‘2000 Lake Okoboji, IA
Methodist Work Camp Report
July 9th-14th, 2000

By Erin Nichols

Sunday,

            After about a 9½ hour drive, we finally arrived at camp.  The camp was called Okoboji United Methodist Camp, located in Spirit Lake, Iowa.  Spirit Lake is in the north west corner of Iowa, about 30 miles from nebraska.  After bringing in our things from the cars, in the middle of a rainstorm, we sat down in the living room.  We divided up into 3 groups to discuss what our teams would do for their night of devotion.  Every night we had a devotion lead by one of the teams.  We did this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night.  Then after that, at about 11:30 we went to bed.

Monday,

            After a 8:30 breakfast, we split into our groups.  My group of 5, pulled weeds around the tennis court.  There were about 3½ feet of white rocks around the court, and most of the time it was so thick with weeds you couldn`t even see the rocks!  After lunch, me and Grace (a girl in my group) washed the inside of the dinning hall, while Carole, Steven, and Alisa (other people in my group) trimmed the trees.  After we finished our jobs, all 3 groups came together to weed the volleyball court.   Then we all came together, after supper, to have the devotion and a snack.  The devotion was lead by Pastor John Smoke`s group. 

Tuesday,

            All morning, all 3 groups were together sanding boards.  What we did was we bought about 50 pieces of pliwood, then cut, sanded and put them up as gaurd rails for the "real campers" bunks.  After a good lunch my group went and set up the out-of-bounz lines in the volleyball court.  Then some of us fixed the soccer nets, then 3 of us went and put a new hinge on a door to a cabin.  Then all of us went for a relaxing swim, that is if you didn`s mind the seaweed.  We came back and after supper had a devotion lead by Pastor Henry`s group.  Then we sang to Henry`s guitar, and had a snack. 

Wednesday,

            That morning, my group went down to the dinning hall`s basement, where they had had a sewer back-up, and cleaned it out.  It was really grose because there were some old cardboard boxes, that were so moldy they looked like oatmeal.  It wasnt too pleasant.  After lunch we weeded around the camp`s flag pole.  Then cleaned out a storage room, and cleaned along side a deck.  After doing that, all 3 groups went swimming.  Later on we had our devotion lead by my group at the campfire, where Pastor Henry had his first s`more!  Which he liked.  Afterwards it was time for bed. 

Thursday,

            After breakfast, everybody came back and cleaned out the bedrooms.  Then after lunch we and the "real campers" went to the water park called Boji Bay.  When we came back, some of us went and watched the "Talent Show" put on by the "real campers"  Then that nights devotion wasn`t lead by anybody.  We all just said what we had to say about the week. And Pastor John gave us T-Shirts and we all said something nice/positive about the person that was just given a shirt.  Then it was time for bed. 

Friday,

            Pastor John`s group got up and left at 6:00.  Pastor Henry`s and Carole`s cars left at about 9:00.  On the way home, we switched around a little bit so Pastor Henry wouldn`t have to ride all 9½ hours with 3 boys.  Then about an hour from home, we said our goodbye`s at a rest-stop, and we didn`t stop again.  We arrived home at about 6:00. 

         I would just like to say that the week went very well, and most of the jobs I talked about were just what MY group did, let alone the other 2 groups.  It was a very benificial expirience, and I would easily say "yes" to go on a trip like that again.  And thank you to all the Churches    that donated money for the trip, it helped us alot!