Camp Dezna 2009

Hello all! We just got back from camp three days ago. It was an incredible experience. God's presence was at camp with us, and he worked miracles too awesome for us to do them justice. We will start from the beginning...
To give you some background on the camp this year, it was by far the smallest camp that we have ever been to. There were forty people (campers and leaders combined) whereas in years past that number was doubled or even tripled. We were not involved in the planning until three days before the camp, but know that it was hectic, last minute, and that God worked many miracles in that time as well.
Two days before camp we got a call saying that Adi's son was in the hospital with possible appendicitis, and another leader's son had hurt his arm. Both were the strongest, oldest, and wisest male leaders that were coming to camp, and it was Adi who was to give the messages in the evening meetings. There were few male leaders coming as it was, and without these two it would have been nearly impossible to host camp. Immediately Nico took us into the bedroom and we prayed. She told us that all of the believers in the community were praying as well. An hour later we got another call saying that Adi's son was fine, and later we found out that the other leader's son was also fine and that both leaders would be able to make it to camp. It was the most amazing example of the spiritual battle that has been and is raging in Satu Mare, but God defeated Satan! Praise him!
To give a better idea of how the camp went, I am going to include a section from my journal that I (Cory) wrote at camp:

God has done so many amazing things at this camp. I cannot even begin to describe how he has continually broken the boundaries that I didn't even realize I put on him. I thought that I had great faith, but many times this week I have been rebuked, "Oh ye of little faith!"
Bogdan has prayed over Adela and Nico and God has healed them. And we continue to pray over and for Raluca who hurt her knee the very first night of camp. Those prayers were incredible experiences that tested my faith.
Last night Nico asked for people to share any experiences they had during their 40 minutes of quiet time (best idea ever! these kids who have hardly ever even picked up a Bible are reading and learning first hand about God!). Student after student came up and shared how they had felt God speak directly to them. One boy said that God told him that He would guide his life from now on.
Mada shared that she had asked God's forgiveness for not grieving over a dead loved one and for how she had treated her loved one while he or she was still around. She said she thought nothing would ever fill that hole in her, but she felt God was starting to.
Raluca said that when she was looking at the sun she felt God was smiling at her.
Most amazingly is last night Mary prayed to God for a sign and she felt him tell her to turn the pages of the Bible until Adi stopped talking and when he stopped she should read that page. She was conflicted all night. But when she finally read the passage she understood. God showed her a couple of things, but 1 Timothy 6:11 "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness." That is what she felt God told her to do. She said she felt so at peace and she told me that she was going to quit smoking right then.
Also (the list just keeps going!) Adi shared this morning that during his quiet time he was thinking about how there is spiritual warfare taking place at this camp and that there are demons here. He looked down and saw a huge black snake. When he looked closer, he saw ants eating its head. He put his foot down and crushed its head and felt it was symbolic of God saying that "I have defeated Satan in this camp and the devil is under your feet".

Talissa and I both agree that we have never felt so strongly the spiritual warfare taking place as we have this year at camp and in Satu Mare. God is doing powerful things in the lives of these kids. Some of them have made commitments and we are trying to get them plugged into small groups. It is so difficult for them to stick with it when they go back to the city. Satan pounces on them with all the distractions of life: boyfriends/girlfriends, jobs, terrible home lives, friends, phones, drinking, clubs, etc.
Right now we are trying to fill our days with people, and while we are with those people to be as intentional as possible. Nico has encouraged us to read the Bible and pray with as many people as we can, and we are doing our best to be continually searching for opportunities to bring God into the conversation. It is hard work, but we both feel such a strong love for these kids. It breaks our hearts to see them so interested while they are at camp, but to totally lose them when we come back to the city. Please pray for them!!