God had a plan

God had a plan. 

Hello friends.  Allow me to update you on where Jessica and I have been over the last few months.  When we returned from Costa Rica, we were facing the decision on whether to go back long-term or not.  After being home for a few weeks, we were pretty sure we were going to return.  It was at that time that the missionaries in Costa Rica said that they were receiving a house mother back from their other orphanage in Guatemala, and that we are welcome to come, but we would not be the house parents.  We were pretty devastated, but God had a plan.

Faced with yet another closed door, we weren’t sure what we were going to do, so we thought I was going to return to finance and just get a job.  During the interview process in Pittsburgh, we went to Seneca Hills in Franklin, PA, the summer camp that has been a part of my whole life.  We spoke with the Facilities Director, Stan Smith, about possibly volunteering at camp and working maintenance while we waited for the interviews.  Stan was quite happy to have us help out since the summer camping season was just around the corner, and there is always plenty of work to be done.  Jessica learned how to use a power washer, and we both spent many hours painting. 

The interviews were going along when Michael Harvey, the Executive Director of Seneca, took us out to lunch.  Come to find out the Administrative Assistant had given her resignation to pursue another job.  Her last day was the day before the first week of summer camp.  Michael asked Jessica if she would consider applying for the position.  Jessica had said many times that if she were to work at Seneca, that would be the place for her – but that was always under the assumption that the current lady would be there forever so there was really no chance.  It truly was a perfect position for Jessica; it combines all of her gifts: details, finance, big event planning, and organization.  However, what would I do if Jessica worked in Franklin?  If I were working in Pittsburgh, the commute is just not possible.  So, we told Michael that Wednesday that we weren’t going to say no, but we weren’t sure how it was going to work out.  God had a plan.

The next day I went to my quarterly Program Committee meeting for that camp.  I have been on the Program Committee for the past three years.  The committee is in charge of vision casting the direction of programming (activities, etc.) for the camp.  During this particular meeting, our current Program Director, Tracy Mitchell, announced that she will be leaving at the end of the year to be a missionary to South Africa.  One of my “dream jobs” has always been the Program Director position at Seneca Hills.  However, just like the Administrative Assistant, we thought Tracy would be here forever. 

So, in back to back days, two full-time positions (the positions that we loved from a far) opened at the ministry where we were already volunteering.  God has a plan.

We decided that Jessica would interview for the Administrative Assistant position.  And she was hired shortly thereafter.  We then asked them if I could continue to volunteer at the camp and then interview for the Program Director position.  They allowed me to volunteer and said that when the time came I could throw my hat into the ring.  Due to Tracy’s wanting to wait until later in the summer to tell the summer staff, her decision to go to South Africa was kept under wraps for a few months – which is why this update is so long coming. 

It was a GREAT summer.  Jessica worked long hours, but loved it.  The summer started with one week of training followed by the first week of campers and the auditors.  The camp is fortunate that she’s that tough - she had some long days that week, and most of the summer, as she worked through all the different processes.  When I asked her after one particularly late night how she was doing and whether she liked her job she said to me, “I love it.  I can do this job!”  She still works way too long, but hopefully that will change eventually. 

For me, I spent most of my time working with the Program team organizing games, singing silly camp songs (See the first picture), hiking in the woods (See the second picture), doing belly smackers (See the third picture) and playing with campers. 

Now when we’re out and about on weekends, I will frequently run into one of the nearly one thousand campers we had this past year.  They smile ear to ear and say “You’re that guy from camp!”  Yes, I am that guy from camp.  Junior campers quickly follow that with “I LOVE DEAD BUG TAG!!!”  For those of you who have not yet played Dead Bug Tag, let me explain.  Dead Bug Tag is a game of tag where all the summer counselors are “it”, and the younger campers have to try to get away.  When they are caught, they have to get on their backs and move their hands and feet like a squished bug.  After a few minutes of being a dead bug they are told they are now alive and can run around again.  Here is the best secret about Dead Bug Tag…a tired camper on Sunday night makes for a sleepy camper and a happy counselor.  The third picture is Dead Bug Tag in action.  Dead Bug Tag is one of my favorite games yet. 

After the summer camp season ended, the Board of Directors began the interview process.  Last night the Board selected me to become the next Program Director.  I am very excited about this position and the overall direction for our lives.  After more than a year of trusting, we are finally seeing God’s plan before us. 

Due to the general nature of non-profit’s, funding the overlap between now and Tracy’s departure will put an extra strain on the budget.  However, we believe that this time is imperative for training, as well as the regular PR and planning that needs to happen before the new year.  Tracy has been the Program Director for over five years, and her knowledge base is huge.  I need to learn as much as I can from her. 

So that I can start October 1^st, I will be working to raise support for this “bridge” period.  For the past 14 months Jessica and I have not asked for financial support feeling that it was right for us to finance this period of our lives as we were searching for what God had for us.  Many of you have come to us asking how you can help.  This is it. 

Jessica and I are thrilled to be at Seneca Hills.  We would like to invite you to camp for a tour, a stay or a meal, whichever suits you best.  We are planning on having a party next Memorial Day weekend during family camp where everyone who has been on this mailing list is invited to come to Seneca Hills as our guests.  You will be able to take a swim in the pool, climb the climbing wall, go rappelling off The Rocks (see the 5^th picture), bike along the Allegheny River, zip on the Zip Line, play torpedo ball in the Rec Center, camp around a camp fire and get to see firsthand the slice of heaven that God has led us to.  For more information about the camp, visit www.senecahills.org.

If you are interested in partnering financially in what we believe God has called us to do next in our lives, we ask that you consider giving to Seneca Hills.  Checks can be made out to Seneca Hills and sent to the following address:

Seneca Hills, PO Box 288, Franklin PA 16323

If you want to help us “bridge” the gap this fall, please write “staff supplement income” in the memo line.  Any donations above and beyond the “bridge” amount will go towards the Operations Fund if God provides more than is needed.

Thank you for your prayers over the last 14 months.  Please continue!  We need them.  Thank you for your notes of encouragement.  Keep it up.  Thank you for reading the blog.  I hope to start my regular postings again.  And thank you in advance for supporting us.

Love,

Jon and Jessica