W.M.S. and dustings and camp prep...

It was our pleasure last Tuesday to visit Jacksontown, NB and share with the ladies of the W.M.S. group from Jacksontown Baptist Church. It is always a blessing and encouragement to be with them; it is amazing to see the heart they have for mission and the work that they accomplish as a small group. It is humbling to see and be with them as they read letters from missionaries and pray together for the various needs around the globe.

This is always a busy time of year - and as we prepare the Center for our summer camp programs it was a huge blessing to have my mother and sister come for several days and help us with cleaning and sorting and organizing in the main lodge. I can't even imagine that we would have been able to get those things done at all without their help.

We are always grateful to have people come alongside and labour for the Lord here at Arrowhead. Time is getting short and I think we are ready in most respects for camp. Now a huge prayer request is for the Lord to bring those kids that he would have here with us. We are also hopeful to see a number of teens to go with us to Cape Breton this year! Please continue to keep ANBC in prayer as the summer rapidly descends...

rentals, repairs and reading

For those of you who have been asking about Liz and the baby, everything is going well. Liz is feeling great and we are very excited to meet our little girl in a few short months. As time progresses, the more it hits me just what is about to happen. It's both exciting and terrifying (a good kind of terrifying).

It has certainly been a busy start to a great year. It is encouraging to be hearing back from many of those I have contacted about serving with us at ANBC in various ways this year. And it is exciting for us to see who the Lord is bringing to us and the team that he is putting together for the various ministries. God is so Good and Sovereign.

The ANBC advisory committee is beginning to take shape, as well as many of our critical roles for our summer camps and retreats. Liz and I are planning to take teens to one of NBBI's teen retreats, so please be in prayer about that as we approach teens about coming. If you have been thinking about serving at Arrowhead in some capacity please prayerfully consider it, you just never know what the Lord will do.

We had a rental at the Center this past weekend, and we have another one next week which is great for ANBC. It is a great facility and is available, so it's good to have it in use throughout some of the quiet months.

I've had a few unexpected repairs to make in the past week as well. The transformer on the furnace died, and I was forced to replace it - it wasn't a huge expense, but at this time of year in the cold it is vital and was unexpected. As well, on the weekend during our rental I went to the upper dorm to get a cot and discovered that in the big wind we'd had last week one of the thermal sliding windows had blown out and was in smitherines on the floor. So, with the help of a couple of guests we covered the hole with plywood and cleaned up the glass. A new window should be here next week.

I've also begun to make plans for our newly energized staff training program for this coming year. Staff training will be mandatory for all staff this year. It is new and incorporates a great deal of very beneficial information, so even for returning staff it will be important. There is some new material that I am investigating with respect to the staff training, including a book that I am hoping to be able to furnish each staff member with. I'll tell you more about it once I've finally decided on it. I am also investigating a cabin devotion booklet that I am quite excited about. A fellow missionary told me about it last week and I am hopeful that it will suit our purposes. Again, this is just a teaser, I'll fill you in once I've decided on it.

Well, that's a pretty good ol' Monday ramble, have a great week yourself!