Merry Christmas!

It is quickly coming to the end of 2011 and this letter is to inform you of all the wonderful news coming out of San Marcos this year.  We are very excited about the ministry going on here and we look forward to 2012.

            I am happy to report that we have finally started development of our very own Outdoor Education Program.  We will be offering 4^th Grade History, and 5^th and 6^th Grade Outdoor Science.  We are very excited as we consider how God will use this camp to minster to school kids from our area.  We have also brought on a full-time Outdoor Ed coordinator to help spearhead this effort.  Our new Outdoor Ed website is www.sanmarcosoutdoored.com.  Check it out!

We have made some significant improvements to our facilities over the year and things have really begun to shape up!  We have been busy raking, trimming, clearing, painting, repairing, and just basically doing everything we can do to reinvigorate San Marcos for the glory of God.  Take a look at our website to see some up to date photos of the camp by going to

www.sanmarcoscamp.com.

We are very excited about the future of San Marcos and we know that God has blessed us.  We have some big plans for San Marcos over the next 12 months and we would love your support.  Our Mission here is to help people SEE, KNOW, and EXPERIENCE God.  The current state of our camp is getting better but we are constantly working to provide a better retreat experience by providing the best possible environment that we can.  If you would like to join with us in our ministry here at San Marcos, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  I can be reached at (805) 705-8991.  Again, thank you for your thoughts and support, but most of all we thank you for your prayers.  God Bless!

We have had a wonderfully full summer.  Our July was nearly full and August is about 3/4 full.  We are busy providing quality retreat experiences to all of our guests.  Thank you to those who have come through San Marcos Christian Camp recently.  We hope you enjoyed your stay. 
Great upcoming news!  We are developing our very own Outdoor Science School here using the curriculum from our great partner in ministry, Thousand Pines Outdoor Science School.  What better place to study the natural environment than in a place where we have a year-round creek, oak and sycamore tree canopy, and a profuse variety of birds and insects.  If you would like to discuss this new program in detail, please feel free to call or email us here at San Marcos. 

Our Summer camp season has started as of yesterday.  Our first group arrived on friday and we are full until the end of August.  This summer, we have a wonderful staff committed to the mission of this place..."To help people SEE, KNOW, and EXPERIENCE God".  We are excited to see what God does here in the lives of the camper that will visit the camp.   

This June we offered our first Lifeguard Course at San Marcos.  we had 6 people taking the course and it went very well.  Our hope is that before every summer, we'll offer the course for the to not only San Marcos staff, but also to people in the surrounding community that desire certification.  6 people on our first go is a great success.

 

Spring is in the air!  Literally, the pollen from the oak trees is covering everything...The MMAPers have gone and our Spring Retreat Season has begun.  Over the course of the next two months, we have every weekend filled with retreats.  What an amazing testimony to the work of God in the camp.  We're full!  Or nearly so.  
In terms of rainfall, the "water year" is from Sept 1, 2010 to August 31, 2011.  We've had 45.39 inches of rain.  138% of normal.  What is amazing is all that water comes down our little creek.
We are looking forward to finishing our Spring Retreat Season strong and look forward to another season of Summer Camp at San Marcos.   

It is so interesting how God moves and works in the lives of His people.  Back in November 2010, a close relative suggested seeking the help of a group of traveling missionaries called the MMAPers.  There is a tremendous amount of work needed at San Marcos and they would be the perfect blend of willing service and skill.  The waiting list for MMAP assistance can be as long as two years!  However, when my close relative suggested that we pursue them, they just happened to have an opening in February 2011.  It was an amazing coincidence that brought MMAP to San Marcos this month.  We have 6 couples volunteering to upgrade our kitchen by installing tile on the floor and FRP on the walls.  The work never ends at San Marcos but with help like the MMAPers, we'll just keep chipping away at it.  Check out the MMAP website at www.MMAP.ORG to see some pictures of the projects.  God Bless! 

Our new Leadership Housing is almost finished.  Stay tuned and we'll get some pictures up to show the worl our newest cabin.  

This spring San Marcos will be offering Lifeguard Certification classes for the community.  If you are interested in being certified, give a call or email Jason@sanmarcoscamp.com.  Classes to tentatively begin in May.

Our paintball field keeps getting better and better.  The natural bunkers and intense setting make the games epic, to say the least.  We are toying with the idea of offering Paintball and barbecue combo.  Any interest in this?  Let me know @ Jason@sanmarcoscamp.com

Vance Newcombs 1965 book about the history of San Marcos is now available in pdf form in our History section. We are very excited to preserve this hand-printed treasure for future generations to come.

On Saturday the 16th, we had our first wedding ever at San Marcos. The camp was a perfect place to host the ceremony and reception, and our own Laura Aijian did the catering. See photos here.