These last days have been pretty wild (and wonderful as well). On Friday the 4th (go America!) we finished our first week of camps. With over 120 kids, it was quit a ride. Basketball, preschool arts, cheerleading, and (the very poplar and brand new) cooking for Kids. It was a wonderful time of outreach and ministry. On Friday we had a closing program with Timmy (the puppet) and presentations from all the different groups. I briefly shared about our church and invited the parents to come if they were looking for a church. It was all low pressure but hopefully planted an idea in their minds. Then at noon one of the teams put on a BBQ for all the kids and parents and we had time to just chat. Several people expressed a great interest in our church. There were families from Argentina, families from Korea that hardly spoke any English, and families from Scotland (don’t you love those British accents!) One parent told me “I really want some of this stuff for my kids. Can I enroll them in Sunday morning?” She was almost in tears as she spoke. I could tell there is a spiritual appetite. Please pray for her.Friday night the big team from Little Rock Arkansas helped with the youth. It was a great big party for everyone. Tiffany and I also had one of our cousins visit us from Manitoba that night.
Kyle, Tiffany, Mikaela, and I were working shooting a few scenes for the movie. That went pretty late. Sunday morning we were up early to get ready for church. In the afternoon we were getting all the last minute stuff ready for shooting (movie) on Monday. In the evening we were to meet the 2 teams that were coming down for the next week of camps. Were we ever in for a surprise.
At about 7 pm Kevin finally heard from the 2nd team. This was the group that was scheduled to run our basketball camp. They were about to be turned back at the border. They were finally allowed in, but only after swearing (literally) to not work with children. So the rest of the evening we were replanning and trying to figure out how to stretch our existing team to cover the needs.
Yes, that is how this week started. Oh yeah, Tiffany also got sick, I developed a mild flue, and Adam broke his wrist. So now we’re running several camps. We are short staffed in all areas but (with a lot of stretching on everyone’s part) we are making it happen. Kevin has taken on the basketball and the team from Oregon has split themselves up.
Pray for Kevin as he takes up coaching for the basketball.
Pray for Pamela as she organizes the camps even while running a preschool camp of her own. Pray for energy and health.
Pray for Kyle as he tries to get all the shooting organized.
And pray especially that we find the people that God is drawing to himself and to our church.
Thank you First Baptist for praying and supporting us!
John Martens, The Connection, Maple Ridge BC
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