Lynchburg, VA Trip

Thank you everyone for their prayers. This past week I was able to travel to Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and represent the camp. In addition to talking to many students about coming up and serving on summer staff, I was able to talk about the camp in three seperate youth classes. Thanks to Dr. Steve Vandegriff, the chairman of the Youth Department for the hookup! In the small world category, one of the Youth Professors, Jonathan Geukgeuzian, has actually been to the camp as a teenager during a missions week.

While in Lynchburg I was able to reconnect with Brian Ferrell, a fellow classmate while at seminary at Liberty. Again, in the small world category, he now shepherds the church that we were members of while there in Lynchburg.

Please continue to pray for us as we raise our support for this summer. While we have had some response we still need to raise quite a bit more. Feel free to contact us at thollins001@carolina.rr.com if interested in joining our team as we launch in June for camp of the Woods!

Talents

We have an awesome graphic arts guru at our church who never ceases to amaze me at the talent that God has given him. I have attached 2 posters that he whipped up in a matter of minutes that will be used for recruiting purposes next week at Liberty University. It reminds me that any and all talents and abilities that God gives us can be used for Him. While we may not think of ourselves as "ministry material" because we do not think we can preach, sing, or teach (or anything else that we think are "ministry related"), God can use and wants to use what He has given to us. Who are we to decide what can be used and what cannot be used? We need the youth of this generation to catch a vision of what God can do through us...if we let Him. We need the adults of our generation to set the example. What about you? What talent or ability has God given you that you are not using for Him?

The Beginning

This was created so that we can keep those who are interested in following our ministry up to date. We are currently raising prayer and financial support so that we can spend the summer at Camp of the Woods in Northwest Ontario, Canada. http://www.campofthewoods.on.ca/

Camp of the Woods as a ministry has been around for more than forty years. Our first trip was during the summer of 1996 when Jeannette and I spent the summer working on the summer staff. Since then we have led two separate groups from North Point Baptist to the camp as well as two separate trips during the past twelve months. In the past couple of years the permanent staffing level has decreased and today there is one family working there full time. The need is great for workers and we are answering that call to go. One reality of answering the call is that we need to raise approximately $7,ooo in the next three months. While this may seem like a large amount, we are convinced that God will provide. And the way He provides is through His people as He leads them.

Not only do we need financial support, we also covet your prayers. WE CANNOT GO AT THIS ALONE! We dare not attempt this short term trip without bathing it in prayer. Please pray with us over the next days, weeks, and months.

1. Pray for Johnnie and Becky Bates as they are the only full time staff ministering on site at this time.

2. Pray that we would be able to raise the necessary financial support within the next several months.

3. Pray that God would bring together just the right summer staff for the summer camping season.

4. Pray that God would do something AWESOME this summer at Camp of the Woods!

Stay tuned for more updates!!!