensued, and it was a great exclamation point on the weekend.

Today we’re back to regular activities, with campers still competing at some of those activities for individual tribal competition points. Tonight is Miss Huawni, so stay tuned!