2009 Southern Missouri District Pow Wow. June 11th - 14th, 2009.
WESTERN DAYS THEME! 759 souls in attendance. Up by about 75 from last year! 89 souls saved at Friday night's alter service.
Perfect weather. Thursday was a busy day with many outposts setting up their camps. Entryway's were going up. Food was being cooked and the smell of camp life was in the air. It is exciting to head to Pow Wow. The anticipation of what God has for us there is always exciting. New and old outposts gather together to make the best of it for everyone. Sharing just about everything. A little of this and a lot of that. New gear is being looked over and the old tried and true gear is being brought out for another great Pow Wow. Tents of all kinds start popping up. The smell of the campfire is in the air. Laughter and boys playing all around with the occasional bark of the Commander to stir the boys and men on to finish setting up stuff.
Thursday is pretty laid back. We can take the time to do many things. Work on camp projects, cut n chop cards, tool craft and fire craft and there is always a rope that needs a knot or two in it. All around camp men and boys are working hard or hardly working . . . it takes all kinds to make it all work. The talkers talk. The workers work. The cooks cook. The boys play.
It's time for Dinner. The Expedition Group has the first main evening meal. Back at home they had planned the menu and what was brought was cooked and served by this group. Precooked Lasagna, Salad, bread sticks and bug juice with a blue berry cobblers. YUM! While the boys were there they each made up a baggie omelet and wrote their name on the gallon plastic bag and placed it in the cooler.
Evening brought on more games and setup. 11:15 Discovery Rangers hit the bunk. 11:30 AR and then the rest of the camp... Breakfast was being cooked by the Adventure Rangers at 7:00 .a.m.
BOOM! Boom Boom went off with out a hitch. The old cannon hadn't been fired for 2 years and Boom Boom let the camp know he was there. Commander Jones seemed to get a kick out of it . . . any way.
The AR boys put the water on to boil and the boys were given 2 to 3 eggs each to break and place in the gallon bags with the rest of their ham, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, sausage and other stuff of course leaving out the shell. 108 eggs went in fast! 13 minutes later we were enjoying the finest baggie omelet money could buy. YUM. With coffee, milk and O. juice we patted our full little bellies (some larger than little grin) and got busy finishing up setup for camp.
The District Staff members in our camp were busy doing the various tasks they always do at Pow Wow and they would come back at lunch time or when what ever it was they were doing was done then leave again for something else. The day's camp commander was responsible to line up and backup Sr. Guide with the various jobs from the duty roster and do roll call. After these formal tasks were done and breakfast was cleaned up we had a whole day to get things done. Things that needed done were completed and other various jobs were completed. Lunch of sandwiches and boys having fun. 1:00 pm. we sent 20 boys off to the paintball field. After a couple hours of shotem up and mark up up.
The boys opted out for a swim in the pool. So a trip to Eldon was made and the boys spend a couple hours in the public pool...aaaahhhh! Return back to camp.
Friday night was exciting. Supper was LFTL quality. Oh was it good. What a blessing not to have to cook these major meals. All we had to do was show up and eat and get back to it. Back at Camp the boys and commanders were busy putting on their costumes. Western days. Our outpost had made 47 rubber band guns, paper mache cow boy hats and lariat ropes for everyone in our outpost. With a long sleeve white shirt and blue jeans and a read bandana we were a site to behold. The FCF Callout was the first event with Costume Judging, skits, stunts and yells. Then we called out 56 souls for our Frontier Adventure in 2 weeks. WOW. The Lord is blessing our ministry with many new members!
Pageant and worship service led by Parson, James McHaffie had a following of 89 decisions to accept Christ. After a time of prayer and celebration we returned back to our camps for snacks and fellowship and fun. 3 ice cold water melons were sliced up and peanuts and marsh mellows were consumed in mass quantities. It was a good day. At 11:15 it was time for bed. Discovery Rangers hit their bedrolls then AR and the rest of us followed.
Saturday met with a early rise. 5:30 Staff headed off to cook breakfast for the camp. Rangers came in at 6:30 to eat a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast and cereal. YUM. Saturday morning assembly with flag and uniform inspections. This year we didn't have to wear uniforms. WE just had to be a like. (I like uniforms) Color Guard posted colors and lead in pledges. Then Parson brought the morning devotion and the days events were talked about and dismissed. 9:00 to 4:00 with a break for lunch was a busy time with all kinds of activities being done. From shot gun shooting, to pinewood derby racing, to flint and steel to root beer and pork rines all kinds of physical activities Big Wheels, Archery, BB Gun, Hawk and Knife throwing, Checkers, pulley rides, mud slides and another 10 events or more I can't think of right now. THESE BOYS have a whole day to walk around and do these events and have a great time at it.
While all this is going on the campsites are being judged. The points are being tallied from all the workdays and special projects and pow wow contributions. Each person doing what they can to make this all happen is amazing to me. A whole bunch of folk with a selfless servants heart. I praise God for you folk.
Saturday evening. The LFTL group and the Teen Challenge boys were busy cooking us up some more "TOP OF THE LINE GRUB" Wow what another blessing to behold. Thank you for taking this cooking burden off our backs. IT WAS the BEST FOOD and the BEST WAY! THANKS!
The boys and men returned back from chow and prepared for the BIG Pageant and the Competition Results. Ribbons were given out 1st place camping then 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th places all by points. Then the 7th place - 1 place trophies were given out. It takes a lot of work to get these top trophies. Lots of little things have to happen to get the points to take these trophies. Work days, Invite Guests, Restroom Cleaning, Trash Pickup, Pow Wow contributions and being on time and not getting any deviations.
Saturday night was a celebration night. Recognizing the boys and leaders for their hard work. We sliced open 3 more ice cold water melons, pulled out a box of slim jims, marsh mellows, peanuts in the shells and stayed up late.
Sunday was another early morning. Staff again showed up early to cook breakfast for the camp. Ham and pancakes, syrup, butter, and cereal with juice and milk and coffee. YUM. Then Sunday school and departure.
We broke camp in record time this year and ate lunch back at the Church and was able to get all the gear put away and hang the tents up in the garage and be back home by 3pm. WOW. All I have to say is Thank you Jesus and thank you So. Mo. District Royal Rangers.
Mark Jones.
p.s. I am still hoarse from shouting too much at Pow Wow! It's a good thing to be hoarse. Thanks again Jesus!
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Link to the Pinewood Derby Pictures
