"The best thing we do"

I just returned from my summer assignment in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. I was helping to staff the Hampton Beach summer project. Many people who have been involved in Campus Crusade for Christ have said they think that Summer Projects are the best thing we do. I have no real reason to debate that point. Every summer students from all over gather together to participate in either stateside or overseas projects. Stateside projects like the one in Hampton Beach consist of some of the best times of evangelism and leadership training that students could get.

Let me briefly walk through the weekly schedule of a student on summer project from the perspective of the Hampton Beach project that I just returned from. Starting on Sunday the students and staff attend church at one of the three partnership churches we have in that area. These churches love having our students each summer. The students help serve in the church also through leading Sunday School lessons. They also connect with their "host family" from the church. Monday students will go in to work somewhere in the local area. Students work Monday through Saturday as their schedule works out. The main emphasis of a US summer project is for students to get jobs so they will learn how to actively do ministry at their work. They will connect with co-workers and hang out with them in order to get to know them and even share Christ with them. In Hampton Beach many of our students work at places like McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and a local arcade. This is a great experience for students since they won't be in college all their life and will want to minister outside of their experience in college. That Monday night they had a weekly meeting like their weekly meeting on campus. The students lead worship and a speaker talks about how to apply the Bible to their lives.

Tuesday night they meet with Servant teams to help plan events for the project. The servant teams included an Evangelism, Community, Prayer, Operations, World Vision, Men's/Women's time and Weekly meeting team. After that they had a "Night of Reflection" basically a night to connect with God and process what He is teaching them on project. These were my favorite nights when I was on project myself. Wednesday night was Community Group night. This was a night for different groups to get together and connect over dinner and fun stuff. They also did Bible study and evangelism within this group. It is a fun night of just 10-15 students instead of the whole project. Thursday they had Men's and Women's time which is always a highlight for so many of the students. Friday night they had off to have fun and do what they wanted. Saturday they could work in the morning. In the afternoon the Evangelism team put on an evangelism event. This year they did a volleyball tournament which attracted over 100 people before getting shut down. Saturday evening the Community Team put on an event for the students to have fun with. This year they put on a $5 prom dance party. Throughout the week students are meeting with their staff discipler to get some teaching and also to do evangelism. US summer projects last for around 10 weeks.

After 5 weeks the staff loosen the reigns on the project and let the students take ownership of different servant teams discipleship groups and the overall leadership of the project. The staff actually leave and let the students take control. This sounds like a scary concept but the reality is that these students are put in a place to step up and lead. This can be the best time of the whole project. This challenge to lead can set up students for life back on campus and beyond. They no longer have the staff to fall back on but have to make decisions for themselves.

I love summer projects in general and Hampton Beach summer project specifically. I went to Hampton Beach as a student in 2003 and really learned what it looked like to lead. I'm excited to hear from these students just what they saw God do through them this summer when the project ends. Please be praying for these students as they take part in the project especially Sarah, Dan and Ema three students from Rutgers. Sarah has taken over leadership for the Evangelism team. I'm looking forward to what God will do through each of them. I hope this gives you some insight into summer projects. Continue to enjoy your summer and I will update you again soon.