What a trip to Haiti taught me
Posted by Sharon
I (Sharon) had the opportunity to join a team from my church to spend a week in Arcahaie, Haiti. We just got back and it has been quite the adjustment! I am so thankful for the opportunity to be there and serve alongside the people there. We joined 2 other teams to work with an organization called Poverty Resolutions. Poverty Resolutions has a compound in Arcahaie that helps equip the Haitians to learn valuable skills such as construction, agriculture, business, etc. They also are developing relationships with the families in the community around them to help provide clothes, food and schooling for the kids whose parents cannot provide the funds for those things. Many Haitians live off $1 a day. Think about that! Can you live off a $1 a day? I don’t know that I could. We got to see poverty in it’s truest form. It was a hard thing to see and grasp.
While there, our teams built 2 roofs, started a garden, hosted 4 medical clinics in 3 different communities, visited an orphanage, children’s hospital and provided encouragement to the Poverty Resolutions staff who live on the compound. I mostly helped with the medical clinics but was able to help a little in the other areas as well. I loved playing with the kids in the community and watching them play soccer. The main language there is Creole. I have never spoken Creole before so the language barrier provided it’s own set of challenges. On the last full day, we spent a couple hours at Mother Teresa’s Children’s Hospital in Port au Prince. These children rarely had visitors. They were extremely malnourished and had illnesses that will be hard to recover from. Our goal while we were there was to hold as many of the babies and toddlers as possible. They don’t get the physical touch and attention they need so they were literally crying out for it. Several of us were in tears because we wanted to spend more time there to be able to give more attention to the kids. That was the hardest day, emotionally, to see those kids cry out for attention but also to see those sweet ladies who have given their life to take care of hundreds of kids.
Things I’m still processing:
1. Our younger generations are losing the ability to be creative. These kids have no toys, no electronics, nothing and they laughed, played with each other and love life!
2. I have so much stuff that I don’t need-clothing, books, electronics, kitchen utensils, living space, etc. It makes me appreciate what I have but I also question what I actually need to live.
3 (and the most important). JESUS IS ALL I NEED! If all I had was Jesus and His death and resurrection, I need to be ok with that. That’s all that matters! Silly arguments and disagreements, comparing myself to others, wanting more of something…all that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I accept the gift of Jesus that God has given me and live a life that serves God. Am I using the gifts and abilities He’s given me for His glory or my own? I pray that it will be for His glory!
Another thing I learned is that it’s not realistic for me to come back and expect to sell everything I have and move back to Haiti. Or try to live off a $1 a day here in America. The U.S. is different than Haiti. But I do need to look for opportunities to serve those around me each day and live a life of humility.
I am so thankful for the week I spent there and I hope and pray that I’ll be able to go back! Here are a few pictures from the trip!
When we were in the church service, they sang a campfire song! Can you tell which one it is?!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged $1, Arcahaie, Compound, construction, Creole, Gardening, Haiti, Haitians, Hospital, Medical Clinic, Poverty Resolutions | Leave a reply
Construction Update: Dining Hall Foundation
Posted by SharonThis past Wednesday the construction crew started laying the blocks for the foundation of the addition. The crew even let us help lay a block! It’s neat to now see exactly where the Cooking Classroom, Staff Lounge and Drama Den will be.
Additional Laundry Space
New staff lounge and cooking classroom
Drama Area
We are hoping to start clearing land up on the Ridge soon so we can start building cabins and all the other fun stuff that will be going up there! We’ll keep you posted as we move along!
Posted in Girls | Tagged additions, Camp Crestridge, construction, Crestridge dining hall, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply
Exciting Construction Updates
Posted by SharonLots of construction crews have been busy this year at Crestridge! We’d like to fill you in on what all has been happening the past several months. There are three projects at this point.
1. The two cabins are coming along well. The shells are finished (minus the siding and roofs). Now it’s time to get started on the inside. Previously, we said that the new cabin on Chip/Chick Hill will be a Chickasaw cabin. There has been a change and that cabin will now be a Chippewa cabin. There will still be four Chippewa cabins and six Chickasaw cabins. The staff cabin (currently known as the Mansion) will also be a Chippewa cabin. The current Chickasaw 6 will be a staff cabin. The Chippewa cabin is a little different. It has the porch on the side instead of on the end. It looks great!
We’ve also decided to have six Cheyenne cabins and six Choctaw cabins. So if you have finished 6th grade, you’ll be in the Cheyenne Village. If you have finished 8th grade, you’ll be in the Choctaw Village. For those who have finished 7th grade, you’ll either be in Cheyenne or Choctaw.
2. We are adding a covered porch across the front of the Lodge. This will allow more covered, outdoor space for the cooking skill!
3. Marty and Rob are updating the bathrooms in the Infirmary. We don’t have any pictures to show at this point, but this is a huge improvement! They are updating the light fixtures, vanities, toilets, and added new tile floors!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to see up-to-date photos!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Bathrooms, Camp Crestridge, Cheyenne, Chippewa, construction, Construction Updates, Crestridge construction, Crestridge Infirmary, Crestridge Lodge, Infirmary, Lodge, New Cabins, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply
The Construction is Continuing
Posted by SharonChippewa and Cheyenne Hill will see an addition this year. After much thought and prayer, we have decided to add two new cabins for summer 2014. One of the cabins will be built just below the Mansion (staff cabin on Chip/Chick Hill). This new cabin will be used in the Chickasaw Village. The current Chickasaw 4 cabin will become Chippewa 4. The Chippewa Village will now have 40 campers!
The second new cabin will be built behind the current Cheyenne 12. The Cheyenne Village is now going to be available for those who have finished 6th grade along with some who have finished 7th. For those who have finished 7th grade, you will either be in the Cheyenne or Choctaw Village. The Cheyenne Village will now have 50 campers! We are so grateful and excited for the opportunity to impact more lives!
Construction has started on the new Cheyenne cabin, which will be called Cheyenne 14. Here’s the progress so far…
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Chippewa, construction, New Cabins, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply
Construction Update: New Cherokee Cabin
Posted by KarahThe construction on the new Cherokee cabin is moving quickly. And it is looking great! Here are a few photos of the construction stages so far.
Posted in Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Cherokee, construction, New Cabin, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply
Crestridge Beehive Construction Update
Posted by KarahThings are moving along very quickly here! The construction workers have almost completed their work before the final inspection for the Beehive. There are just a few last things they have to finish up. Since the last update, they have put on a lot of the finishing touches like door handles, lighting, toilets, sinks, and the rest of the trim. It looks fantastic!
They have put in wood floors and lighting in the clothing store and the museum and they look so nice!
They put in tile floor in the food area of the store, and looks great!
They also put tile floor in the bathrooms, as well as toilets, sinks, and door handles on all of the doors.
Workers have also been working on the gym – the inside has been repainted and looks so nice, especially with those new windows! Pretty soon, the outside will be painted as well!
The latest project has been the riflery range, which has been going up quickly. This is up on Cherokee hill, beyond Cherokee 22. It is a much bigger platform than our old one, and will be nice to have more space up there.
We can’t wait for everyone to see these awesome improvements to camp in person! The time will be here before we know it!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Beehive, Camp Crestridge, construction, Girls, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Update | Leave a reply
The Latest on the Crestridge Beehive!
Posted by KarahWeek by week, day by day, the construction workers are making progress on our new store – The Beehive! It was really exciting to see it get painted last week. They almost completed painting the outside in one day – and it looks great.
It now matches the Bear Trap. You can just imagine rocking chairs – and a lot of them – lining this side!
They have also added trim around the top and base boards in the rooms.
We have two bathrooms in the new building, which will be great for use during skills and various activities! They have been working on the bathroom floors this week and they are looking good as well.
We also enjoy a beautiful view of the mountains from the back porch, especially the top landing area outside of the museum!
This is going to be a great building that will be put to good use in the near future and for many summers to come!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Beehive, Camp Crestridge for Girls, construction, Girls Camp, Paint, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply
Construction Update!
Posted by KarahHere at camp, we are so excited about all of the changes going on around Crestridge. A lot of progress has been made on the Beehive since our last update. The siding is almost all up on the outside, just waiting to be painted. The walls are up on the inside both upstairs and downstairs and it looks great! It is amazing how different the inside looks with the walls up between the rooms and everything. It is coming along very nicely… It will be an awesome place to hang out this summer!
We also have a few other construction related projects going on around camp. The telephone pole that used to be in front of the store was moved down the hill a little so it isn’t right in front of the Beehive. Also, something that will be really nice are the new windows that are being put in the gym. The new windows are already in one side of the gym and it is crazy how much more light those windows are letting in!
Can’t wait until the summer when you all are here and get to enjoy all of these changes and additions as well!!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged additions, Beehive, Camp Crestridge, changes, construction, Crestridge construction, Gym, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Windows | Leave a reply
Update on The Beehive Construction
Posted by Karah
Since the last update on the Beehive, things are still moving along quite nicely! We have had some rainy days, which doesn’t help the workers out a whole lot, but we have also had some beautiful days, too. I’m sure they are enjoying the warmer temperatures we have been having this week, though! Since our last construction blog, quite a bit has happened. The porch and railings are finished that surround the building. They have also finished putting the green metal roof on – and it looks great! The steps and the ramp up to the porch have been built, as well as the steps up to what will be the Crestridge Museum. The windows and doors have also been installed and look good! Currently the electrician is working inside so we can have some power in The Beehive. Things are going well. We are excited for everyone to see it in person, but until then, hopefully these pictures will give you an idea of what it’s looking like!
For more pictures of the Beehive construction, check our Facebook page.
Posted in News | Tagged Beehive Construction, Camp Crestridge, construction, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Store, The Beehive | Leave a reply
Beehive Construction
Posted by SharonThe Beehive is a busy place right now! Construction began back in October with taking down the existing Store and Landsports Hut. Then they dug out where the Beehive was going to sit. The next step was to build the foundation. They put down the block and concrete floor for the basement. A couple weeks ago, they began framing the Beehive. I am amazed each time I go over to Crestridge and see how much the workers have accomplished! They work so fast! They are currently working on the porches and finishing the roof.
Check out our Facebook page for more pictures and updates!
Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Beehive, Beehive Construction, Camp Crestridge, construction, Crestridge Beehive, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply