Kokrine's Elementary Camp
Click to watch Elementary Camp's slideshow.
The last week of camp at Kokrine was fantastic. We had excellent counselors who truly cared about the kids, and there were clear messages that answered the question: "Who is Jesus?" A seed has been planted in the hearts of the children.
Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely during activity time. Johnathan and Lael were the activity leaders for Nuke-Em, a really fun volleyball game, and they tried out many variations to keep the game fun, including making the boys have to hop on one leg to move! To make it even more intense, on the last two days, they played Nuke-Em with water balloons. Let's just say it was very wet but hilarious.
While it's worrisome when you don't know how much of an impact your actions have had, we are comforted by God's promise that says, "My word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please (Is. 55:11)."
Fun fact: The music in the background of the slideshow are two of the songs we sang at camp. God is For Us and 1 John 5:3-5. The guy who was leading worship, Clifton, liked to ask before we sang 1 John 5:3-5, "What kind of songs do we sing at Bible camp?" And the correct answer was, "Bible songs!" His question was the musical version of the traditional: "What kind of camp is this? Bible camp!!!"
Snapshots From Our Time At Elementary Camp
July 15
by Jeff
Yesterday, Billy, Gunnar, Jason, and I flew almost all of the staff from the previous camps out of Kokrine and flew in the staff for Elementary Camp. Today, we flew in most of the campers, except for a few from Selawik and Buckland that we were unable to pick up because of cloudy weather in the area.
Our whole family is at camp again after we took a break in Nenana during Junior High Camp. We’re excited to finally experience a full week of Elementary Camp. Elementary Camp was canceled in 2020 because of Covid, in 2021 we only went for two days, and in 2022 the wildfires ended Camp before Junior High Camp started.
We are hoping that God will powerfully use this camp, because for many of the campers, this may be one of the first times they’ve heard the gospel.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 ESV
• • • • •
July 17
by Jeff
Jesus is Lord
This week at Elementary Camp we are learning about “Who is Jesus?” This morning we learned how Jesus is Lord over all. He provides for all our needs, He delivers us from trouble, He guides us through our problems, He is faithful!
I was holding Molly so Elliana took notes for me (see the attached pic). It is a beautiful group of young campers from around Alaska hearing the gospel. Please join me in praying for the Lord’s Spirit to enable all the staff to glorify God this week and plant seeds in the beautiful young hearts that God has orchestrated to hear the life-giving Word.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”
Psalm 34:1-5 ESV
Elliana taking notes.
Elliana’s Notes
• • • • •
July 18
by Jeff
Sandbar days are a blast and the Lord provided beautiful weather for the Elementary Campers!
Everyone got sooo muddy!
• • • • •
July 19
by Johnathan
This morning, Jonathan Lin taught the kids that Jesus has power over demons. Many of the counselors said that the kids think they should fear the evil spirits hiding in dark places and that they should watch out for the spirits in the Northern lights that could take them away. However, Jonathan told the kids that if they trust in Jesus, he can protect them from evil spirits.
Some of the kids also believe there is power in special objects. One staffer named Ashley said that when they walked into a dark room, the girl with her held out a popsicle stick cross to “scare away the evil spirits in the room.” But Ashley explained that Jesus is the one who has power over evil spirits, not the little wooden cross.
The camp leaders have made sure that the kids are still having fun. Today, instead of having lunch inside, we had lunch outside. And there were multiple flotillas (floating down the Yukon with a group of people).
“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
Luke 8:38-39 ESV
• • • • •
July 20
by Johnathan
It’s the last day of Elementary Camp. The kids performed Bible-themed skits and played Capture the Flag. Everyone had a ton of fun, but now they are really tired.
During today’s sessions, Francis really emphasized two questions: “What is repentance?” and “What is believing?” He wanted the kids to go home remembering what the gospel is and how they can be saved.
“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:45-47 ESV
Yesterday’s puppet show. It was a Bible Comedy Show.
Elliana’s notes from today’s session.
• • • • •
July 23
by Jeff
Billy, Jason, and Jeff flew the Elementary Campers and staff back to their villages and to the road system on Friday and Saturday. The two Soaring for Christ Cherokees completed Kokrine’s Bible Camp season, plus we were able to do some preventative maintenance in Nenana and at Camp.
I’m so thankful that the Lord enabled all the Bible Camps to be held this year even with the challenges faced due to Camp flooding this spring. And there are discussions of doing a Bible Boot Camp with young adults during the off-season.
Please continue to be praying for the Lord to guide our steps in the coming months.
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”
1 Peter 2:16 ESV
(Click the photos to see them close up.)
