Today I promised Debbie and Edie that I would pay for their watches if Donald hasn't paid them back by the end of the summer. Larry said he would go half with me. It is Larry's and more my responsibility. We should have been more careful and thoughtful.

Wow! Carol, the camp nurse from two summers ago, came on staff a few weeks to help us with V.B.S. clubs in the city. See, she is presently attending Moody Bible Institute, and wants experience working in the city which of course, she didn't get when she was our camp nurse. She's an older girl from right here in Philly. I think she already had her nursing degree before she went to Moody; in fact, I think she is only been a Christian for three or four years

Anyway, I had a long talk with her tonight like I'd had with Annie, and I really like her. Barb told me that when she was camp nurse, she always seemed to be a worrier, ready to call any little thing an emergency and take the kid to the hospital. But it seems like she isn't that hyper now. She said a lot of things that really hit helped me. It all started out with her remark, "I'm slow in spiritual growth I was slow in coming to the Lord and I'm slow in my spiritual growth. Well, it sounded like one of my own frequent thoughts, "I'm one of God's special slows (for anyone who's read Up The Down Staircase).

Carol pointed out how strong her drive and desire is to control the situation. whether it be your life, an unruly Bible Club any conflicting and distressing situation. But if we're walking in the Spirit, and really trusting God, we'll let Christ control the situation. It's not self control, but Christ's Control! If we're trying to control things, we get upset when something happens to upset our plans! Carol said, "Before I was saved, I was trying to find a way to heaven, and after I became a Christian, I was trying to live the Christian life!" It's all selfish and carnal. The role of self fulfillment, self realization, actualization the bond servant first serves his Master, then eats, himself!

I'm going to enjoy having Carol with me these few weeks I can talk to her easily; and it will be good not to be alone all the time.

Well, the 23rd and Diamond Bible Club was an experience and a half! I was so pleased. Crystal and I went to Building 2308, Apt. 108 to see if any of Ronnie's sisters could come. We were having the club right outside on the grass. Frances wasn't there, but Brother's mother, Baby Doll, and another lady were there. The apartment was bare, a man was sleeping on a series of plastic milk crates in the front room! Crystal was shocked, and she grew up in the ghetto! Clara, James, and Punchy were there. Clara said she enjoyed camp. Anyway, Tasha, 7; and Darlene 6; and Chevelle, 2; and other assorted little ones (named are Ronnie's sisters) came to our Vacation Bible school. Well, thank you, Lord.

Tomorrow night Martha's going to come with me to get them she's teaching that age group. Lord, please make a way let them come all week and help this not to be self seeking in me me trying to control a distressing situation but truly a burden from You for this family.

Well, teaching at 23rd and Diamond outside on the grass truly has its distractions! Our classroom consists of a blanket on the grass next to a building. See, there are eight buildings around a center court and everybody is out in that court on a summer night, coming and going or just sitting. Anyway, here we are trying to teach a Bible club with kids coming and going, kids not in the bible club, hanging around or racing around, Black Muslims coming up and engaging our staff in arguments. One came right up while I was teaching the missionary story. He was a little high and said, "You people don't really believe what you're teaching, do you? You're telling lies." Carol talked with him the whole time. He asked her at one point, "Are you ready to die for your faith?" She said yes. Then he asked her, "Are you ready to die now?" Shook her up a little bit.

I was earnestly telling the story of Amy Carmichael when all of a sudden a commotion occurred in the parking lot right beside us. Someone yelled, "They're gang warring!" I lost half my kids as they ran to see. one kid said, wide eyed, "Oh! That man is chasing that other man with a knife!" Ruthie, another summer staffer, from Dordt College in Iowa, where Edie Gelderman came from too, Ruthie and I started grabbing kids and seating them. I said, "C'mon, let's have your attention on the story." I felt like adding, "After all, you can probably see someone get stabbed around here anyday, but you can only hear this story once!" I didn't though. 23rd and Diamond is the place the electricians and meter men don't enter without a police escort and many North Philly residents won't even go visit their friends there! I was at another high rise at 10th and Girard, and a fellow there told me that.

The Lord really helped the kids listen, though, as I told them God has a plan for their lives, that He didn't make a mistake in the way He made them, and that He wants to come into their hearts while they're young, so He can really guide them in His will, with no interference. That first lesson is really good.

Charlene, Crystal, Carol, and I guess Martha (from Taylor met with a lot of opposition and argument from Black Muslims tonight. We need to be much in prayer about this whole evening, that we'll be able to continue spreading the Word in this place.

Carol has this cute Muppet that she made for a class project at Moody. She used this long haired wig on it and made it look like a hippie. We take it around and use it to invite the kids to VBS before it starts you wear it on your hand. The kids really seem to like it. They all want to hold it, some kids threaten it, and one little bitty kid just looked at it as I invited him to club with it, and ran off crying to his mother

I just put two and two together. James asked where Ronnie was. I said at Barb's. He knew I meant at her mother's and looked kind of disappointed. So I asked him when was the last time he saw him. He said, "Day before yesterday." That's when I asked him to come to club, and he said he was going to play basketball. Ronnie, on Tuesday, said, "I've been playing basketball all week at 2308 and I still hate it." Evidently he's been spending some time around his brother.