{"id":1250,"date":"2011-08-10T20:04:39","date_gmt":"2011-08-11T00:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/?p=1250"},"modified":"2011-08-10T20:04:39","modified_gmt":"2011-08-11T00:04:39","slug":"the-power-of-a-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/?p=1250","title":{"rendered":"The Power of a Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!<\/p>\n

Today Father, my heart is virtually overflowing from this morning\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned last week, through the kindness of the Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation<\/a> I had made arrangements to attend \u201cMedia Day\u201d<\/em> at Kay\u2019s Kamp<\/a> today, so I could see first-hand what this unique camp is all about.<\/p>\n

Kay\u2019s Kamp is currently the only pediatric oncology camp in Delaware.\u00a0 It\u2019s the realization of a vision held by Kaylyn Elaine Warren, who left this earth to join You in March of 2007 at the tender age of 18.\u00a0 While going through treatment for leukemia herself, she learned first-hand the effects that battling a life-threatening illness can have on the world of a child. \u00a0With that thought in mind, she envisioned a way for other children in that situation to have a place to revel in their childhood; to spend time not focusing on survival, but on being a child and living<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 When Kaylyn left to be with You Father, the torch was taken up by her family and close friends who formed the Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation in her loving memory, and began the long journey of making Kaylyn\u2019s dream a reality.<\/p>\n

Kay\u2019s Kamp opened for the first time on August 8, 2009, and has been an amazing Blessing for the children they\u2019ve hosted each year.\u00a0 Since Jonathan attended that first year, we\u2019ve come to think of these people as family Lord, and I thank You from the bottom of my heart for bringing us together.\u00a0 It\u2019s a testament to Your love that the selfless vision of one sick young girl could bring such light, laughter and hope to so many others.<\/p>\n

And today, I got a wonderful opportunity to see the love they bring to these children.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

As Jonathan had attended Kamp for two years already, I thought I had some concept of what was involved\u2026 I wasn\u2019t even close.<\/p>\n

As I drove onto the beautiful grounds of Saint Andrew’s School<\/a> where Kamp is currently being held, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sight I beheld.\u00a0 The main field was full of blue-shirted Kampers and staff, all standing around a huge multi-colored hot air balloon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As a surprise for the children, the Kamp planners had arranged for hot air balloon rides and they were in the process of rotating the kids through their turns.\u00a0 When the breeze kicked up making further rides impossible, the Kampers paused for some quick photos and then were whisked off to the main building for the rest of the day\u2019s activities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the watchful company of one of the Kamp\u2019s wonderful staff, I spent the rest of the morning going between buildings, and experiencing some of the myriad of well-coordinated activities they filled the children\u2019s days with.\u00a0 From arts and crafts projects, to a brainstorming session for the Kamp\u2019s daily newsletter, to splashing around in the beautiful indoor pool, the Kampers were kept well entertained and cared for by the tireless and devoted Kamp Staff.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On every Kamper\u2019s face I saw nothing but smiles, reflecting joyful memories that I know they\u2019ll take with them when Kamp ends this Saturday.<\/p>\n

On the way out, I got the opportunity to stop by \u201cThe Zoo\u201d<\/em> (the Kamp Medical facility), and spoke with Mary Ellen McKnight who heads and coordinates the medical staff that resides there throughout the week.\u00a0 Although certainly tired from the week\u2019s activities, like every other staff member I encountered today she was positively beaming<\/span><\/em> about the experience and couldn\u2019t say enough about how thankful she felt to be involved with such a worthwhile endeavor, and such wonderful people.<\/p>\n

All in all Father, it was a joyous and humbling visit.\u00a0 I was absolutely Blessed by the experience.<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the wondrous gifts You bestow on these children through the selfless efforts of the Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation.\u00a0 Please continue to Bless them on this inspired mission, and allow the light You shine through their efforts to be sent out to the world through the children they serve.<\/p>\n

In Jesus’ Name we pray,<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n

~Phather Phil<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father! Today Father, my heart is virtually overflowing from this morning\u2019s experience. As I mentioned last week, through the kindness of the Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation I had made arrangements to attend \u201cMedia Day\u201d at Kay\u2019s Kamp today, so I could see first-hand what this unique camp is all about. Kay\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[350,1699,1706,851,168,256,1113,1703,107,286,132,829,1705,915,375,1707,607,487,676,611,4,173,42,228,24,208,444,593,916,464,1701,1704,475,1714,269,116,109,222,1708,267,374,1697,1664,190,757,161,345,1070,1698,104,96,1710,1665,641,1711,141,506,123,1696,793,56,1695,16,445,1712,587,217,1282,137,571,629,232,732,73,1693,1700,114,40,1709,738,1694,240,663,481,1702,378,379,371,1498,97,1713],"class_list":["post-1250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-emails-to-god","tag-amazing","tag-amazing-blessing","tag-arts-and-crafts","tag-beautiful","tag-bless","tag-blessed","tag-bottom-of-my-heart","tag-brainstorming-session","tag-care","tag-child","tag-children","tag-company","tag-daily-newsletter","tag-dear-lord","tag-delaware","tag-devoted-staff","tag-dream","tag-earth","tag-efforts","tag-experience","tag-family","tag-father","tag-focus","tag-friend","tag-friends","tag-gift","tag-happy","tag-heavenly","tag-heavenly-father","tag-hope","tag-hot-air-balloon","tag-indoor-pool","tag-inspire","tag-inspired-mission","tag-jesus","tag-jonathan","tag-journey","tag-joy","tag-joyful-memories","tag-joyous","tag-kays-kamp","tag-kaylyn-elaine-warren","tag-kaylyn-elaine-warren-foundation","tag-kids","tag-kind","tag-kindness","tag-learn","tag-leukemia","tag-life-threatening-illness","tag-light","tag-loving","tag-mary-ellen-mcknight","tag-media-day","tag-medical","tag-medical-staff","tag-mind","tag-morning","tag-oncology","tag-oncology-camp","tag-opened","tag-overwhelmed","tag-pediatric-oncology-camp","tag-plan","tag-positive","tag-positively-beaming","tag-power","tag-pray","tag-project","tag-projects","tag-realization","tag-saturday","tag-sick","tag-situation","tag-smile","tag-st-andrews-school","tag-testament-to-gods-love","tag-thank-you","tag-thankful","tag-the-zoo","tag-unique","tag-unique-camp","tag-vision","tag-wednesday","tag-week","tag-well-coordinated-activities","tag-wonder","tag-wonderful","tag-wondrous","tag-wondrous-gifts","tag-worth","tag-worthwhile-endeavor"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Kamp-Krossing-Sign-Cropped.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p18mMc-ka","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1250"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1254,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250\/revisions\/1254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.phatherphil.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}