East Side Kitchen for a Weekend

Working at Camp Barakel is an amazing joy. Never has there been a time when I have regretted volunteering at Camp. This weekend was no exception. Here is how it went:

Now normally I work about 54 hours a week. So what does a person do when they get free time on the weekend? Mow the lawn? Power wash the house? Shop? Not me. I called Camp to see if I could volunteer in the kitchen on my weekend off from work. Of course, God had his hand in it. The couple that has been at camp serving in the kitchen needed to leave by Thursday. I was available on Friday thru Sunday. Coincidence? I believe not.

The Crew: Anyone that lives or has been to SE Michigan knows how terrible the traffic is. Now add in rush hour, 50,000 orange barrels, people heading north, and 6 car accidents, and you can imagine how my drive was.  I was thankful I made it safely.  Kieth, the west side cook, and Hannah, the east side kitchen assistant, gave me a crash course in the menu for the weekend. Walking into a kitchen midweek and being in charge for the weekend was a lot of fun. I had an amazing crew of adult volunteer staff to help me out. They were such a blessing! I knew one from a previous weekend of work at camp, but the others were all new to me. Our morning began with me leading the kitchen volunteers in Bible reading and prayer, then we got to work.  We had such a great time of laughing, talking about God and of course, everyone wanted to meet the newest Resident Missionary Staff Appointee for Camp Barakel. They kept wanting to know about Rita and I. I ended up doing 6 meals with this crew. I am grateful to God for the people He has brought into my life. Each one of them are very special to me . They all touched my heart a little bit. I wish I could’ve stayed there and gotten to know them each more. I hope that we will be working together again soon. I am praying for them, and know that they are praying for Rita and I as well. That is comforting.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Albert Schweitzer