Dear Family and Friends,
Once again summer is almost here and everyone is making plans to experience the nice weather; camping trips, family vacations, and lots of fun in the sun are all items on the summer agenda. As I was thinking and planning my summer I found myself being led back to Southern Alberta Bible Camp [SABC]. There is just something about this place that continues to stretch and shape me and it is so evident that is what God wants me to experience that growth and stretching once again.
This past year I have been staffing at the University of the Nations which is a YWAM base (youth with a mission) in Kona, Hawaii. I spent four months there training, and equipping the students to be Disciples of Christ. It was a time of huge growth for me in my spiritual walk with God and through my journey with him, my leadership abilities were challenged. Then in December 2009 I departed Hawaii with eleven students and a co-leader, heading to the poorest continent in the world; Africa. For three months we served the countries of Mozambique and South Africa. We were working in different orphanages for our two months in Mozambique and with a feeding program for our time in South Africa. This time was definitely a life-changing, faith stretching experience. Being a leader of this team was hard work; we were responsible for the lives of eleven people and without relying on our daily dependency on Jesus, our journey through Africa would have been impossible. Through the experiences of watching the eyes of an AIDS inflicted child come to life and the smiles on the faces of people living in a garbage dump who had found new hope, we saw some amazing fruit. Even though I can safely say it was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, I can also say it brought about more growth then I could have imagined.
Lately God has been stirring up the passion in me to see others establish their own faith, and learn to live the way Christ lived. What better place to see that happen but with the youth of North America and if God can use me in any way to accomplish that, then I am all in. This year SABC has a new program called Teleios. It involves youth ages 16-17 who are interested in knowing God more and learning what it means to serve him. It is a four week program that involves two weeks of intense training which develops their faith, and two weeks of junior counselling. Our goal for this program is that the students will feel equipped to go serve in a ministry setting such as their churches, communities, here at camp, or missions elsewhere. We will run this program twice, once during the month of July and then again in August. Travis Epp and I are spending the next four months planning, preparing and with Christ’s help leading this program.
In September I am heading back out to Kona Hawaii to continue working as a missionary with YWAM, following the calling God has on my life. As Disciples of Christ I believe we are all called to missions in some area of society. I see this next season of my life being a time of discovering what it really means to be a missionary wherever I am. As for the rest of my future, it is not exactly figured out yet. One of the things I believe is in store for me is more training and knowledge to better equip me for Gods work. One place I know I can accomplish this is at Ambrose University College in Calgary. Their degree in Intercultural studies would give me a greater knowledge of different cultures, religions, and effective tools of evangelism.
The one thing that I need most during this time at SABC and also in the fall is prayer. Prayer for this program to fill up with eager dedicated youth, for wisdom in planning and mentoring, and for more love, unconditional love. Of course with this being a volunteer position, there are also financial needs involved. Please consider this need in your prayers. The money that I do receive is based upon supporters and the camp matches a certain amount of that. Any money that is donated is tax-deductible and everything goes to me directly and not to the camp. I would just ask that you would seek Gods guidance in this to see if there is something you should give. Please make sure to fill out the attached form if you wish to do so.
I thank you so much for all the prayer support and for taking the time to read this letter. Be encouraged to know that you are a part of building the kingdom of God, and changing lives.
“Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
1 Peter 5:2-3
In His Love
This is my prayer letter that i am sending out for camp this summer. If you would like to receive one just let me know and i would love to send one to you via snail mail!!!
Lucas (Loo-ka-sh). Lucas is this little boy who changed my life. I know people say that all the time. They go to foreign countries and see the poverty, experience the hopelessness and see a little orphan that steals their heart. Lucas is kind of like that, but I have been to other foreign countries, i have seen things that make me cry just thinking about it but never has a child chipped away at my heart like this little one has. I was in Mozambique, the capital Maputo. We went to this Childrens Centre, which in fact isn't an orphanage but a home for children whose parents can not take care of them. We spent just under 3 weeks here, and everyday the children blew me away with how they showed the love of God. So at this childrens centre there are different dorms for different ages of kids. I first heard Lucas' story from his dorm mom on the first night we were there. Lucas looks like he might be 4 or 5 but in fact he is 10. He is severely handicapped, mentally and physically. They found him in the city and took him to the centre, where he has improved greatly in just the short time he has been there. My days with Lucas would consist of putting ice packs on his head (cause he falls and hits his head a lot), going swimming, taking him for walks to improve his strength, playing in the sand, and dancing. The more time I spent with him I began to see his joyful heart, he would start to recognize me and try to get up and walk towards me. I think now that he may be the only reason I would go back to Mozambique, to see his progress and experience his love again. Now that you know the story of Lucas please pray for him, that he will be healed, that he will be adopted into a loving family, and that he will continue to love Jesus more. 
