The first Month of MAP (June) has gone by so quickly that it's hard to believe it's over!  It seems like months ago when Homemade Roles began and now we are gearing up for the second Month of MAP during July.  Following is a quick summary of our summer so far.

Homemade Roles began on May 30.  We had a wonderful time with the 20+ teens who came.  We had a lot of help from Joni B., Leonard B., Scotty H., Denise V., David B., Kathy J., and Buddy V. who taught Life Skills classes in the mornings.  Tom J. and Lyndal S. taught classes in the afternoon on staying focused.  Tim P. took care of AWE time and was our host for the "Family Feud" game in the afternoons.  Then, each evening, Charlie J. spoke on the subject of resolving conflict.  It was a great week and a lot of new things were learned from cooking to self-defense to making visual aids.  Everyone gained something new and MAP gained a new basketball court for future use!

During the second week of "A Month of MAP", the MAPsters spent a week at Woodland Bible Camp in Indiana.  There they were able to make new friends, renew old friendships, and encourage others to live each day for the Lord.  Many responded to God's message that was taught every day and one guy had his life changed forever as he was baptized into Christ!  The MAPsters were spiritually uplifted, but ready to come back "home" to MAP.  They pulled in late Saturday evening after being cooped up in 2 vans and a truck all day with the temperature outside being in the upper nineties.  They also had to stop at one point to let the MAP van cool down, because it overheated.  They were whooped!

The third week of MAP (which has been entitled "Boot Camp") was hot and humid!  Aaron T., Robin G., and Tim P. have taught the morning classes.  Then the MAPsters  had AWEtime in the afternoon, games, singing, an evening lesson by Scotty H., and prayer circle.  In between they had time for meals, clean up, and some free time for naps, relaxing, laundry, and various other activities.  In the midst of all this "chaos", Buddy V. and Matt V. worked on replacing the columns of the front porch!  What a difference that made!  It looks much better (and safer)! 

Also during that week, Embracing Iscariot performed at a local coffee shop called Sugarbakers.  Then the MAPsters also performed the MAP musical on Friday evening followed by a talent show.  Saturday was spent packing, saying our goodbyes, and  traveling to Crab Orchard, Kentucky.  Due to too many pit stops and a blown tire on the trailer, it took us much longer to get there than was expected.  Thankfully, we made it there safe and (almost) sound. 

Once arriving in Kentucky, the week was spent at another Bible camp - KCA.  It took the MAPsters a day or two to get to know the campers from the area, but by the time the week was over they had made some great new friends!  Although the week there was also hot and humid, they hung in there!  They had a lot of fun playing various games, went on hikes, went swimming, enjoyed gaining a lot of Bible knowledge, loved singing together, and grew spiritually.  Embracing Iscariot had the privilege of performing at the camp during their last night together.  Then the MAPsters did their MAP musical one last time followed by another performance by Embracing Iscariot on Friday evening in Berea, KY.  Afterwards, four Bibles were given to those who had been part of MAP for three years.  Then we hugged on those who had to leave that night - MAPsters and new friends from KCA. 

The rest of the MAPsters stayed one more night at the camp, then some headed home from there while the rest headed back to Arkansas.  God blessed each one with safety as they traveled in different directions to various destinations.

In the blink of an eye - it was over.  Another "Month of MAP" had come and gone!  God blessed each of us richly and we are thankful for it!