Summer Camps 2012: Junior Camp #1

This week marked a sad loss for our family, as my grandmother (Ruth Hyslop) passed away early Friday morning, having recently celebrated her 94th birthday. God is sovereign in all things, and for this we are thankful.

It is alarming just how quickly the time passes during summer camp season! This was our first junior camp of 2012 and we welcomed campers from St. Mary's reserve near Fredericton. God was at work at ANBC this week, often in unexpected ways. Kirk Hubick, an open air preacher with Going and Sowing Ministries was our guest speaker. Using a New Tribes Mission model of evangelism, he presented with a sketch board, the gospel of Jesus Christ chronologically. Throughout the week he challenged the campers with the person of God and taught of His Personhood and Deity and our separation from Him in our sins. It is our prayer that what the campers heard will have a lasting impact on their lives and they will seek the acceptance of Almighty God!

This week we had a large team from Forest Hills Baptist Church in St. John, with us serving in various roles. It was encouraging to see many of them grow and be challenged through the week. This ministry was new to some of them and we watched those submitted to Christ and the ministry flourish and have rich opportunities in ministry. I don't think there was anyone on the team who left un-impacted in some way.

This week wasn't without it's physical challenges as well. Today as we returned from Chipman picking up the weeks groceries the water pump in the camp truck exploded (apparently... probably not actually) and spewed it's green lifeblood all over Cox Point Road. I left the guys with the truck and took a ride with a neighbour to the camp. After collecting some water I returned to the truck and we dumped in a bunch of water and hoofed it the final mile and a half back to camp. So, I will have the challenge of having that repaired this coming week. But, we got all of the food to camp before any was spoiled, which was a blessing!

On Friday evening, after the campers had left, Sasha Cheprasov, the Forest Hills team leader, led us in a time of reflection and prayer for the campers and other volunteers. It was a valuable time and helped to galvanize in our hearts and minds the young lives that were touched this week.

 

Kayla and Justus did a little commercial for the ANBC Tuck Shop.

 

This week we tried out a new afternoon activity and gave the campers an opportunity to try out puppeteering... it seemed to be a success...this  is one of the complete puppet sketches.

This week we tried out "water gun" variation to "Underground Church"... an active game of tag and hide & go seek.

Waterfront = always awesome

This is an example of one of Kirk Hubick's story boards from gathering time. It is a hugely engaging tool and certainly helped keep the campers attention.

Our new friends from Forest Hills Church in St. John.

 

Kirk preaching the Gospel during one of our gathering times.

Audrey Small leading our craft time. It has been such a huge blessing and encouragement to have so many folks from our home church serving alongside us at camp this year. Both on property, off property and in prayer!