Thanks to everyone for all of their prayers over the past few weeks. Jeannette and the girls as well as her parents arrived safely this past Wednesday. They had an uneventful trip up from NC.
We were very blessed in having a group up from Signal Mountain, TN helping us this past week. They were a great help in getting final preparations for our evangelistic camps as well as doing a tremendous job stacking loads of woods for us. Many thanks to Jason and his crew for all their help and their encouragement to us!
The last half of the week was spent in training our staff. We had some great times together as a staff preparing both spiritually and operationally. We covered everything from "How to lead a child to Christ" to Emergency Evacuation Procedures in the event of a fire and everything in between. As a staff we have several praise and worship songs that are continuing to impact us as we listen and participate. One of them is "Glorious" as performed by Chris Tomlin. If you have never heard this powerful song listen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHJSsvp9ns
Please pray for us this coming week as we begin our Teen camp. The campers are scheduled to arrive sometime mid morning with our first official event being lunch. Please pray for our speaker for the week, Mark Gold, that God would speak through him to our campers. Pray also for staff unity and for a smooth week as we all get back into the routine of camp, and as we are doing a few things different this year.
Thanks again to everyone that is keeping us before the Father. We covet your prayers during these days!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What I have Learned...
I have completed my first full week here at the camp and look back with excitement and awe at what we have been able to accomplish. With only a skeleton crew, but with a lot of determination and elbow grease we were able to accomplish a lot of work. We successfully cleaned the main dining lodge and chapel as well as six separate cabins that will house couples and individuals as they come through this summer. When I say "we" I am referring to the group of young ladies that were here for the week who did the heavy lifting on the cleaning. While all of us pitched in and helped with it, the bulk of the load was carried by them. When I say "cleaning" I an referring to genuine, bona fide cleaning. None of this cleaning we did as kids when mom asked us to dust a room and we hit the high spots. The spring cleaning that goes on here entails removing lights fixtures and cleaning the insides, if it is wood it gets wiped down with Murphy's Oil (including the ceilings thanks to the summer staff guys!), other surfaces get the Mr. Clean treatment, cabinets wiped inside and out, everything gets dusted and wiped down, swept, vacumed, and mopped, windows cleaned inside and out. Lots of work. In addition to the cleaning we had to get the water and gas turned on to several of the cabins which led to a few plumbing issues. A lot of other smaller "projects" were completed this week as well which will ensure smooth operation of the ministry throughout the summer.
At the end of the week this is what I have learned:
1. We have it easy in the 21st century.
I am reading a book by Frank and Marie Drown titled "Mission To The Headhunters." This couple served as missionaries in the eastern part of Ecuador for years ministering to the Shuara people. I had to drive 3 1/2 hours from an airport to get to the camp here. The area where the Drown's worked was accessible by traveling one day by train, one day on a crowded bus, several days on horseback. In addition the other missions outposts were only accessible by walking sometimes several days through the jungle. When MAF and Wycliffe (now JAARS) entered the area with missionary aviation it cut down the travel time drastically, but these early pioneer missionaries still had to live a very primitive lifestyle. Early on the highlight of their week was the weekly radio traffic on Fridays. It was so important to them they would ration their gasoline during the week so that they could run their generator long enough to catch up with the other missionaries in their part of Ecuador. Frank would later lead the search party and be one of the first to discover the fate of the five martyred missionaries at the hands of the Auca Indians.
2. There is a generation of youth still willing to serve God.
It has been awesome this week to work with some of the summer staffers here at COTW. These are individuals in their late teens and early twenties who have given up their summer so that they can impact the youth of this area for Christ. During all of the cleaning and jobs that were done this week there wasn't heard a single disparaging comment or complaint. It's not glamorous to wipe down an entire bathroom with Mr. Clean, or spend your day on a ladder wiping Murphy's Oil on the ceiling. But they did it and did it with the right attitude. Glamour trophies aren't given out for these kinds of jobs, but in my book these summer staffers and others that pitched in deserve one.
3. Anyone can help on the mission field.
We have a gentleman here at the camp for a few weeks from Tennessee. He comes up every year for several weeks for two specific things, help out at the camp and fish! I have enjoyed getting to know this guy over the past several days and swapping war stories with him. As a Vietnam Veteran he spent two tours of duty in Vietnam. After getting out he later re-enlisted in the Air National Guard where he recently retired. What an awesome testimony this man has of God's faithfulness through the years, and what an awesome example to others. Every year for the past eight years he has driven the 2 1/2 days to the camp. Once here he sets out to accomplish whatever tasks he is given. In the evenings he travels north a few miles to fish. Not for himself, but so the camp staff can enjoy a fish fry of fresh Walleye later on. Everything he does is about others.
4. Plastic water pipes + -40F temps = problems.
As the winter weather approaches later all of the cabins that are not lived in will be winterized. One aspect of this is draining the water from the house/cabin, blowing out the lines with air, and filling the traps with an antifreeze of sorts. When this is not accomplished properly havoc ensues! Imagine our surprise when turning on the water in a cabin came spraying out from underneath the sink in the bathroom. After repairing the shattered pipes we turned on the water again and more came spewing out from underneath the bathtub. More plastic that had busted. This time we had to wait until someone could run into town and pick up more plastic fittings to make the repair.
5. Bears can smell fish through bed covers on pickups.
This morning our friend from Tennessee showed us muddy paw prints from a bear on the bed cover on his truck. Apparently during the night a bear smelled fish through the bed cover and made a very rudimentary attempt to get them.
Thats it from the north for this time! Pray for this next week as we make more preparations for upcoming camp weeks!
At the end of the week this is what I have learned:
1. We have it easy in the 21st century.
I am reading a book by Frank and Marie Drown titled "Mission To The Headhunters." This couple served as missionaries in the eastern part of Ecuador for years ministering to the Shuara people. I had to drive 3 1/2 hours from an airport to get to the camp here. The area where the Drown's worked was accessible by traveling one day by train, one day on a crowded bus, several days on horseback. In addition the other missions outposts were only accessible by walking sometimes several days through the jungle. When MAF and Wycliffe (now JAARS) entered the area with missionary aviation it cut down the travel time drastically, but these early pioneer missionaries still had to live a very primitive lifestyle. Early on the highlight of their week was the weekly radio traffic on Fridays. It was so important to them they would ration their gasoline during the week so that they could run their generator long enough to catch up with the other missionaries in their part of Ecuador. Frank would later lead the search party and be one of the first to discover the fate of the five martyred missionaries at the hands of the Auca Indians.
2. There is a generation of youth still willing to serve God.
It has been awesome this week to work with some of the summer staffers here at COTW. These are individuals in their late teens and early twenties who have given up their summer so that they can impact the youth of this area for Christ. During all of the cleaning and jobs that were done this week there wasn't heard a single disparaging comment or complaint. It's not glamorous to wipe down an entire bathroom with Mr. Clean, or spend your day on a ladder wiping Murphy's Oil on the ceiling. But they did it and did it with the right attitude. Glamour trophies aren't given out for these kinds of jobs, but in my book these summer staffers and others that pitched in deserve one.
3. Anyone can help on the mission field.
We have a gentleman here at the camp for a few weeks from Tennessee. He comes up every year for several weeks for two specific things, help out at the camp and fish! I have enjoyed getting to know this guy over the past several days and swapping war stories with him. As a Vietnam Veteran he spent two tours of duty in Vietnam. After getting out he later re-enlisted in the Air National Guard where he recently retired. What an awesome testimony this man has of God's faithfulness through the years, and what an awesome example to others. Every year for the past eight years he has driven the 2 1/2 days to the camp. Once here he sets out to accomplish whatever tasks he is given. In the evenings he travels north a few miles to fish. Not for himself, but so the camp staff can enjoy a fish fry of fresh Walleye later on. Everything he does is about others.
4. Plastic water pipes + -40F temps = problems.
As the winter weather approaches later all of the cabins that are not lived in will be winterized. One aspect of this is draining the water from the house/cabin, blowing out the lines with air, and filling the traps with an antifreeze of sorts. When this is not accomplished properly havoc ensues! Imagine our surprise when turning on the water in a cabin came spraying out from underneath the sink in the bathroom. After repairing the shattered pipes we turned on the water again and more came spewing out from underneath the bathtub. More plastic that had busted. This time we had to wait until someone could run into town and pick up more plastic fittings to make the repair.
5. Bears can smell fish through bed covers on pickups.
This morning our friend from Tennessee showed us muddy paw prints from a bear on the bed cover on his truck. Apparently during the night a bear smelled fish through the bed cover and made a very rudimentary attempt to get them.
Thats it from the north for this time! Pray for this next week as we make more preparations for upcoming camp weeks!
Friday, June 5, 2009
What a difference a day makes!
What a difference a day makes! I flew out of Charlotte NC yesterday in warm sunny weather. The flight up to International Falls, MN routed me through Atlanta and Minneappolis with no significant issues. That is exactly how I like flying too, with nothing significant to report! The border crossing was about par for the course, i.e. me being questioned in addition to having my vehicle searched. The drive to the camp was uneventful and full of scenery. Across 502 I did see three black bears at different intervals. All were close enough that I could have rolled down the window and slapped them!
There were two work teams here at the camp when I arrived. Apparently both groups come up the same time each year and help with different projects around the camp. Interestingly enough one group is from Mississippi and the other from Minnesota. It can get quite interesting sitting back watching these men from different parts of the country interacting with each other. (I use the term interacting quite loosely!)
While many in the southeast were enjoying hot humid weather, it was in the upper 40's and rainy here all day. Last evening was chilly and tonite is supposed to be even cooler. Here it is 10:30 PM local time and there is still a sliver of sunlight peeking across the woodline on the other side of the lake. What a difference a day makes!
Pray for the two work groups as they head out tommorow morning. Also pray for the annual board of directors meeting that will occur tommorow (Saturday) here at the camp.
There were two work teams here at the camp when I arrived. Apparently both groups come up the same time each year and help with different projects around the camp. Interestingly enough one group is from Mississippi and the other from Minnesota. It can get quite interesting sitting back watching these men from different parts of the country interacting with each other. (I use the term interacting quite loosely!)
While many in the southeast were enjoying hot humid weather, it was in the upper 40's and rainy here all day. Last evening was chilly and tonite is supposed to be even cooler. Here it is 10:30 PM local time and there is still a sliver of sunlight peeking across the woodline on the other side of the lake. What a difference a day makes!
Pray for the two work groups as they head out tommorow morning. Also pray for the annual board of directors meeting that will occur tommorow (Saturday) here at the camp.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Launching
Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and support over the past few months. It has been a whirlwind of activity it seems for several weeks now. Several weeks ago we were able to minister at Lexington Baptist in Lexington, VA. It is awesome to be able to be in a church of a classmate of ours at Piedmont, Michael Wilburn. He and the leadership team are doing an awesome job there at the entrance of the Shenandoah Valley. This past weekend we enjoyed reconnecting with friends at Timberlake Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA. It is great to see that church thriving under the very capable leadership of Bryan Ferrell. Sunday evening we were able to share our ministry at Colonial Baptist Church of Blue Ridge, VA. This is the church where I first became aware of the ministry at Camp of the Woods. It was great to interact with other individuals who had been on missions trips to COTW in the past and be able to answer some of their questions about where the ministry is today.
Tomorrow is the big day as I will be flying out of Charlotte at 9:15AM. I am scheduled to arrive in International Falls at 3:49PM and will drive to the camp from there. Pray that all travel details will be smooth and for a safe drive north. It is only about three hours from International Falls, so I should arrive at COTW around 8 PM(CST).
Jeannette and the girls are scheduled to leave the Winston-Salem area on June 22 and head north. Pray for them as they drive, along with her parents, to the camp. Some were aware of our need for a new vehicle and God has provided.
Thank you again for your prayers and support. We are looking forward to what God is going to be doing this summer at COTW. We serve an awesome God are are looking forward to awesome things that he will do!
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