The most challenging task of a summer camp director is in assembling the staff for the week. So, as a camp director, let me tell you how Nancy and I assemble our staff.
First and foremost is prayer. We pray for divine direction and intervention because we know that the camp belongs to God. Souls are at stake, and we want to get out of the way and let God be the Great I AM that He is and have complete control. Only He knows who the people are that need to be there for the camp program in order to minister to the needs of the children that He brings to the camp. So, as we pray continually, God works in several ways to bring us and staffers together.
Some examples of His ways are: 1.) He gave us previous year staffers, 2.) He prompts committed people to call us, 3.) He sends us folks who are recommended by pastors, 4.) He brings names to our mind that we inquire about and pray over, 5.) current and former staff provide recommendations, 6.) folks approach us at state sponsored church events and 7.) there are many other mysterious ways too numerous to list on how God provides.
Before calling anyone, we first pray about the staff members from the previous year. Every year, a persons circumstances will be different. They may have gone to work for a new company and can't get off because of schedule deadlines, they may not have accumulated enough vacation hours, or maybe a relative is sick and they have to attend to them. Or they might say, "yes" right away. We have had folks say "yes", and their circumstances change to where they couldn't serve. Others who said "no" before, may call us back and say "yes". Whatever a persons circumstances, its important for the director to be wise in the staffing process for the sake of spiritual unity.
Unity of Spirit among the staffers is imperative for the success of the camp. Each person should be more apt to follow than to lead, and to listen to God's whisper more than to be quick to speak their mind. The mark of a good leader is one who can be led, be honest, be meek, be humble, be kind and gentle, and above all be able to love the unlovable. Unity of Spirit occurs when there is no murmering among staff about other staff or campers, and everyone is marching to the same drum and following the same mission laid out by the director at the beginning of the camp week. As a strong "imperative", Unity of Spirit among staffers could be a fabulous sermon, but the point is that souls need God and "unity of spirit" will keep man aside and let God abide.
Sometimes God will bring a name to mind for a specific staff position and we'll get approval and call them on the phone. When this happens, the person on occasion has already been praying and thinking about working in camp, and God may have already placed our week of camp on their mind. Other times, a person may have been praying that God use them to minister in some capacity somewhere, somehow, and then they receive a call from us as an answer to their prayer. Others are led by the Holy Ghost and call us.
As long as there's prayer and trust in God, there's going to be a miracle. For example, before the 2005 camping season, Nancy decided to change the class logistics and have the campers attend a different class each day with a different teacher rather than have a teacher study for 5 separate lessons and teach the same group of campers each day. Weeks later, the name Mark Benning comes to mind. Now, we haven't seen, heard from, thought of, nor even prayed for Mark in over 5 years prior to this moment when his name came to mind. When I called Mark, and inquired about him serving as a cabin leader, he told me he had been disillusioned about working in camps but God had given him a dream while sleeping, two weeks prior, where Mark was standing before a different group of kids each day delivering a specific message that God had given him. Mark was confused about what the dream was all about. He had no intention of ever working in a camp again, but left it in God's hands. A chill went up my spine as I explained to Mark that Nancy was going to try, for he first time, a logistics change with the campers' changing classes. We both knew in that instant that Mark would also serve as a class teacher as well as a cabin leader, thereby bringing to pass God's intent on having Mark at Camp Boothe that year. Mark stated that his experience working in camp that year was the best ever!
Prior to the 2006 season, Mark was party to another miracle from God concerning camp. Nancy and I were having difficulty finding an evangelist, so we decided to ask some of our confirmed staff (who were also church pastors) to preach one specific night of the camp week. Well, the camp week started, and in the middle of the week one of pastors reported that a member of their church had passed away and therefore could not preach at the camp. After praying about what to do, I asked pastor Mark about preaching a second time. Mark explained to me that while praying and studying for the sermon prior to the camp week, the Lord had given him not just one message, but two. At the time, Mark had no idea what the Lord had in store. But once again, God provided the camp with the right message for the right group of campers at just the right time.
So, here is a list to give you a general idea of what a director thinks about when considering individuals for a staff position: 1.) faithful in attendance to local church, 2.) candidate may hold an appointed position in local church which requires some level of leadership responsibility, 3.) has a strong propensity to follow camp policy, 4.) respects leaders and their position and acts accordingly, 5.) demonstrates a unity of spirit and always speaks kind and positive words in conversation, 6.) apt to pray with others, 7.) ready, able, and proactive toward leading another person to Christ, and 8.) demonstrates a positive attitude and exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Whether it be early in the staff gathering process or in the middle, there's a state mandated requirement for every potential staff person to be authorized by the state office before they can serve. Therefore, the Staff Application is an "application" and not a guarantee; and everyone must fill out a new application every year, early, before the camping season.
Because of the very stringent requirements for assembling a camp staff, it would be very easy for someone to allow themselves to believe that staff are assembled in a "clickish" manner. This is obviously a lie/deception from the devil. Much prayer, fasting, and seeking for God's direction takes place in assembling a staff. Every application is evaluated fairly and with equal consideration of Godly intent and care. Therefore, everyone who applies may not get to serve.
We truly believe in the providential miracles of God in everything including the process of assembling a staff for summer camp. And God never fails to provide. Whether it be in assembling staff, developing activities, setting up for the week, operating the camp, or cleaning up afterward, there are miracles that occur every year in relation to summer camp. That's why I keep going back. God always makes Himself known in a real and undeniable way! And it always comes to pass by the hand of God with a committed, dedicated, and responsive staff whose desire is to point the way to Jesus Christ for the Glory of God!
If you are between the ages of 19-30 you are invited to attend a weekend retreat for young adults @ Camp Boothe. This event "Feed Your Roots" will be centered around relationships and personal discipleship.
Prayer time at church.
I gotta do that again!!
Praise God for a wonderful camp. These photos will show the rest of our story for Discovery Camp 2009.
Check out yesterday's water war! The staff used the element of surprise but the campers quickly retaliated. 
cooled off with a camper vs. staff water war!!!!!!!
The Lord's Spirit is great, and campers are praying for each other.
Young gents clean cabin award goes to Adam Wade. Congrats to all 12 of you!! Dirt cabin award goes to Michael Ford. Garbage bags for all 9 of you!!!
The strategy is supposed to be getting the water in the blue barrel. Think anyone else got wet?
These are getting pumped for competition.
Curly & Mitch
Bethany & Tim
Haley and Ami 
Our GREAT leaders: Floyd & Maria
Softball Club
Scrapbooking Club
Game board club
Drama Club
Can you find yourself???
Team Competition
Team Competition
Checkin' out the competition
How many campers can you get in a life-boat????
Don't let the water leak out of the holes......
Let's play ball.....
Snatch the Bacon
Waiting for team competition.
Boy's clean cabin
Girls clean cabin
Snack Shack
Wednesday Night Worship...Sarah Reeves
Boy's Clean Cabin Winners (Thursday)
Girl's Clean Cabin Winners (Wednesday)
Dr. Smith presents check to Bishop Mojica
Some members of the Praise & Worship Center, along with Dr. Smith, present a new church flag to be displayed at the camp.
The Praise & Worship Center also gave a new United States flag to the camp. This flag was given to Dr. Smith by the U.S. Veteran's Administration at the death of his father. 
Team Competition
Kingdom Players
Boy's Clean Cabin Winners (Tuesday)
Girl's Clean Cabin Winner (Tuesday)
Go Team!
Snatch the Bacon at Team Competition
Sunday night Worship...awesome service!
Boy's Clean Cabin Winner (Monday)
Girl's Clean Cabin Winner (Monday)
Dragon Slayers
Majesty, Majesty (aka doctor, doctor)
Clean Cabin Carisha Parude 
Clean Cabin John Paul Benning
Dinner Time
Registration
Cabin Sign-up
Directors Amy & Chris
