Camp David of the Ozarks

Dear Camp David family,

I want to say a Happy Spring to all of you! We have had beautiful weather here in MO the past two weeks, and it’s wonderful to hear the birds singing and the spring frogs chirping. We even saw a butterfly at camp!

I have been thinking on God’s faithfulness. I am reading the story the Cross and the Switchblade and am inspired to see how God radically changed the lives of gang leaders in NYC. I know He has the power to change lives this summer at camp too. Speaking of God’s faithfulness, we have several praises to share with you.

• This week a local painter donated over $500 worth of paint to Camp David. They were colors we were wanting around Fort Turley and the staff housing, and we are so excited.
• The Salem Ave Baptist Church decided to change their mission’s trip over spring break from Texas to Camp David in MO! So we have 5-8 retired adults here this week hanging drywall, finishing the staff housing and sewing (to name a few). Praise God! We also have a group of 12 high school students from Iowa here this week, and they are a great team to work with! It is so exciting to see progress here!
• We needed twin size mattresses for our staff housing, and a local charity donated 14 mattresses!
• McCall’s Carpet in Rolla gave us a huge discount on a good quality commercial grade carpet, which saved the camp $1,700!
• I have started several new flower beds at camp with perennial flowers, and my mother donated 3 large lilac bushes. It will be so pretty here in a few months! A local 4-H group is also trying to get donations of plants for Camp David.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Ps. 100:4
Thank you for your love, prayers and support. You are a part of giving hope!
Rejoicing in Him,
Grace Smith, Assistant Director
Camp David of the Ozarks

Dear Camp David Family, I would like to tell you some of the answers to prayer we have had recently.  Just before the end of 2008, Camp David was in need of donations to cover insurance, building supplies and other costs that had come in the end of the year. In our November Board Meeting we discussed the camp’s $3,900.00 deficit, and the board wisely advised that the camp spend no more money until it was caught up financially. Saturday, December 13th, I was running errands in town and was thinking about a financial need of one of our leadership team members from the previous summer. We still hadn’t been able to write him a reimbursement check for his volunteer time. In the spring the Board had approved giving each of the 5 summer long leadership team members $250 for the expenses they incur getting to the monthly planning meetings and during the summer. I started praying to God and telling Him about my desire to help this young man, but that the camp itself was in need. When I checked the post office box there was a check there for $5,000.00 to use where needed. I just sat there with tears in my eyes to realize that God had supplied our needs. There was enough to get out of the red and to give the reimbursement gifts. God truly is faithful.  Another area we have been praying for was a Games and Program Director for camp 2009. We needed someone who was enthusiastic, got along well with the campers, and had a heart after God.  We always try to draw from our former CDO staff because they have an understanding of our camp values. The first person we asked, prayed about it and didn’t feel he was to commit to that next summer. We had thought of another young man but he just seemed a little young for the responsibility. But after several months of praying and asking God to lead us to the right person, this young man kept coming to mind. As I prayed some more about it my gut feeling was that I was to ask this young man to help with the games and programming (under my supervision), and to ask if he was interested in leading worship (I knew he played the guitar). So after talking to some of the team who worked with him in 2008, I gave him a call. He prayed about it and a week later accepted the position. I am excited to announce that Zack Caddy will be on the 2009 Leadership Team as Assistant Games and Program Director and Worship Leader. We now only have one position left to fill for the 2009 Leadership Team. Praise God for His provision and please pray with us for a Support Staff Leader.  “However, as it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him—” 1 Corinthians 2:9Rejoicing In Him,Benjamin A. Smith, Camp Director

I just got done calling all the campers that I have registered for our last boys week. We have lost several kids, so at this point we only have 12 boys registered for next week and we can handle 16-18. Please pray for a miracle that God would send campers.

Grace Smith
Assistant Director,
Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org

Just a quick note to thank you all for praying for our counselor situation- God brought a Wrangler and three counselors!

I thought I only needed 1-2 counselors, but then I heard that two that I thought could help couldn’t. So Sunday evening I talked with one gal who said she would come right out, and then another girl called and said she could come as assistant counselor. Monday morning I still needed one more girl counselor, and through a series of phone calls God led us to Molly! She had her bags packed within two hours and was on her way to camp (she’s from Springfield). God is good!

Grace Smith
Assistant Director,
Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org

It’s been a busy week here at Camp David…

Ben rented an excavator and dug over 800 feet in trenches for the septic line.

On Thursday, a team from UPS came out and helped on the front porch roof. Sadly enough, the electricity was out and progress was slow.

Thanks UPS for coming out to help!

Lots happened on Saturday… Virgil Bartle brought out his skid steer to grade around the building, and we realized in order to get the proper grade we had to take out some trees.

It rained hard for about 2 hours, so after getting the first two trees out, most of the work went on pause.

We’ll have to finish grading in a few days because of the mud. But we like the new look to the building front!

Elizabeth and Crystal helped clean up the building!

James Mosher got all the electric in the dining hall working (finally the outlets all work)! Yeah!!

Frank Ratliff and Bob Scott worked on the plumbing…

And the team from HSA worked hard to finish the front porch roof and…

The sheathing on the new addition.

Rich and Mr. Phillips, and Joel and Tom Eldredge, JR.

These guys worked hard and fast.

What a view!

It’s finished!

Wisdom Roofing will be here early this week to put the shingles on.

Diane Phillips cooked for everyone! Her daughter Mary, and I (Grace) worked to get the shower houses all fixed up and running again.

The second side is getting done.
Thanks HSA work team and friends for all your help!

Praise God for all that was accomplished.

Please pray for more laborers this week to help get ready for our first week of camp on June 2nd. Please call 573-364-2786 if you can help anytime. We need help with cutting up trees, finishing the pipes in the trenches, construction, and hanging drywall. There is also grass to be mowed and weedwacking.

Also, continue to pray for funds for the insulation, drywall, and everything else. You can donate online at www.campdavidozarks.org

“Come and see what God has done” Psalm 66:5

Serving Jesus,

Ben and Grace Smith

P.S. Please pray for Ben and I to have strength and peace during this time.

I wanted to share some photos from our Banquet for Hope on April 1st.

The banquet was a tremendous success. It was held at the Havener Center in Rolla, and 300 guests attended the event.

Camp Director Benjamin Smith gave an introduction to the ministry of Camp David, and shared some stories of the struggles that children of prisoners deal with.

Ebony, or Princess Tink (her camp name) came with her mom and sister from St. Louis to share her testimony of the difference that Camp David has made in her life. She has attended camp the last three years and plans to come as support staff this summer! We also read a testimony from a camper’s mom who shared how camp has been a blessing to her and her boys.

The Voices of Inspiration Gospel Choir blessed us with their song, “The Prayer of the Righteous Availeth Much”.

Our Keynote Speaker, Kadi Haslag, shared from her experiences of working with troubled children and the great need they have for someone to reach out to them with love and hope.

We would like to thank Pastor Chuck Whitmire for leading us in a closing prayer. We would also like to thank Father Basil for leading in the opening prayer and Michael Brooks for his excellent job as Master of Ceremonies.

Funds raised from the dinner that night were over $16,000, but donations have continued to come in and we are now at $20,012.10 toward the new commercial kitchen & bathrooms and finishing Fort Turley.

We plan to pour the concrete floor Monday morning (April 21st). If you would like to help with construction this next month, or would like to donate toward Fort Turley (we have enough to cover the concrete floor and framing, but not the plumbing, electrical, doors or windows). You can donate online at www.campdavidozarks.org

May the Lord bless each of you, and shine His face upon you and give you peace.

In Christ’s love,

Benjamin and Grace Smith, Camp Directors

We are planning to pour the concrete floor for the kitchen and bathrooms this Saturday, and we are asking for prayer that it won’t rain! Today is a beautiful day here in MO, but they are calling for scattered showers Friday and Saturday. We can’t pour the floor next weekend as we will be at a fair trying to recruit staff, and the next weekend we need to frame up the walls. Thank you for bringing this need before our Father’s throne over the next few days.

His servants,

Ben and Grace Smith

Camp Directors

Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org

Camp David of the Ozarks is pleased to announce that their Banquet of Hope on April 1^st has raised $18,500 in donations and pledges toward the completion of Fort Turley. The banquet was held at the Havener Center with 300 guests in attendance. Attendees enjoyed inspiring stories from one of Rolla’s own special teachers, Kadi Haslag, and music from Voices of Inspiration Gospel Choir.

They also heard from two people that have been touched by the ministry of Camp David: a young lady who has attended camp for three years and plans to become staff this summer, and a camper’s mom who has been blessed to have her boys attend camp. Camp David’s Founder and Director Ben Smith shared about the unique aspects of the camp, and stories of how the camp is making a difference in the lives of children of prisoners.

The completion of Fort Turley will provide a much needed commercial kitchen, dining hall, bathrooms and staff housing. Smith says “Funds raised will cover the roughing in of the 3,300 sq. ft. kitchen, bathrooms, and staff housing (with donated labor). With God’s blessing and additional donations we hope to have the new kitchen, bathrooms and staff housing functional by camp this summer. The 2,800 sq. ft. dining hall was roughed in last spring. We are very grateful to everyone who came to the dinner and those who helped make it a success. Because of their help children of prisoners will have more hope for tomorrow. If you could help with construction, donate building materials or kitchen equipment, please call 573-364-2786.

Grace Smith
Assistant Director,
Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org

Some of you remember Princess Amethyst who was dissmissed from camp for smoking in the outhouses during senior girls week. Well, we just recieved a letter from her, to her sponsor who had sent her a birthday card and gift. Here is a portion of the letter:

“Since camp I have been going to church! I’m starting to understand more about God and realize how much he can help me! He has helped me through a lot with my mom being in prison and me and my dad not gettting along so well.”

We were so encouraged by her letter. A few weeks ago she wrote a letter to Ben & I and said she was sorry for her behavior at camp and said she had prayed and asked God to forgive her too. When P. Amethyst left camp that day in June she seemed so hardened and unrepentant. We had prayed a blessing prayer for her and I believe that even though we didn’t see it, God was working in her heart and softening her with the love that many of you, our staff, poured out on her. I feel confident that the seeds that we, as a camp team, have been planting in her life the past 3 years are beginning to bear fruit. Let’s pray that she will continue to grow in her walk with God, and that she could return as staff someday- think of the impact she could have when she shares with the campers from her own life and walk with God!

Serving Jesus,

Grace Smith
Assistant Director,
Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org

Hello,

Thank you all for being part of our prayer team for Camp David. We have some areas to pray for:

1. Pray for God will provide staff for this summer early- instead of at the last minute. We have 48 counselor positions to fill plus support staff.Â
2. Please pray for the needed funds for the multi-purpose building- our goal is to get the new kitchen and bathrooms finished by June.Â
3. Pray for open doors to share in churches- we are making up over 100 pastors packets that we hope to hand out over this next month. A large part the camp staff and sponsorships come from local churches.
4. Pray for the CDO leadership team as they develop the curriculum for camp 2008 including: camper’s journals, devotionals, staff devotionals, horse program lessons, group games, crafts etc…
5. Pray for a larger team of local volunteers. Many of the young people that have been available to help the past few years have gotten married or are getting established in their new carees. Local volunteers help with fundraisers, work days, mailings, office help, and many other ways.Â
6. Pray for our campers- that they would seek God and read their Bibles and gain spiritual understanding. Also pray for our Rolla camper outreach on January 26th.
7. Pray for us as we write grant proposals that they would bring forth needed funds.
8. Pray for missionary support for camp directors and staff, and sponsorship funds for campers.

Praises:

1. Praise God for several generous gifts that have come in the end of 2007, it looks like we should be able to purchase the front doors for the new builidng, and purchase some much needed office equipment.
2. Praise God for the provision of land to use for camp horses. CDO doesn’t own the land, but it borders camp land and permission has been granted to pasture horses there.
3. Praise God for some letters from a camper that demonstrate true spiritual growth in her life (this was verified by her grandmother).

Serving Jesus,

Ben & Grace Smith
Directors, Camp David of the Ozarks
www.campdavidozarks.org