Danny’s Final Day at Camp in the Philippines | Missions With The Consfords

Danny said the last day of camp started at 6:00 in the morning, which should tell you everything you need to know about the pace of the week.

They were at the camp by 6:00 for devotions at 6:30, though devotions didn't actually get going until 6:40. It was supposed to be fifteen minutes. It ran forty-five. Danny said it was great, at least the parts he could follow. Most of it was in the local dialect, so he was doing his best to keep up and catch what he could.

Breakfast after that was a full spread. Dried fish, boiled eggs, little hot dog-style sausages, and rice. Danny said it was great, and I believe him.

Morning service followed breakfast, and then the split sessions included something a little different on the final day. Instead of a standard message, they had a short talk and then opened it up for a Q&A with Bro. Cassell and Dr. Chen. Danny said he really enjoyed that. I can see why. That kind of open conversation at the end of a camp week is usually where a lot of things land.

Lunch came next, then a quick stop at the hotel to grab a few things, and then it was time for the volleyball tournament. Danny's team took second place. Not bad.

But the volleyball was only part of the afternoon. Each team also had to come up with a chant and a short skit, somewhere between a chant competition and a full camp play. Danny said his teammates came up with both, and he thought they were great. He was looking forward to performing them after the evening service.

They cleaned up, had supper, and Danny said supper might have been the best meal of the week. Lumpia, fish, and pork. He really enjoyed it.

Then came the final service of camp. Bro. Cassell preached on John the Baptist and the moment John, despite being the man God used to prepare the way, sent word asking whether Jesus was truly the promised Messiah. Danny said it was a real blessing to him. That's a message that sticks.

After the service, the evening turned into a full celebration. Team captains chose a Man of Valour and a Virtuous Woman from their teams, and those four went head to head for the overall awards. The Virtuous Woman from Danny's team won. Then the chant competition. Danny said he messed up their team's chant, and they ended up in last place, which he fully expected. Then the skits. Their skit went well enough that Danny thought they might win first. They took second.

Awards were handed out to the leaders. Danny said everyone around him got one, and he didn't. Turns out they forgot to print his. He got it after camp wrapped up, which is the kind of thing that only happens to you once and you remember forever.

Then came the big announcement. Danny's team had been in last place after day one. They finished second overall. The prize was a big box of snacks, and Danny said they had the second-biggest box on the table. By the time everything wrapped up, it was 12:30 in the morning.

The campers were invited to stay and fellowship through the night. Danny and the team didn't stay. They had a medical mission the next morning and an early departure ahead of them. So they headed out while the camp was still going.

Danny said it was a great day and a great week. He said it was different being a leader instead of just a camper, and he really enjoyed it.

As a dad reading that back, that's a good thing to hear.

We'll have more from Danny's medical missions trip in the Philippines coming soon. You can follow along at consfords.com/blog.