DIRT Update

32 Camps in 10 Years!
I am writing this newsletter from a rustic cabin hidden in the mountains of North Georgia (thank you  Jake). The other morning when I woke up, it was 33 degrees and that was inside the cabin! Today, as I thought about what I need to share this month, I took some time to look back through my yearly calendars, and I realized something amazing. I have been blessed to lead 32 camps since 2001. That is an average of 3 camps per year! Wow... I think I’m tired.

Camps are People Laboring with Love

When it comes to creating great camp experiences, as soon as one ends, planning for the next one has already begun. To do things right, it takes a lot of time and energy from a whole lot of folks.
I praise God for the many people who have invested countless hours into the 32 camps we have hosted. There are blessings awaiting them in heaven for sure.

Time for a Sabbatical
A little over a month ago I went to our DIRT Crew Board of Directors and suggested that we take a much needed break. I am so thankful that they agreed to remove this year’s Summer DIRT Camp from the calendar. The Bible speaks clearly about the fact that all things need rest. We are told to keep a sabbath day of rest. Farmers are instructed to give their land a rest from producing crops every seven years. This seventh year of rest in known as a sabbatical. Even regarding the duties of camps, I believe a sabbatical rest is in order. For our camps, we are already three years overdue!


There Will Be A Summer Camp

Even though we are not hosting camp, students still need a summer camp experience. So, in place of this year’s DIRT Camp, we are planning to be guests at another great youth camp. This will allow us to be participants rather than planners. I am really looking forward to just being a camper and enjoying quality time with students.

The camp we are attending is called “SIFAT” (Servants In Faith And Technology - http://sifat.org).
I have taken two groups to SIFAT in the past, and it is an amazing experience. The camp focuses on the needs of third world countries and is an active lab for developing technologies to meet those needs. Students will learn by experience as they actually live in a simulated third world village. If you would like to attend, contact me right away, and I will provide all the details for you to join us.

WHAT WOULD SUPERCROSS BE WITHOUT DIRT?
Bryan Fox, youth pastor at Northwest Church in Acworth, Georgia, organized one awesome event. He teamed up with the Village Church and Eastwood Baptist to take over 100 students to the Supercross in Atlanta. Everyone enjoyed a night of racing, but they also did some planned witnessing while they were there. Here is a portion of Bryan’s email recapping the event...

“We ended up with 127 in attendance. At least 110 of them were students. This event was a little different in that we did as much evangelism to those we brought along as we did to those we were witnessing too. Our students did a great job of utilizing this event to invite their friends. This meant that there were a ton of unsaved people in our group and it gave the saved students some great opportunities to set the example for their friends.

It was great for the students from the different Churches to be able to interact and get to build some friendships that I hope will grow into long term relationships. We need to keep having these multi-group events. It stretches the kids, expands their sphere of friends, and gives them opportunities to meet other great Christian students from the area. Just think, some day a group of these students may decide to join together and start another church in one of their neighborhoods. You never know what may become of these multi-group events and the interactions of the students. -- Bryan”

DIRT CREW HEROES RESCUE A WOMAN BEING ATTACKED!
At this year's Winter DIRT Camp our theme was “Heart of a Hero”. Little did we know that Howard Brown (one of the attending youth pastors) and his wife Paige would find themselves being real life heroes in a daring rescue! As they left their church Monday night (March 1) they came upon a man attacking and stabbing a woman in the street. Before Howard could stop the van Paige jumped out and shoved the man off the woman. Howard chased him down and held him until the police arrived. Please pray for the victim’s recovery and thank the Lord that He protected Howard and Paige! Atlanta's 11 Alive News covered the story. You can read the story and watch the video of the news report on their web site. Click here...

SPRING BREAK MISSION TRIP TO TEXAS
Please be in prayer for Brian Lee as he is putting together his annual spring break mission trip. After several trips out of country (Mexico, Haiti and Honduras), this year Brian is taking students to Arlington, Texas. The mission team is a much younger group this year, therefore Brian wisely chose to stay in the states. Please be in pray asking God to orchestrate every detail of the mission and to provide all the funds that are needed. Students are hard at work raising funds for the cost of the trip. You could be instrumental in the ultimate success of the mission trip by sponsoring a student or just making a donation to be used as needed. If you would like to help simply make you check payable to “DIRT Crew” with “Texas Trip” in the memo line.

NOTE: 100% of the funds donated will go directly toward the costs of the trip. All donations to DIRT Crew Student Ministries are tax deductible. Statements are provided annually for tax preparation.

Mail Donations to:
Barry Dollar
DIRT Crew Student Ministries
3010 Wren Circle
Kennesaw, GA 30144

SOON AFTER THE GEORGIA FLOODS were over SBC Disaster Relief contacted Chuck Carver (DIRT Crew director in Trenton, Georgia) with an invitation for the DIRT Crew to help with flood clean-up. I want you to read the story in Chuck’s own words, but first let me share that Chuck just lost his dad to cancer. He had been providing 24 hour care to his dad through his last days. Keep this family in your prayers. Chuck writes...

“Hey Guys,
Today was quiet a day that almost did not happen. I got the call Thursday afternoon to bring students and help with disaster relief in Trion, GA. Part of me did not want to go, I had not been home on Saturday in months and I had so much planned, but I decided to go anyway and it turned out to be one of the most rewarding days of my life.

One of the students that went with us was wearing an ankle bracelet, under the guidance of the Juvenile Justice department. Many of the guys working this day in disaster relief were guys I had worked with for years. I challenged them to tell me which student was in Juvenile Justice. They could not tell the difference because ALL the students worked so very hard.

I wished you could have experienced with me the following scene. We finished the last house and were wore out. The students were walking back to the car and I was trailing way behind them when I noticed that the disaster relief guys stopped the students, took off their hats and shook their hands.  When I caught up with them you could tell that these students had captured their love and upmost respect. You see, most working in disaster relief are older retired men and I think it really meant a lot to them to see students give up a Saturday to do some of the most awful work that a disaster relief team can do. It was nasty, it was wet and stunk so bad you wanted to throw-up but the students pressed on and it impressed these old saints and myself.

I really wished more youth pastors could realize just what they are missing. There is nothing to compare with helping students get their hands really dirty!

Take care. Your friend, Chuck Carver”

Hats off to Chuck Carver and the students from Trenton, Georgia, who were able to go at a moment’s notice to get their hands dirty in Jesus’ name!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Words made famous is some past political campaign actually fit the scene last Wednesday night. I had the privilege of speaking to an up and coming DIRT Crew group at the Village Church in Hapeville, GA. Some of you might recognize that name because the Village Church had joined the DIRT Crew back in 2006. Due to a series of circumstances, the Village DIRT Crew fell by the wayside until recently when they introduced the new Youth Director, Howard Brown.

Last month I met with Howard and Pastor Ray for lunch to share the DIRT Crew vision, and Howard immediately got it! Since then he has been full steam ahead in reintroducing the DIRT Crew to a whole new group of students that are multiplying every week. When we met a month ago, Howard said they might have a half dozen students. When I showed up last Wednesday evening, I spoke to about 30 plus! I remember telling Howard at lunch that day that if we will honor God He will honor us, and the DIRT Crew philosophy is a God honoring ministry. Little did I know how quickly God would honor Howard’s commitment to implement the DIRT Crew.

I shared with the students that they are a very special generation. They may even be the generation that ushers in the return of Christ! Our world is desperately in need of some heros, and this Millennium generation of students have a God given desire to change the world. This is the foundation of DIRT Crew. Our role is to equip these students for the adventure of a lifetime; the adventure of being a hero to this lost and dying world with the love of Christ.

BARGAIN OF THE YEAR: $69 WINTER DIRT CAMP!
Our call to action is “Come Get Your Hands Dirty!”, and one upcoming opportunity is a Winter DIRT Camp in Norman Park, Georgia. Students will be attending from several churches including the Village Church. The dates are Wednesday, December 30, 2009, through Saturday, January 2, 2010. While there, we will provide hundreds of hours of community service all around Norman Park. Planning is underway and sign-up information will go out very soon. Please join me in asking God for 100+ students to attend.

This is a 4-day trip that we are offering at only $69 per student. Think about that - 3 nights lodging, 8 meals, transportation while there, study materials and all activities for $69! If you know a student who would like to go, or if you would like to bring a youth group, please contact me for the details. My email and phone number are below.

IMPORTANT: We will likely exceed our budget for this camp, so would you consider giving a donation to help underwrite this and the many other events we provide? Also, with every event comes the need to cover the cost for students who can’t afford to attend. Would you please consider sponsoring a student for $69. Share with us in the rewards of this ministry!

Acts 20:35 “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”