Campers On Mission
Missouri Campers on Mission
Fall 2024 Post-Rally Newsletter
Camp Cedar Crest
Santa Fe, MO
“ONLY GOD” can make a COM rally successful. Without His presence it would just be a bunch of men and women gathered for a campout. But instead, a COM Rally with God present is up to 10 days of men and women serving each other and an unknown number of young people and adults coming to use the facility in the future. That is not to mention the ones who will benefit from the crafts and woodworking items and the warm quilts that are distributed. Then there is a secondary level of benefits when Bibles (8,700) were delivered to Love Packages and $552 was raised for Freedom House.
We had a beautiful warm week weather-wise so much outside work could be accomplished. We had 32 Rigs and 86 People. We found that Camp Cedar Crest was in much better shape than we thought it might be. That was very encouraging and made all of our hard work seem like icing on the cake. It also made us feel that the $3,656.00 that we donated to the camp would go further in the upkeep.
Our total regular offering was $6,787 with COM keeping $3,131 and Cedar Crest receiving the $3,656. We also took a Love Offering for Brad and Bonnie Licklider of $6,373 to help them recover from the flooding and aftermath of their home damage. It is wonderful to know that our COM family cares about us in our time of need.
The Construction Crew built a retaining wall behind the Dining Hall. The Prayer Garden was cleaned up and the benches power-washed and painted. A sound booth was made out of a closet in the chapel, as well as a projector hung on the ceiling and wiring installed and hidden in the ceiling. Deck/ramp repaired and rail power washed on Oak Tree Cabin and the floor beefed up on one side of the cabin. 14 doors were replaced on cabins and the chapel. An awning was built all around Hickory Hill Dorm. Lots of trees were removed and brush stacked and burned. Stools replaced in a couple areas and the floor fixed. Hiking trails were cleared and bridges fixed.
Crafters made 11 Witness Dolls, 15 Jump Ropes, 12 Stuffed Animals - 4 cows, 6 chickens, and 2 deer, 8 Punch Quilt Wall Art, 9 Tee-shirt handbags, 36 Sun Catchers, 6 Dog Toys, 19 Trinket Boxes, 1Drummer Boy Doll, 14 Child bracelets, 1 Handbag, 1 Light bulb, 2 Patriotic Quilts.
Woodworkers completed 400+ cars and trucks, built a portable ramp, replaced the legs on a game table, made and hung a cross on the front of the chapel. As usual we started off slow and then tapered off!
The Maintenance Team were busy as usual. From inspection of Hydraulic leaks to f ixing kitchen faucets, working on generators to fixing hot water heaters, fixing TVs to inspecting taillights, working on trailer connections and brakes to fixing a trailer hitch, getting a power washer running to straightening a bent camper ladder, checking out and advising on a member’s van, inspecting and sealing 3 camper roofs. All this saves our group hundreds of $ and is much appreciated.
The Sewing Room sent 65 quilts, 2 flannel baby blankets, 1 fleece blanket, 1 star afghan, and 1 fidget mat. These were taken to 2 Veterans homes, Vandalia and Monroe Manor Nursing home, Angel Wings Foster care, Ronald McDonald house, Monet Foster care, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Power of Pink and For the Kids. Nancy Hallford made 11 curtains for the craft cabin. We had ladies sewing, tacking and hand quilting.
From the Kitchen: At our church we have a young adult who is a deaf mute. Apparently he can hear music because sometimes he will ask his parent, who accompanies him, to ask the church to sing a song he particularly likes. He does this at different parts of the service. When he makes his request the church stops and immediately sings whatever song he wants. Last time his request was “Home on the Range”. When our church does that I feel like our church is soaring with angels. That is how I sometimes feel at COM and in the kitchen. I was concerned because lately people had been giving us money to buy food because they were too busy to make anything. I knew we would be a long way from a grocery store. We put out a request for everyone to bring us food and you did!- so much so that we had food to give away at the end.
We had a problem with a leaky dishwasher and an unlikely source immediately taught us how to use a shop vac and others came to fix the machine. In spite of the absence of some team members new volunteers melded together to form a great team. We served breaks, a breakfast, lunches, and drinks for all.
We were blessed by a great time of worship each day. Thank you to the musicians, Gary Morrow for leading our songs, those of you who sang specials and gave devotionals, those who wrote original songs and performed them. Such potential in this group!!!! Now you have all winter to prepare for our spring rally!