We are almost 2 months into our home assignment time here in Canada. We've had a great few weeks here speaking in camps, visiting friends and speaking in churches!
Camps
We had 5 weeks of Bible Camp service from Northern Manitoba to Southern Saskatchewan and almost everywhere in between! This year was different from years past, because the boys are getting bigger and more able to serve at camp themselves.
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.
All in all it was a great camp ministry experience. We started off in camping ministry and love coming back to it every so often to serve churches that support us and also to speak into the lives of young Canadians. It also helps me hone my speaking and preaching skills. I am of the opinion that if you cannot speak to kids and keep their attention, you may not be keeping the attention of the adults you are trying to speak to! So this is an incredible help in my preaching and teaching ministry as well!
We saw God do some amazing things those 5 weeks of camp- from providing vehicles and accomodations and finances to speaking into lives and turning hearts towards Him. We were not after many easy "converts" but were going about our Fathers business making "disciples", followers of Jesus who are willing to turn from their sin and follow and trust in Jesus. We sowed the seeds and will not really be able to see what grew- maybe ever in this lifetime! But God is in charge of the growing and many kids expressed a desire to follow Jesus! Praise God!
Churches
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!
Vacation
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!
After this we travel to Alberta to officiate at the wedding of Rebecca Hoople an MK from Mexico who is getting married August 20th. She was our faithful and excellent babysitter in Mexico. Sharlene and I stodd up for Rebecca for her grad as "Padrinos" -kind of like "godparents" and we are all looking forward to being there for this next step in her life as well!
From there we head to Ontario to speak at a church in Ottawa and then a short stint to Quebec City before coming back to Southern Ontario to visit family and supporters and perhaps some potential supporters.
It is inevitable after being on the mission field for 5 years to need to re- establish full support. So we are again on the lookout for people whom God has chosen to partner with us financially in this ministry. If you are interested in investing in this ministry of training pastors and leaders and church planters for the unreached and needy parts of Mexico- please feel free to call or email us and we'd love to sit together with you over coffee or a meal and tell you the wonderful things God is doing!
If you are already a faithful supporter and won't be able to make it out to one of our church dates but would still like to get an update and visit with us-- please call or email us! We'd love to come see you!
Thanks again for your faithfulness in financial and prayer support. We could not do this without you!
Mike for the family.
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