Hello from Michigan. I’d like to share a little bit about the Michigan Bible Camp.
About 26 years ago, a Japanese woman living in Ann Arbor had a vision of Japanese family camp, and as the prayers eventually expanded, a couple, American husband and Japanese wife, moved from Singapore to Ann Arbor. Her American husband was earning his PhD at the University of Michigan. His parents were devout Christians who understood camp ministry, such as participating in Bible camps in Upper Michigan, and he had been nourished at Bible camps since he was a child. He had a wealth of camping know-how and was committed to locating venues and preparing various things, and the first camp was held in 1998.
In addition, young people joined the camp operation and the camp continued every August. One such young person was Nagiko Hamano. She graduated with a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. During this time, she accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized in June 1998. She was later called to heaven at the age of 33 due to cancer. She served not only in the Michigan Bible Camp, but also at the Central Conference and the Equipper Conference. Her mother who was closer to her while fighting cancer came to the faith. About 10 years later after the funeral, her sister was also led to the faith.
Last year our plan consisted of two parts as Day Camp (August) and Online Live (October) due to COVID circumstances. But this year the 24th camp has returned to the overnight stay camp as before. There were over 50 campers, which were fewer than before, probably because some Japanese Christian families encountered calendar conflicts with events in the same week or other matters.
Looking back in the past, there were some happenings. Every time, we wish and hope that there will not be any unfavorable incidents. However, on the morning of Thursday, August 12, when the day of camp started, a man who has been in charge of elementary school classes for several years, informed us that last night’s storm had caused power outage. After all, it was 10:00 p.m. on the same day he told us that the restoration would be expected by midnight on Saturday, so it was not possible to join the camp. His children who look forward to this camp every year seemed to be really sad. We were sorry about this. Now, what to do with the elementary school class??
At midnight on Thursday 12th, Pastor Iwao Satoh, keynote speaker and three committee members held an emergency operations meeting. As a result, because it was a small number of children, they were to put together in one class group of elementary, middle, and high school for each Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning. The leader in charge of the middle and high class and with two supporters were called in for this emergency situation. The night program on Friday 13th had a partial issue due to equipment failure, but the emergency response team of these three American youths worked splendidly on the morning of 14 (Sat) and 15 (Sun), as this was the advent of God’s dream team. The Lord is alive!
In the past, people who needed interpreters took seats right next to the interpreter and listened to it, but this is not a COVID measure at all now. However, with interpreting equipment given from JCFN’s unused tools three interpreters supported 11 people using English, so we really realized “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” By the way, there are 21 people in Japanese. I felt a change in the profile of our camp. Next year the camp will be scheduled from August 11th (Thur) to 14th (Sun).
Yo Mikami
