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| Heading Home -- 1st stop Tanana, AK, then Anchorage, then Chicago - last stop Charlotte (24 hr travel day) |
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| Our Team Leader -- God's Man |
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| First one to Anchorage wins.... |
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Heading Home
Affirmation Night
Wow - last night we had a truly powerful and Holy Spirit led night last night. While I can't reveal the details of the events -- suffice it to say, your CCC team led the way in not only lifting up one another, we led the way in lifting up the members of the other teams, the prayer needs of the camp, the prayer needs of the village of Ruby.
Camp Project Update
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the project.
To start -- the bathhouse -- are you ready for this -- Roger Huntington took the inaugural FIRST FLUSH! What an exciting moment! A project two years in the making has come to fruition. The bathhouse will allow the camp to be accessible year round to minister to the spiritual needs of the natives in villages. God has given Roger and Carole a vision to reach ALL of the Native families in the region and this project is critical to that vision.
The concrete pad for the generator is poured and complete -- Laurie, we missed your "and one" shoveling skills. But we actually used a different method --dirt filled buckets -- about 120 lbs per times 5 plus your "and one" bucket of cement. All in all, we had about 6000 of cement or about 16 yards of concrete.
Frank did a lot of trim work in the bathouse for the window boxes and moldings.
Shannon, Kelly, and Meredith all spent time learning how to make home made bread from scratch (ie the grain level). Again, I can't say enough good things about our CCC team -- God has truly blessed us with team dedicated to Serving the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords - Jesus Christ!
I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the project.
To start -- the bathhouse -- are you ready for this -- Roger Huntington took the inaugural FIRST FLUSH! What an exciting moment! A project two years in the making has come to fruition. The bathhouse will allow the camp to be accessible year round to minister to the spiritual needs of the natives in villages. God has given Roger and Carole a vision to reach ALL of the Native families in the region and this project is critical to that vision.
The concrete pad for the generator is poured and complete -- Laurie, we missed your "and one" shoveling skills. But we actually used a different method --dirt filled buckets -- about 120 lbs per times 5 plus your "and one" bucket of cement. All in all, we had about 6000 of cement or about 16 yards of concrete.
Frank did a lot of trim work in the bathouse for the window boxes and moldings.
Shannon, Kelly, and Meredith all spent time learning how to make home made bread from scratch (ie the grain level). Again, I can't say enough good things about our CCC team -- God has truly blessed us with team dedicated to Serving the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords - Jesus Christ!
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| The Concrete Crew! |
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| Down just a hair .... Got it! |
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| Nice and smooth...... |
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| Load number 100 -- about 30 more to go |
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| DJ "Mighty Mouse" and |
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| Mix Master Chuck! on the cement mixer |
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| Our Prayer Warrior -- Kelly |
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| Good job Shannon, nice and smooth..... |
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| Only a few more loads to go..... This has been an incredible team! |
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| Almost done. Lord Thank You and this Awesome Team! |
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A day in the life of a Missionary
Hey everybody back home at CCC. This is Tim posting a blog for the first time. I would like to start with our early morning devotion. As is customary on this trip, the CCC team is responsible for spiritual development of the whole camp.Kelly led our devotion this morning discussing bible passages leading up to Christ's Crucifixion. She discussed how the movie "Passion of the Christ" affected her and what would have happened if Jesus reacted differently in the verses she shared (Matt 26:23,Mark 14:37-42,Luke 22:42,Luke 22:49-51, Mark 14:62...) Kelly does an awesome job facilitating bible studies. Our church is so blessed to have her as a member.
After breakfast, our team was assigned the task of pouring a 24' x 34' concrete slab for a building to be built to house the existing generator that runs the camp. You may ask, how to you complete a task like this without a truck to bring it to you? Let me tell you, it is not easy. We had a small concrete mixer, what they call sand and stone (river boulders), portland cement and water from the nearby creek (coldest water you will ever drink without ice). Chuck and Meridith manned the mixer. Mark and a couple teenagers filled the buckets with the sand, stone, cement and water. Kelly, Shannon and myself placed, leveled and finished the concrete. We started at 9:00 am and finished half the slab at 9:30 pm. We mixed 32 bags and one bag mixed 4 loads using the mixer. We estimated mixing 128 +/- loads in that time period. Frank assisted in completing some of the carpentry items in the new bath house. I will say, the North Carolina team always gets the hardest and toughest tasks to complete each and every year and to coin a phrase from Pastor Jack, "we knock it out of the park each and every time".
We received a surprise visistor to camp this afternoon. The village elder, of the small village of Ruby, came to visit. This is the village we are assisting and praying for that someday the Lord will call a pastor to this tiny place on the Yukon. Don gave his testimony and shared with all the needs of Ruby Bible Church. He is also having health problems so we all gathered and layed hands on him and prayed. Vicki, our camp cook, followed with her testimony. After that, we broke up into prayer groups and prayed for our family members back home. It was a special time for me to pray again with Kelly, Shannon, Meridith, Kaylee, Frank and Don.
God is moving in this place in ways that are not always tangible. The work that is being completed around this camp allows for the Bible camp to be more successful in reaching the children when they come in a couple weeks.
We are all exhausted but are so full of joy. We have an amazing group of dedicated prayer warriors on this team and I am extremely proud to call them all my brothers and sisters in Christ. We have established a love for one another through bonds of hard work and prayer. I will sign off as we do after we complete every task..Whoo Whoo!!! ( Thanks Shannon)
After breakfast, our team was assigned the task of pouring a 24' x 34' concrete slab for a building to be built to house the existing generator that runs the camp. You may ask, how to you complete a task like this without a truck to bring it to you? Let me tell you, it is not easy. We had a small concrete mixer, what they call sand and stone (river boulders), portland cement and water from the nearby creek (coldest water you will ever drink without ice). Chuck and Meridith manned the mixer. Mark and a couple teenagers filled the buckets with the sand, stone, cement and water. Kelly, Shannon and myself placed, leveled and finished the concrete. We started at 9:00 am and finished half the slab at 9:30 pm. We mixed 32 bags and one bag mixed 4 loads using the mixer. We estimated mixing 128 +/- loads in that time period. Frank assisted in completing some of the carpentry items in the new bath house. I will say, the North Carolina team always gets the hardest and toughest tasks to complete each and every year and to coin a phrase from Pastor Jack, "we knock it out of the park each and every time".
We received a surprise visistor to camp this afternoon. The village elder, of the small village of Ruby, came to visit. This is the village we are assisting and praying for that someday the Lord will call a pastor to this tiny place on the Yukon. Don gave his testimony and shared with all the needs of Ruby Bible Church. He is also having health problems so we all gathered and layed hands on him and prayed. Vicki, our camp cook, followed with her testimony. After that, we broke up into prayer groups and prayed for our family members back home. It was a special time for me to pray again with Kelly, Shannon, Meridith, Kaylee, Frank and Don.
God is moving in this place in ways that are not always tangible. The work that is being completed around this camp allows for the Bible camp to be more successful in reaching the children when they come in a couple weeks.
We are all exhausted but are so full of joy. We have an amazing group of dedicated prayer warriors on this team and I am extremely proud to call them all my brothers and sisters in Christ. We have established a love for one another through bonds of hard work and prayer. I will sign off as we do after we complete every task..Whoo Whoo!!! ( Thanks Shannon)
Monday Camp Activites
On Monday, we had a very good work day at camp. I think we had a lot of pent up energy from our long boat ride on Sunday. So, right after one of Ms. Viki's famous breakfast meal, we got right to work. The team tackled to spearate jobs. Chuck, Kelly, Frank and I were working in the bathhouse. And Tim, Shannon and Meredith were prepping the concrete pad for the generator building.
Frank used his craftsmen skills on the wood paneling while Chuck, Kelly and I had fun hanging more, yep - yiou guessed it -- insulation. At the generator pad site, the team there dug out the footers and installed the board forms. Then later the rest of the team joined in to install the rebar and wire mesh. We got the site all ready for a big day of pouring. BUT -- the fun had just begun -- well, because there was still more daylight available. We went to do demolition work under the dining hall. You see, we had to rip out the OSB, insulation and foam core to allow it to dry out and have the oil heated flooring coils installed correctly. That was a very dirty job. Before work could begin we had to smoke out at least a gazillion mosquitoes. We also saw a bear paw print right outside of the access door. Chuck said that if he saw a bear up under there, he'd "bust through the floor" to get out. So, since Big Chuck was a little nervous, I went in first :-)
Friends let me tell you -- your team ROCKED -- we demo'ed the entire crawl space area in a matter of hours (with a small break for dinner). Like I said, we had a bit of pent up energy. The team worked extremely well together under some very uncomfortable conditions and through it all, we had a good time and never once complained.
Now the area is all cleared and drying out. Another team will be here in August to finish the project. This was an important task that aligns with the future vision of making the camp accessable year round. The main facilities have to be warm to be able to have discipleship and family ministry camps during the winter months.
Frank used his craftsmen skills on the wood paneling while Chuck, Kelly and I had fun hanging more, yep - yiou guessed it -- insulation. At the generator pad site, the team there dug out the footers and installed the board forms. Then later the rest of the team joined in to install the rebar and wire mesh. We got the site all ready for a big day of pouring. BUT -- the fun had just begun -- well, because there was still more daylight available. We went to do demolition work under the dining hall. You see, we had to rip out the OSB, insulation and foam core to allow it to dry out and have the oil heated flooring coils installed correctly. That was a very dirty job. Before work could begin we had to smoke out at least a gazillion mosquitoes. We also saw a bear paw print right outside of the access door. Chuck said that if he saw a bear up under there, he'd "bust through the floor" to get out. So, since Big Chuck was a little nervous, I went in first :-)
Friends let me tell you -- your team ROCKED -- we demo'ed the entire crawl space area in a matter of hours (with a small break for dinner). Like I said, we had a bit of pent up energy. The team worked extremely well together under some very uncomfortable conditions and through it all, we had a good time and never once complained.
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| Our adopted Team member - Melissa (aka The Wolverine) |
Now the area is all cleared and drying out. Another team will be here in August to finish the project. This was an important task that aligns with the future vision of making the camp accessable year round. The main facilities have to be warm to be able to have discipleship and family ministry camps during the winter months.Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Project Update
When we arrived on Friday, our team (in our usual fashion) jumped right in to get the projects going. Our team was the first team to arrive for this work week. We started in bathhouse staging materials and taking inventory. This is important so the plumber would know what was needed to complete the bathhouse fixtures, etc.... The first priority on the project list was to get the floors prepped to install the toilets and partitions. The entire team helped in this effort. We cleared, cleaned and painted the floors. When other teams (The Crossing at Birchwood - AK and Abundant Life - Portland) arrived the next day (Saturday) they were able to get right in and start on the installs.
All in all, the team that the Lord has called to serve Him at Kokrine Hills Bible Camp has bonded together well in one accord to accomplish the task He has planned for us.
On Saturday, your truly (inside joke) and Chuck, Kelly and Tim, installed insulation in bathhouse attic. And Kelly, Chuck and I installed more insulation in the pantry area and hallways of the bathhouse building. It took a while -- but the itchyness has gone :-)
Shannon helped Tim install the bathhouse cabinets. And Meredith did various important projects around the camp including prepared the craft room for the kids. Frank (the master craftsman) did a wonderful job installing the wood paneling in the bathhouse.
Frank (the master craftsman) did a wonderful job installing the wood paneling in the bathhouse.
Our Trip to Ruby
Hi Everyone, Sorry for being away for so long. Some of you were probably wondering if we had been eaten by a bear (or two). Well, although there have been a few bear sightings at the camp this week, we are all here and accounted for.
On Sunday, we took a trip down the Yukon to the village of Ruby. There are only about 160 people in the entire village and only a very small handful have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We set out at 9am and made it there about 90 minutes later. We had a wonderful Sunday church service there at the Ruby Bible Church. Don Honea Jr, one of the few Saints in Ruby met us along the road to church. We met Don and his family last year and we have been regularly emailing all of the last year. It was so great to see him again. At service, the few Saints who live in Ruby greeted us so lovingly. We came there to encourage them - but the faith and love they showed us actually encouraged US. Ruby, like most of the Native villages throughout Alaska are very spiritually dark, and these followers of Christ are like a bright shining light on a hill. While at church we let them know that our CCC family has been praying for a pastor to be raised up out of the village. When they heard this, they were filled with hope. The fact that we were praying for them and the fact that they KNOW God hears our prayers. After service, we had an opportunity to fellowship with one another. Then we began our boat ride back home.
Our boat ride was another adventure all together. We had a little bit of engine trouble. We took two boats to Ruby. But we came back to camp in one. About a few miles outside of Ruby, the throttle / transmission on the boat Tarek was driving with Shannon, Kelly and I were on, began slipping. Roger's boat came back to check on us. We made several attempts to fix it, and were towed back to Ruby a couple of times. But, we eventually ended up loading ALL 26 of us into a single boat and heading back to camp. About an hour away from camp, we had to turn back to a trapper's camp to borrow some fuel. We finally made it back to camp at 6pm. Thoughout the trip, we continually sang, prayed, and didn't complain. Interestingly enough, one of the reference verses we studied that morning was James 1:2. "Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." The additional time on one boat together brought us ALL closer together in unity. In fact, and not in a boasting way at all - but to show the Unity we have in Christ, we raised a love offering and presented it to Roger so that he could get his boat engine repaired. We (our families back at home) have to remember, these boats and small planes are the only way to get the kids into camp. We need to make sure these kids can get here to hear the Word of Christ. We need to pray they come to know Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. So taking up a love offering was our way of responding to the Holy Spirit in obedience to help continue the work of God in this camp and the nearby villages.
On Sunday, we took a trip down the Yukon to the village of Ruby. There are only about 160 people in the entire village and only a very small handful have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We set out at 9am and made it there about 90 minutes later. We had a wonderful Sunday church service there at the Ruby Bible Church. Don Honea Jr, one of the few Saints in Ruby met us along the road to church. We met Don and his family last year and we have been regularly emailing all of the last year. It was so great to see him again. At service, the few Saints who live in Ruby greeted us so lovingly. We came there to encourage them - but the faith and love they showed us actually encouraged US. Ruby, like most of the Native villages throughout Alaska are very spiritually dark, and these followers of Christ are like a bright shining light on a hill. While at church we let them know that our CCC family has been praying for a pastor to be raised up out of the village. When they heard this, they were filled with hope. The fact that we were praying for them and the fact that they KNOW God hears our prayers. After service, we had an opportunity to fellowship with one another. Then we began our boat ride back home.
Our boat ride was another adventure all together. We had a little bit of engine trouble. We took two boats to Ruby. But we came back to camp in one. About a few miles outside of Ruby, the throttle / transmission on the boat Tarek was driving with Shannon, Kelly and I were on, began slipping. Roger's boat came back to check on us. We made several attempts to fix it, and were towed back to Ruby a couple of times. But, we eventually ended up loading ALL 26 of us into a single boat and heading back to camp. About an hour away from camp, we had to turn back to a trapper's camp to borrow some fuel. We finally made it back to camp at 6pm. Thoughout the trip, we continually sang, prayed, and didn't complain. Interestingly enough, one of the reference verses we studied that morning was James 1:2. "Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." The additional time on one boat together brought us ALL closer together in unity. In fact, and not in a boasting way at all - but to show the Unity we have in Christ, we raised a love offering and presented it to Roger so that he could get his boat engine repaired. We (our families back at home) have to remember, these boats and small planes are the only way to get the kids into camp. We need to make sure these kids can get here to hear the Word of Christ. We need to pray they come to know Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. So taking up a love offering was our way of responding to the Holy Spirit in obedience to help continue the work of God in this camp and the nearby villages.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Charter flight time
Good morning! It's 6am here and we had a great (daylight) sleep. We are now refreshed and after breakfast will head to the airport for our adventure flight into the camp. I am so excited. I would like to thank Greg and Lyndee and Ken for opening up their homes to our team last night. Your hospitality is such a blessing to our team! Well in about 3 hours we will be off to Kokrine Hills Bible Camp! Please continue to lift us up in prayer as fly across Alaska and that God continues to put people in our path that we can share Him with.
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| Our chariot to the Yukon awaits............ |
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Hi Everyone,
This past Sunday Pastor Jack commissioned the Alaska Mission Team to GO and Share the Redemptive Gospel message of Jesus at Kokrine Hills Bible Camp and the village of Ruby, Alaska. Our team leaves tomorrow 6/7 for Alaska. And we are ALL extremely excited and can't wait to GO! It will take us approximately 24 hrs (door to door) to travel from CCC to the camp. We will have an overnight stay in Anchorage and a 9:30 am chartered flight into the camp. We will be going to Ruby on Sunday 6/10.
Please be in continual prayer for the village of Ruby, the Native Children who will be going to Kokrine Hills Bible Camp this summer, and your CCC team (Chuck, Tim, Meredith, Frank, Kelly, Shannon, and Mark).
I will try to update again when we get there.
Until ALL Have Heard -- We GO!
This past Sunday Pastor Jack commissioned the Alaska Mission Team to GO and Share the Redemptive Gospel message of Jesus at Kokrine Hills Bible Camp and the village of Ruby, Alaska. Our team leaves tomorrow 6/7 for Alaska. And we are ALL extremely excited and can't wait to GO! It will take us approximately 24 hrs (door to door) to travel from CCC to the camp. We will have an overnight stay in Anchorage and a 9:30 am chartered flight into the camp. We will be going to Ruby on Sunday 6/10.
Please be in continual prayer for the village of Ruby, the Native Children who will be going to Kokrine Hills Bible Camp this summer, and your CCC team (Chuck, Tim, Meredith, Frank, Kelly, Shannon, and Mark).
I will try to update again when we get there.
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