The Pope Family

Back in April I was asked if I would come up to Missouri and help out at a Rodeo Bible Camp.  Without even thinking twice about it I jumped on the opportunity.  Later on I wondered if I should have prayed first, so I did, but I never felt like I shouldn't go.... so away I went.  :)

Early Tuesday morning my inlaws, 3 teens from their youth group, and I headed out to the camp in northern Missouri.  On the way there we stopped off through Joplin, MO to see the devesation of that massive tornado that went through there.  It was aweful, but very humbling and thankful for what we have. 

Trees stripped of all there branches... where houses once were, they were no more.  There was no end in sight it seemed like.

In the middle of all the mess was this church with it's cross still standing.  It was so powerful in all it's massiveness (if that's even a word).  Some people may think, "who cares, why would God let this happen anyways."  You know, I don't know, but I do know that He is there in every situation and He always shows Himself one way or another.  So I thought this was pretty cool.


So on to the camp... One of the main reasons why I was so excited about this camp is that I've never gone out and been on the giving end of God's work.  Most of what I do is from behind the computer screen and so being face to face dealing with what needed to be delt with right then and there was something I had always wanted to experience.

I was also looking forward to all the neat things I was going to experience... after all this was a RODEO Bible Camp I was going to. 

On Wednesday I met my girls.  I had a group of 7 ranging from 11 to 13 year olds.  Some brought horses... some didn't.  The first day I was thinking,"What have I got myself into... there is a lot of okward silence... am I not cool enough to these girls?  Surely I am, I have an 11 year old sister for crying out loud... and these adults... They must think I'm some crazy girl from Texas not knowing what I'm doing."  We played games, had chapel, started coming out of our shells some, and I slowly became really impressed by the young group of girls I had.  They were all from different backgrounds and all had really good attributes.

During the rest of the week we became pretty close relying on eachother.  For several hours of the day each girl would go to what they called Even Instruction.  One girl came to learn Horsemanship, another Trick Roping, another Team Roping, Trick Riding, and 3 of them were in Goat Tying.  I would go around watching each girl and all of them strived to be the best at what they did, but was always willing to help out a fellow camper.  I was so blessed with my group of girls.  I never had to worry about them. 

I was so blessed.  I got to minister to several different people... some in my team, some not, some were even people on staff with me that I became good friends with.  We had lots of laughs and memories.  I wish I could write about everything that happened because it was all so great, but of corse I can't think of it all right now. 

Some pictures from the camp...

Team roping instructor and his dog during Chapel

My father-in-law preaching

Chapel Service

My cousin, Whitney, Trick Riding

My cousin, Libby, in Horsemanship

There was even some bull and bronco riding...

I really enjoyed this trip and I'm so thankful to even be thought of for something like this.  I think I got ministered to way more than I actually ministerd to other people.  The whole Rodeo Bible Camp experience is something I will never forget. :-)