Review of Camp Siloam 2007

In reviewing the week of May 12th to May 19th for the annual Camp
Siloam for the Blind, held at The Golden Cross Ranch in New Caney near
Houston, Texas, I'm reminded of God's mercy and protection toward us in
these words from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 11:33-36:

33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor?

35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again?

36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be
glory for ever. Amen.

What a doxology of praise to our Living Lord! The week of camp will be
reviewed in chronological fashion, and I trust you will catch some of
the flavor of Camp.

Just 5 days before Camp 2007, Two tornadoes ripped through the
property, felling trees and creating much debris. But thank God, no
casualties! No injuries! Scores of people rushed in during the
following days to clean up the mess, bringing in a portable sawmill to
cut up the fallen trees for lumber.

Saturday, May 12th. I flew down to Houston's Bush Intercontinental
Airport, where Don Faubert, our coordinator for the sighted guides, met
me and got me to the van where Tony Martinez drove us to the grounds.
When we got there, a large group of men were still working, finishing
up the cleanup job, and power was already restored to the campground!
I got to my dorm room, settled in and later was joined by my assigned
guide and good friend, Pat Sargent, who was my guide for the second
year in a row.

Supper in the cavernous, echoing dining hall was at 4:55, but before
then, I journeyed over to the lounge in one of the other dorms to
hobnob with other campers and the guides who were there. We had
fourteen new campers and six new guides. Campers came from all over.
And there were four guide dogs! There was James, an "Urban Gospel"
pianist and choir director from New York City; Keona from the Bronx,
Elsa Mae from Queens, Arlene and Kerri and Lois and Ruth from Canada,
Martha and Marilyn from California, Jean, Ricky, Darlene and Lisa from
Chattanooga, (Tennessee) and Jim from Chicago. There was storytelling
Oliver from Flint, Michigan; Karen from Albany, New York; Howard from
New Jersey; Brenda from Massachusetts; Wendy and Sandra from Georgia;
Sarah (who later gave her heart to Jesus) from Florida; and Wanda from
Ohio. And the list goes on and on!

After supper, we had a get acquainted service in which George Montanus,
president and ceo of the Gospel Association for the Blind (who has long
sponsored this annual assemblage) told a bit about the organization's
ministries to the blind, its tape and Braille libraries and so forth.
Brother George Gray, our Camp director, gave a brief message. And we
all introduced ourselves to each other at some point during the
evening.

Since we were all tired from the day's travels, we all pretty much headed
for bed and lights out at 11:00 pm.

Sunday, the 13th. Breakfast at 7:55 am. And we immediately loaded up
afterward for the trip to Cornerstone Baptist Church (our third visit
there in a row) for Sunday School and the morning service. The down
home folks there sang all those old rousing Gospel songs you seldom
hear anymore. They would shout "Amen" at points in the service, they
talked Texan, they made you feel at home. And they lavished us with a
scrumptious fried chicken dinner after the service! Who needs an
evening meal after all that?

Back at Camp, George and Holly Montanus met with the new campers to get
their pictures for the organization's inkprint bulletin "Jottings".
And George Gray had an orientation session for the guides. I napped!

Later, the first in the video series "Crisis in the Middle East" was
shown to those campers who'd be interrested in watching it. It's a
six-part series of interviews with Dr. Renald Showers of the Friends of
Israel organization and a journalist, Jimmy DeYoung I believe he once
was with Word of Life. The films were about observations on the current
Middle East situation.

Supper again at 4:55 and then, the evening service at 7:00 pm. Our
theme for the week dealt with "Remove not the ancient landmarks which
thy fathers have set" (Proverbs 22:28) and our hymn for the week was a
seldom-heard, but should be learned, hymn called "The Bible Stands".

After service, I went on a hayride and took my guide dog Lucky with me.
Hayrides are fun, whether you sing or not, and believe me, I didn't
have the voice to sing. But I loved hobnobbing with the people near
me, and Lucky just laid there like the good dog he is. Lights out at
11:00.

Monday, the 14th. George Gray's son Andy led us in a brief time of
devotions at 7:15, and that he did every morning. We read Scripture
and prayed over requests brought up by those there. I think quite a
few people came each morning before breakfast.

After breakfast, we all loaded up on the chartered bus to go see the
battleship Uss Texas. This massive ship was commissioned in 1914 and
saw action in both world wars, but particularly in World War Ii. Pat,
my guide and an ex-Navyman, gave me an excellent tour of the ship,
letting me feel various items used on board-cannons, gun barrels,
handles on this and that, and so on ad infinitti. I didn't tour the
lower or upper decks, as I thought the ladders would be hard on the
dog's paws, but other people did see the whole structure. There were
three upper decks and three lower ones. Lots to see and learn about!
It was a good tour, but I was ready to go when it was over.

The Montanuses treated us all to lunch at a Houston Burger King before
we went back to Camp. And we all enjoyed the adventure.

That afternoon, while others watched the next installment of the
"Crisis in the Middle East" series, I and some others went
swimming-well, splashing for me, as I can't swim well. Man, it was
good to get into a pool again! And the water was just fine, once you
got your whole self in.

After supper, we had another evening service with robust singing led by
a local song leader, Chris Smith. George Gray preached.

Afterward, I went on another hay ride with a few of the campers and
guides, and others hung around the lounge of one of the dorms and drank
sodas, munched popcorn and hobnobbed. Lights out at 11:00 PM.

Tuesday, the 15th. After breakfast, the morning service at 9:00. We
sang, pledged allegiance to the Us flag, the Christian flag and the
Bible, played a game called "Bible Trivia" (in which some of us won
various little prizes) and had a visit from Clarence Farkwyrrr, the
dummy. He was there nearly every service, I think. And in each
service in the morning, we had teachings by Pastor Don Forrester, a
blind pastor from Fredericksburg, Virginia's Faith Baptist Church.
each morning, he spoke on various issues that confront us in our
culture-the abortion issue, marriage and the breakdown of the family,
homosexuality, to name only a few. I like the guy for his gentle way
of handling his topics. He and his wife Shirley are fine folks!

Each day after the service, folks watched the films "Crisis in the
Middle East," while others of us rested or did other things we needed
to do.

Early that afternoon, those who wanted to, went to WalMart, as we do
each year, to do some shopping for things they might have forgotten to
bring with them. Pat and I drove there and came right back, and I
napped for as long as I could without appearing too lazy.

The evening service featured for the third year a guest speaker, Dan
Farley, pastor of Shady Acres Baptist Church in Houston. He spoke
about putting the past behind us and renewing or for some, making for
the first time, a commitment to Christ as Saviour and Lord. I've
always liked his words of encouragement and his humor.

After the service, we all enjoyed the first of two Talent Nights. Many
of us sang, read poetry, did comedy and who knows what all. I did a
song about hunting that was made famous by satirist Tom Leher (whom I
like very much, except for his vulgar stuff.) As Brother George had
successfully gone deer hunting last November and gotten himself an
eight-point buck, I thought that song very appropriate, and he liked
it. Lights out at 11:00 PM.

Wednesday, May 16th. Morning same as the others, But that afternoon,
we had a visit from the mobile unit of the Houston Zoo. They showed us
a few live animals-a ferret, a snake, and a hedgehog and armadillo. We
also saw an elephant's tooth, a giraff's neckbone and various furs,
skins and an elephant's tusk, which I thought looked something like a
shiny metal rod. (Would make a good club for some violence-oriented
sicko.) After the event, I went back to try to rest, but it was so
noisy, so I practiced with people who needed an accompanist for
whatever they were going to do at service or the next talent show.
Also that afternoon, they showed some early "Andy Griffith" shows.

After the evening service, many of us went back to the dining hall for
snacks. The camp people had opened up a "Snack Bar", where we could
purchase ice cream, candy and sodas-junk food extraordinaire! I got
some chips and a soda. Lights out at 11:00 PM.

Thursday, the 17th. Horseback riding in the afternoon after lunch. We
were all taken down to the horse arena via the hay wagon (hay still on
it) and had a chance to experience being on the back of one of three or
four horses. Jerry Hovatter, pastor of the church that owns the camp,
is also a rodeo guy, and he and his family and staff participate in
local rodeos. I rode a roan Appalusa named Faith, and she was very
gentle. Jerry's wife gave me a running commentary about her and the
area we were riding in as she held the reins, and I in the saddle,
holding on-though not for dear life. At one point, Faith got to
walking quite fast, though I think she almost wanted to gallop. And
what a thrill it was to feel the wind in my face. Reminded me of the
blind boy in Bill Martin Jr.'s wonderful little book "Knots on a
Counting Rope".

I went swimming (splashing) afterward, and the film watchers saw more
"Andy Griffith" shows. That pool felt good after being on a horse!

After the evening service, the second of two Talent Nights. And like
the other evening, we had more of the same. Most of us were repeats
from the first night. I did my George Gershwin medley-"It Ain't
Necessarily So", "I Got Plenty of Nothin'" and "I Got Rhythm." It went
ok. Lights out at 11:00 PM.

Friday, May 18th. And Camp is winding down. But what I think was the
highlight of the morning for me (and of that week) was to see my new
partially-sighted friend Sarah come to the Lord. My friend and guide
Pat gently explained the Gospel to her in a way she could understand,
and he has the knack for doing that. He goes many times to state
prisons and converses with the inmates there and just has a gentle,
wonderful way of relating to the people with whom he comes in contact.
Pray for Sarah in her newfound faith that old Satan won't get the upper
hand and that she'll grow in God's Word and in fellowship with Him and
with other believers.

Friday afternoon was spent swimming and packing. The ladies all met with
Bette Gray, George's wife, for a session. Perhaps we men should have a
simmilar session next year to discuss whatever it is needing discussion.

After the final service, we had a campfire outside, and many of the
campers and guides shared about their faith journeys or how the Lord
was working in their lives in other ways. It got pretty heavy, as
folks brought up some very poignant prayer requests or had heavy hearts
on the issues they were facing. And as you might guess, the end of
such a glorious week can bring on a lot of emotion and for some, the
reluctance to get back to their uncertain lives back home. Lights out
at 11:00, but who could sleep?

Saturday, May 19th. I was awake at 4:00 and got up before 5:00. People
were already leaving, and some folks were gathered in the Sunset Dorm
Lounge to have coffee and whatever breakfast stuff was left over from the
week-tacos, kalatchees, pigs in a blanket, fruit or whatever. And goodbyes
were tearfully said. I was driven to the airport, got on my flight and
came home.

Dates for next year's camp will be Saturday, May 10 thru Saturday, May
17, 2008. and yes, I'm planning on being there. Last year, five
came to trust Christ.This year, one came, and it was worth it, even
just for the one who came. How's it with you? In closing, I pray that
you who read this will delve into the New Testament itself and
encounter Jesus a-fresh. Realize, as you read that you, like all of
us, are in need of the only Perfect One who died and rose again for
you-even Jesus. The Scripture says, "Now is the accepted time of
salvation..." "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while
He is near..." "I have no pleasure in any man's death; therefore,
repend and live." "God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
hath (present tense) everlasting life." Put your name in "the world"
and in "whosoever". Do it now; don't wait, ere it be too late!

by Duncan Holmes
Fredericksburg, Texas

View photos of Camp Siloam 2007