row, row, row your boat

…gently on the lake! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily campers have some fun! And that would be in large part to some awesome kids at an elementary school who raised money to help Whisper Mountain buy the boats for rowing! Adding to this wonderful generosity is a local friend of ours who donated his welding skills, time and some of the supplies to help build us a trailer for hauling the boats for rowing!

(green boats/kayak=donated boats!)

I know I say it all the time around here, but isn’t it a beautiful thing how people pull together for the purpose of Proclaiming Jesus?! Beautiful I tell you!

We enjoyed a day on the lake with our campers yesterday. Aside from jumping off the rock, they all wanted to be in a boat! Something fun and refreshing about being on the water, in a canoe, rowing with friends!

Something pretty amazing having people like you joining us in our efforts of Proclaiming Jesus through your prayers, serving with us, giving to us! As staff, we are entirely grateful to have you on our team!

Christmas in May

After being at the GIC Conference in February, one special group of people had a heart to help WM in whatever way they could. With the list of our household and pantry needs in hand, this group of people filled a car full (and then some) of practical needs (like TP!) and sent Driver Bob to bless us. Feels like Christmas in May!

Being missionary staff means we don't always know how we will be provided for, though we are confident God does provide! We've seen Him, on countless occasions, give toward our needs often using complete strangers. From tennis shoes and flip flops (in just the right sizes!) to Wendy's or Ingles gift cards to the bigger things like vehicles, we get taken care of…in His timeline! He does it through both the oblivious and the intentional people alike.

 If you are awaiting God's provision, don't lose heart. He sees your need and is in process! If you are stressing about a need, stop twirling in anxious circles, lay your burden down in the hands of a trustworthy God, and rest! He's going to rock your socks off!

“Ohhh Mannn!”

Many people don't get the sacrifices made to begin and run a camp ministry. And that's okay. We don't need everybody to get it. When people do get it, they tend to find creative ways to keep us recharged and encouraged! (and for this we are grateful!)Each year for the past few years, a certain group of Romanian bikers travels our way. Usually they stay with us then drive the area for a few days then head back home. Each year for the past few years this certain group of bikers tends to get the big guy a bike rental and *forces* him to hit the road with them for a day!

He always feel there's too much to do to leave for a little joy riding, but after it's all said and done, he comes back refreshed and glad he went!

Of course whenever there's a vroom-vroom around, little man is in on the action. In fact, his new line seems to be "Are you ready for this action?"

Finding the right words to try to get you to understand how blessed we feel by people who remember us and share with out-of-this-world generosity is a task I have yet to be able to undertake. God's timing, vessels, and means always catch us off guard. And always speak of His love for us! (Thank you to those of you reading this who are among the blessers!) As Tegan would say, "Ohhhhh, mannn!" You are awesome!

a mart of blessing

Imagine a large space, shelves and tables filling the room. Household, personal, food and office items fill those shelves and tables. Now imagine you are told to walk through this large space and fill as many boxes as needed with any amount of the items found in the room. Welcome to the Blessing Mart! 

Each missionary, while at the GIC conference, was given the opportunity to *shop* in the Blessing Mart. If you've ever experienced living on extremely limited funds, then you share our excitement over things like shampoo, soap, toilet paper, canned foods, mac and cheese being given to us!! We feel grateful and humbled to receive these goods from those in the church that helped stock up the Blessing Mart!

(Side Note: the pictures above show some of what Whisper Mountain was given through the Blessing Mart. We then bring the goods home and divide among our staff!)

Never doubt the importance of giving a little! We will be clean and fed a while longer(!), thanks to those who gave. If you are one of those givers reading this, we thank you for your generosity. It matters!