Woodsman Family Camp.

HELLO!!!
I am so pumped on camp and what God is doing right now! I just have to share.

Last week (14th-19th) ended and kids came to know Christ!! PRAISE GOD! even though the number was low it makes this ENTIRE summer worthwhile. Our counsellors are doing such an awesome job.

Last week I got the chance to go out to our Woodsman Family Camp that only happens once a year... it was unreal. It was mostly alumni staff coming to be campers with their families but there were two families that weren't. One from Campbell River and the other from Quadra. I tried my best to pour more heart and soul into blessing this non-Christian family from Quadra. Our efforts lead to some great late night discussions and conversations. The cool thing about it is that this same family was at our Mother/Son camp a couple months back and left half way through because they thought it was "Too Religious". This week they were at all the firesides... even saw them singing. :D PRAISE GOD!!
Ya know, even if all we did was show them unconditional love for a week... i'm okay with that... because... I know that God is working in their lives... They were just so thankful for the week... and assured us they'd be back soon. I am going to stay in contact this fall and hopefully hang out with their kids.

Had my X-rays and first UCS(upper cervical specific) adjustment on Monday. It went very well. Cost $160 which is ridiculous, but let me finish the story. This type of Chiro is very hard to explain... he kinda takes measurements of my upper spine and shoulders and legs. Then I lay down on my side and he places his hand and thumb on my neck and applies pressure. You would be surprised how little pressure it is. It takes about 10 minutes and i'm out. I had bad sleeps this past week but for different reasons. Less headaches and only one migraine. Mid way through my week at woodsman one of the older staff who was a camper there, who is the same type of Chiropractor and actually referred me to the one i'm going to, came up to me. He said "So, I talked with Dr. Audia and we've taken care of your X-ray costs". I was blown away. PRAISE GOD!!! I went in this morning for my second adjustment and there was great news. My neck is on the road to recovery, I didn't have to pay for my adjustment, and next time I go in they give me a cheque for the amount of my X-rays. WOOOH! God is great all the time!

My bad sleeps this past week? Well... fun times. Tim C, Ryan F, and I were in a tent together at woodsman and let me say, it was a gong show. Mice every single night. Crickets and spiders all over us. Wednesday night we had a bat dive bombing us in our sleeping bags. Terrifying. I know we are men and all but seriously... there is just something so terrifying about a harmless, tiny, furry, creature with wings flying at your head when you're half asleep. Needless to say there were a lot of half naked men running around our tent swinging blindly with branches and large knives trying slay small, cute animals. The whole week of playing with kids in the sun and an absolutely stunning lake to swim with them in made the nights worthwhile.

This week coming up is Single Mothers Family camp for 4 days. Then it's STAFF RETREAT for 4 days! Which is much needed for all the staff around here.

I am still praying hard every single day for financial support to keep me going. The Lord is good and  never ceases to amaze me but these past two months i've made far less then Government welfare. Just to put it in perspective for you. Please to continue to pray with me. I appreciate it.

LOVE YOU ALL!!

-Josh

Summer swing.

I have got to be one of the worst bloggers for leaving people hanging. First I say staff training is going awesome and than "Bam!" I leave you hanging for 2 and a half weeks in the dark. Well I hope you have been following us online www.homewood.bc.ca or on Facebook or on Twitter @CampHomewood because the summer is AWESOME! OH and check out our awesome photographers shots from the summer so far at http://www.flickr.com/photos/camphomewood/sets/

June 29-July 6

First week of the summer was Eager Beavers(5-8yrs) for 4 days, CIT(counsellor in training) camp out at woodsman for a week, and Adult Sailing Camp for a week. All 3 camps were a great success!

 

Eager Beavers is always the most challenging first week camp because of the age of the kids and what they are going through. They require so much energy from our counsellors and so much patience from everyone. This was another record for Eager Beavers with 0 bed wetters and only a few home sickies.

CIT camp was a success in that no one was brought back injured... (which was me and the girls leader both, last year.) The CIT program here at Homewood is, in my opinion the most important. We are training our future staff and we are challenging young teens at the most crucial point in their lives. A time when they are really starting to get away from that child like faith and starting to question whether their faith is their own or their parents, or really just what they believe about theology in general.

Adult Sailing Camp is a bit of a smaller camp but is still a hoot and a half. Anybody in between the ages of 18-120 can show up and this year we had a spread of  17(Quartermaster aka, cook Vange) all the way to just about 80. Our 80 year old had been here many times and was one of the spunkiest of the bunch. All went well... we had engine trouble on one boat but it didn't cause any inconveniences other than a large bill after the camp was over.

July 7-12

The CIT's are in full swing of doing dishes everyday and cleaning everyday. They are such a blessing and we make sure to tell them as much as possible. 15-17 year olds volunteering a full summer to scrub toilets and chop wood... ffooowey that's great! They actually all agree it's the best summer they've ever had.


Family Camp #1
Family Camp is always such a blessing to the campers, and to the staff as well. This year was exceptional! We had our normal activities like waterfront and horseback riding, and we had our special activities like bottle rockets, slip n' slide, and this year a carnival on the big field. I got the opportunity to lead worship for the morning chapels so I gathered a crew, plugged in some instruments and mics, and led the campers in harmonious vocal blessings to The Lord. Thank you Strepsols for keeping my throat in working order. Special relationships were built this week and bonds were made. Christ' Love was poured out through counselors onto families that had no idea who Christ even was and is.

Junior Boys Woodsman Camp #1
Gong show. It always is, and you know why? These kids are the best, most fun, rowdiest, misbehaved, and curious 10-13 yr olds around. This time around was unreal and awesome in so many ways but one that stood out was the way the counsellors got the kids pumped on bible stories and reading their bibles in general. The boys left camp with such a passion for learning more about Jesus. That's all we can ask for.

July 14-19

We are currently in this week but the camps we have going on are; Jr. Boys Harbour; Jr. Girls Ranch; Jr. Girls Woodsman; and Jr. Teen Sailing.

Jr. Boys is very high energy so far. Chapels led by Jon Rendall are God made us; He loves us; Sin separates us; He still wants us in his family so; He died for us; Now He has a plan for us.

Girls Ranch is Superhero themed. I believe Karyn Belanger and Mellissa Offerein are talking about Heroine of the bible. Esther has been a real hit,

Sailors are safe and getting good weather. Led by Mark Wobma, you can follow their course at

Girls Woodsman is a whole big party of 11 campers and 14 staff. They are getting great weather, having a blast, and roughing it Homewood style. Chapels led by Julie Kikkert.



That's where we are so far. God is working, he is moving, he is inspiring and motivating. You're probably wondering what I've been doing through all of this? well... for once.. for the first time actually... I get to be the Assistant Program Director for the summer. The past two I have been CIT guys leader and now I get to try my hand at my title. I miss the CIT aspect of it but I am still working very closely with the CIT program. So, what I do now is support, train, prepare, and control quality. I've mostly been behind the scenes so far but someone has needed to be behind the scenes supporting and encouraging the staff. This next week I am going out to Woodsman for woodsman family camp.


Monday I have my first chiropractor Xray and adjustment in Courtney. I am exciting for that ,we will see how it goes. Just to inform you all... I have stopped going to acupuncture for the time being because I have no money. Chiropractor and more x-rays are going to be tough enough. My headaches are not getting better... not worse though. The migraines are just still there.

On that note, as of last month I have officially moved onto having to raise 100% of my own support. PRAISE GOD! I am surviving. But you know what? it's been the lowest last two months of my life for incoming funds. The summer time around Homewood is always a little strange... I don't think about money as much... I don't spend as much... I also don't make as much. God blesses me and never lets me go hungry though. Proverbs 3:5-6. Joshua 1:9

Thank you all for your support and prayer!!! Please keep it up.


-Love, Josh