Tomorrow morning, I will be heading to Frenchtown, NJ. My destination will be an island that sits in the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
I will be spending 5 days on the Island painting. Why? Let me tell you about this little island. It is New Life Island - a Christian camp for teenagers that also hosts retreats for ladies and men after the regular camp season. "No one leaves the same" is their tag line, and is it ever true. My husband attended as a teen, and became involved on staff in later years and counseled for 3 years after that. This camp has had a huge impact on the lives of countless teens, churches, and has for me, changed my life through its impact on my husband. We are now pursuing a lifetime serving in youth ministry.
Last year, the island was flooded during the "50 year flood". Many buildings were ruined, but by God's grace they were able to pull everything together in time for the summer camp season. However last year, after all that hard work and money spent on repairs, the area was flooded yet,again, and they had to close their doors during the camp season which set them back $40,000 in expected and much needed revenue. In addition, they also have major expenses in repairs.
My goal is to paint the special places on the island, the cabins,the pathways, the beautiful red bridge, the dining hall, and this time next year, we will auction the paintings and all money will go toward the Island.
Keep watching for updates in the next five days. I look forward to sharing the experience with you.
~Rebecca
