Camp blog
Pre-Camp...
We started off with a new to us chevy Astro van from Turtleford , SK. We were headed to Swan River, MB to speak in a church and visit some friends/ supporters prior to going to our first week of camp.
Another friend lent us a tent trailer to help us make our trips a little less expensive and also to accommodate us should any camps not have enough room for a speaker family of 5...
The van-camper combination didn't last long as just a short time into the trip we realized that the camper was too heavy for the van. Every time we slowed down, we lost brakes and steering! So we CAREFULLY made our way as far as we could until the check engine light came on! We found a campground near saskatoon and bunked down there for the night. Our friend who had lent us the van brought us another vehicle ( chevy suburban) to help us out.
The suburban seemed to be doing well for a while. Then, in the last half of our trip for that day it just stopped for no apparent reason. It would eventually start again- it did this four times in the last 200 kms of our trip- meaning we arrived later into the evening. Thankfully the northern summer sun still shone nicely until almost 11:00pm and we had enough light and time to set up the camper.
It was a blessed week as we visited with friends and a brother in Christ/ mechanic gave the truck a look over to help us get on our way to our next destination.
Steeprock Bay Bible Camp...
It's always better coming back to somewhere than going there for the first time. I remember a couple years ago arriving at steeprock to the accomodations they had for us and being a little shocked! This time, we had our tent trailer--- but we were not prepared for the welcoming party.
It was the most insect-filled place i'd ever seen! There were bulldogs (large horseflies that take chunks out when they bite) millions of mosquitoes (more than i've ever seen anywhere) and other various bugs... when we finally got our trailer up (in the dark) we had to use some mosquito poison (coil) to kill the hundred or so that were planning on emptying us of our excess (and not so excess) blood...
It did a good job, but then the camper was filled with smoke we had to get rid of, so we opened the windows – only to find another problem. No-see-ums... a tiny little biting bug that is small enough to fit through the screen holes-- and soon we were filled with them-- so we closed up the windows and killed off whatever bugs we could see--- it was now 1am and time to maybe get some sleep.
After trying for an hour- we realized that somehow, more bugs were getting in-- we kiled another 50+ mosquitoes and duct taped any openings we could find-- then drifted off again to sleep- kinda- until about 4am- when the ubiquitous sounds of 50+ blood sucking mosquitoes filled our trailer again and I could no longer sleep... I killed what I could and took some of the boys with me to the truck where we tried to sleep-- but the sun was already up and it was difficult...
That day they put us in the same accomodations we had last time, but this time it was like a luxury palace compared to the insect infested tent trailer! We slept REALLY well the next night!
The camp itself went very well- there were about 40+ kids from the surrpunding area and moose lake, MB. We only had 1 chapel session at this camp, but I also had the opportunity to speak to the staff in the mornings about discerning God's will and following Him. God blessed the time we had there and the Good news was presented clearly! Seeds were sown and we'll find out in Heaven what took root! Elijah also had the chance to serve as a jr. counsellor that week- it was a growing- stretching experience for him too!
Big River Bible Camp
We were given a cabin to stay in in Big River- and our boys were not with us that week! They had been picked up and taken to Silver Birch Bible Camp for their own week of camping without mom and dad...
BRBC used to be a place we dreaded to go--- we had OUR camp (Pine Ridge) and used to dislike this camp a lot! But Jason and Anita Boucher have been used by God to develop an excellent discipleship center / camp and we saw their heart and dedication for the kids and for the staff... they have been raising up local First Nations and non-first nations staff for the last few years and have a great group of people there. There was an awesome feel to the camp as Jesus Christ was lifted up and it was obvious that He was first in that camp!
We heard testimony of many kids and staff saying that they were blessed by the messages- God had touched them and taught them about himself... Praise God!
Silver Birch Bible Camp.
Silver Birch is the camp our kids consider “their” camp. We pastored here for a few years and directed camp for 3 summers here. Our kids were “camp kids” their before becoming real campers themselves!
This week, I was the director and Shar was helping in the kitchen. Caleb and Elijah were both able to join a cabin and enjoyed their week of camp. Jacob helped out in the kitchen and was “big brother” to a few of the younger kids whose parents were working at camp that week. We were all blessed...
The Monday night we were about to have our campfire when we heard rain coming across the lake... we quickly decided to cancel the fire and send the kids to their cabins.
In the 4 minutes it took me to help clean up some stuff and take it to the kitchen, a fierce wind blew across the camp and blew the dining tarp (about 20x30 feet big) clear off its frame as soon as I was in front of it. We ran into the chapel and called for all the campers to come to there-- we watched as trees were bending in abnormal ways and rain pounded the building. The power went out and we sang and prayed for the hour and a half that the wind continued. After it abated, we all went back to our cabins and got to sleep.
The next day were were met with the aftermath of the storm. A tree had fallen on the path we all took from the campfire to the cabins / dining hall. Thankfully, noone was hurt! There were 5 trees down in camp in all and several that had the tops blown off. We spent the first part of the morning all helping to clean up the trees, branches and other stuff that had blown around.
About 100 Meters away there was a swath of land where probably 40-50% of the trees were either blown completely down or their tops were blown off-- it was not far from us and was far worse than what we experienced-- we only got the sides of that wind, praise God!
We survived for 44 hours of a power outage thanks to the hard work of the maintenance crew and the generous lending of a couple generators to keep our kitchen going well!
The chapel messages for the first few days had been about darkness- the darkness of sin within us. We were in the darkness during this time! As soon as the chapel messages changed to being about the Light, the lights came back on!
We saw God move mightily at this camp and we're thankful for his including us in this aspect of His work!
Island Lake Bible Camp
Island Lake is the camp run by another of our sister BGC churches in Turtleford, SK. It was a pleasure to serve with them again. It's the 3rd time in the last 6 years we've been able to be speakers at this camp.
There were 43 teenagers and only about 11 staff- including cooks and speaker! Thankfully the campers never caught on as to how much they outnumbered us, or we may have been in trouble!
I was speaking on offering ourselves as living sacrifices and what that looks like- to not be conformed to the world, and to be transformed in Christ's likeness. The campers were challenged to Love Jesus with al their heart soul and strength and serve Him by loving everyone else like themselves. I think they really understood what that meant, because many were wrestling with what that realy meant, to give up even our own lives for Jesus- to make Him first. Seeds were sown, we'll see in the coming years if and how they grew...
Glad Tidings Bible Camp.
This was a VERY different camp then we were used to. We are northern- Saskatchewanians, for the most part. All of our camps have been on lakes in heavily treed areas-- This camp brought us down to the bald prairies of Southern Saskatchewan where trees are an oddity!
This camp was built on a man made "lake" (kinda more like a slough) that someone in the neighbourhood thinks is big enough for a motor boat and waterskis! They have a pool, but it is in need of repair and was unavailable for swimming. Some fo the brave kids would go into the slough to swim- and had a good time doing so!
The biggest attraction at this camp was the horse program! They have a bunch of horses (and donkeys) for the kids to use at this camp. They do a great job of teaching about following Christ through the horse program.
Caleb got to be a camper during this week- for the 3rd time this summer! He was in a cabin with his best friend Matthew (who used to live in the area). Their cabin was notorious for its "man-smell" that emenated from it at all times of the day. I think they'll have to burn it down to get rid of that awful stench.
Elijah was a jr. cabin leader this week and seemed to enjoy his time there. He got the opportunity to give a devotion, and like a good calvary chapel-er he did a verse by verse message for his campers. Elijah's sr. counsellor was impressed with his ability to communicate to the guys!
We spoke that week and it went well for the most part. It was the toughest group I've ever spoken too in my memory! They weren't as attentive as I'm accustomed to. I've spoken to this age group before- but usually to northern youth- primarily Native kids. This is the largest group of "church kids" I've spoken too before.
God was still working as 2 kids came to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. One was a recent immigrant from Zimbabwe, Africa. He was telling us in his testimony that he used to be a bully and would beat up on kids- even though he went to Church in Africa- he was a very bad boy. He repented of his sin and placed his faith in Jesus that week! During the last night, some of the kids started a pillow fight. He got excited and said " a fight o good, i must get my pillow... ahh wait, I cannot do that any longer, I am a man of God!"
All in all it was a great week and a great summer! Thank you for praying for us!
Mike for the family.
I spoke at 4 camps this summer and served as program director at one.
Sharlene spoke with me at 2 camps and worked as a counsellor and kitchen help in 2 others.
Elijah was a camper for 2 camps and a junior cabin leader for 2 weeks.
Caleb was a camper for 4 weeks and worked in the kitchen for 1- and Jacob was a semi-camper for 3 weeks, full camper for 1 and kitchen helper/ big brother to camp kids for another week.
Almost every Sunday was spent speaking in churches as well. It's been good to reconnect with supporters this summer. For those of you in Eastern Canada- we plan on being out there for the month of September. We'll be in the Golden Horseshoe area in the first 2 weeks of September or so- and the Georgian Bay area for the second 2 weeks of September. We have some churches lined up to speak at during that time, but we would love to get together personally with all of you if you can make it work! This is what this time is about!
We are currently on a short vacation to one of our old stomping grounds, Victoria, BC. Jacob was born here and has been praying for a long time that we could come back so he could see his "homeland". So we have been exploring the places that we often speak about, but he doesn't remember. He now has some pictures in his mind to put to those stories-and we have a few new stories to share with each other as well!
