one month here

For all ya'll that don't know, I am working at a Young Life camp in northern California called Woodleaf all summer as the Landscape Intern.

Once again, I don't think I know how to start talking about this.

I have two wonderful landscape bosses who are such a blessing to me here.  I live in a place called the Falck House with 15 other interns.  Many of them have known each other from past Young Life summers so that was a little daunting to me in the beginning.  I am really missing friends from Westmont.  The one-on-one conversation are hard to come by here.  Sometimes I've found it hard to be myself which is a foreign feeling to me.

The first two weeks it rained and hailed.. every. single. day.  It was hard.  I learned how to drive all of these janky camp vehicles and would get them stuck in the mud almost every day.  Most of those two weeks consisted of picking up piles of branches, weeding, and over all cleaning after the long long winter.  But the then the sun came out!  And Summer Staff and Work Crew came!  And then CAMPERS came!

I am so thankful for that sunshine.  Every morning I walk outside to the old lake and sit on the dock to spend time with the Lord.  It is so peaceful to let my mind rest and wander while the birds talk.  Here is an old picture facing the dock I sit at.

This session I have three landscapers working with me.  The first is Alex whose Dad is a mechanic at camp.  He is 14 and thinks I'm absolutely insane, but he kills at mowing lawns let me tell you.  Then we have Crockett (yes that is his name) who is from Jackson, Mississippi.  You could not find a more country southern man, but he is NOT a redneck.  He is such a joy to work with and I can't wait to know him better these next two weeks.  My last worker is Mile who is from San Francisco.  Mile makes everyone around him laugh and has a lot of joy in his heart.

My days look a little something like this: waking up to our bathroom sinks which are perfectly placed in the living room, spending time at the lake, going to breakfast, then working till 5.  Most days we mow, weedwack, weed, prune trees/ bushes, and take a lot of brush to our burn piles.  Recently I've gotten to plant a lot of flowers and learn about irrigation which I LOVE.  I have also learned how to use a chain saw and drive stick shift!!  After work I'll shower then we'll eat dinner.  We have an intern Bible study every week and one night a week we get to be fed by a property staff couple.  We have one day off a week where we lay in the sun and enjoy each other's company (and that day is tomorrow praise Jesus!)


That should be a good preview I hope.  If ya'll find the time to remember me in your prayers I would really appreciate it.  Please pray for all the campers coming to Woodleaf.  Pray for my Young Life girls coming in July.  Pray for patience for me with my Summer Staff.  Pray that the Lord would bring close friendships to me here.  Pray that I would understand His love.
And I will leave that for another blog.



Bye now.



P.S. if you're at all interested in sending me a letter (which I would love) my address is as follows:

Laura Shank
11359 La Porte Rd.
Challenge, CA 95925