Week 4 – Crosstalk Ministries Day Camps

“Where Does the Power Come From?”
As many of you know, “Chariots of Fire” is still my all time favourite movie . I was able to wangle watching it for Video Night at the Retreat this year, given that we were about to launch into the Olympics. This quote really resonates as I sit here this evening; two Teams are already disbanded and the members have scattered, Benjamin flew home to Edmonton early this morning, and if all has gone smoothly, he should already be participating in a week long Cadet Camp somewhere in Alberta,Keisha is on Safari(!) in Kenya, with her Great-Aunt, and Stacy flies home to Edmonton tomorrow Two Teams are in transit and have just called in from Saskatoon. They are soon to board the first flight for a gruelling overnight journey which will take them to Calgary and Toronto, before arriving at 830am tomorrow in Montreal.

Team 5 sees one member on a weekend excursion to view the Rockies with his Billet family, while the other goes camping with her hosts AND only one Team is preparing to hold the very last Sunday Closing Service of Day Camps 2012, before boarding a bus back from Moncton to Montreal tomorrow evening. My little flock suddenly feels quite scattered and I’m only expecting a few final calls from the chickens!! So where does the power come from for us? Well it is pretty obvious that this whole complex and sometimes wildly crazy Program only happens because of tonnes of prayer and ONLY by God’s Grace. I do believe that, just as Eric Liddell felt God’s pleasure when he ran so we can feel His pleasure when we “do” Day Camps.

Now for a final roundup of each Team’s Week 4 activities…….

Teams 1 & 2– The “Leaderless” members( Stacy, Dilon and Benjamin) of these two Teams enjoyed a great opportunity this past week, working with Jennifer Quinn doing an outreach to children in Waterloo, Quebec. Most of these children had attended the Camp at Promise Church in Knowlton, earlier this Summer so Jennifer put together a Theme around the story of Noah’s Ark and God’s great promise of Love for us epitomized by the Rainbow. All three had a wonderful week, enjoying the warm hospitality at the Quinn’s.

Stacy and Benjamin were driven into town last evening and had dinner with me before going to spend the night at the Stilwell’s prior to their flights home.

Teams 3 &4-Jillian, Amudha and William & David, Desirae and Michael shared the experience of all living on site at the La Ronge First Nation, although each Team did head off to a different Day Camp location during the Day, regrouping for fellowship in the evenings. Team 3 was at Sucker River. They found it hard at first to decide how to fit in, having discovered that the children at the recreation centre, were already involved in a crafts program animated by a local group.But all the children did seem to connect with the music portion of the Program.
After talking with their chaperone,Stella, a plan was made and Jillian felt that the campers really did respond very well to the Program for the rest of the time that the Team worked with them.

Team 4-David, Desirae and Michael had a small group (a total of 11 Campers) but they were more able to follow the Program on a daily basis. They had a great time doing lots of crafts and also playing games in a nearby park. They held a Friday Closing, which was, sadly, not very well attended by parents (one little girl was reduced to tears because her Mum did not come to see the Liturgical Dance).

Team 5-Andrew and Angela, spent an excellent week at St. Timothy’s and really connected with that community. They held a Friday Closing which was also a bit low in turnout due to the impending Holiday Weekend, which happens in all the other provinces except Quebec!

Team 6- Janice and Josiah, had a wonderful week at St. Phillip’s. This was the only week when the Team actually had a large enough group of Campers to implement the Program to it’s fullest extent. Janice reported that the Parish Team was just great, so enthusiastic, eager to help and take part in everything, PLUS the Team gets to do a Sunday Closing Service!! WOOT!! WOOT!!

Week 4, on the home front, has included the usual mishmash of baking, sewing, endless hours on the phone and Internet, random visitors, etc. etc. etc.

I baked most of today, (literally and figuratively, as it was 40C with the humidex!!) as I continue to prepare for the imminent influx of house guests/billets AND as pre-Camp Staff Retreat fast approaches. And those darn chickens seem to have taken ages to put together. They are still not quite done ( no photos yet, they are a surprise, only to be unveiled at the Team Leaders’ Evaluation meeting!)

I did, also, finish my Godson’s third Birthday gift, a Hobby Horse, of which I am quite proud .

No, Day Camps are not quite “over”, as I have testily pointed out, they are NEVER over, but then I would not want them to be!! So much has happened in the past 6 weeks that it will certainly take a long time to evaluate, digest and refine all the information in the hopes of distilling the best parts as a basis for the 2013 plans.

Mandu is happy to be hanging out with Lamb, now that the flock is returning to the fold!

A final reminder, if you are in the Montreal area, do please join us for the Prayer and Praise Service, this coming Thursday, 7pm @ Isaiah 40.

As I said before, Stacy and Benjamin joined me for dinner last evening and we all enjoyed Fish Tabbouleh, I hope you try it too!

Fish Taboulleh

2 fillets of firm fish- eg trout or cod
1 lemon, sliced
5 peppercorns
1 cup Bulghur Wheat
1 sweet white onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1pint cherry tomatoes, halved
a handful of chopped mint leaves
2 Tbsps. each, olive oil,lemon juice and red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic,crushed
1 tsp. minced lemon zest

Place fish in a shallow pan with lemon slices and peppercorns, cover with cold water and poach gently, until cooked through (approx. 5mins.) Remove to a plate, cool and then separate into large flakes.

Place bulghur in a medium bowl, add 2 cups boiling water, cover with a plate and leave to stand for 45 mins.Fluff with a fork.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, tomatoes and mint. Add the cooled fish and bulghur, toss gently.

In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk well. Pour over fish mixture and toss.

Cover and chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Serves 4