This evening, as I write, our 7 Teams have begun their journeys to their first week communities in 4 provinces.
Team 3 has already reported in that they are safe in Prince Albert Saskatchewan, and as I ate my dinner Teams 4&5 called in to say that they have safely boarded their fight to Regina and Team 6 is already in the air, enroute to Calgary, Alberta. Team 1 & 7 are settled at their billets here in Montreal and Team 2 leaves at the crack of dawn tomorrow for a long bus ride to Toronto.
Having just returned from our Week-long Training Retreat, I’m going to let the faces and voices of the 2017 Day Camp Team Members speak for me in this post.At the end of the Retreat each person fills out a Feedback Form. As well as rating various aspects of the week they are asked to write a few words about how the time has affected them personally. Along with some “postcards” from the week,
these quotes come from this group of 18 young adults with whom I have had the joy and privilege to share the last 7 days.
these quotes come from this group of 18 young adults with whom I have had the joy and privilege to share the last 7 days.
I am so proud of them as they set out on their mission. Please pray along with me that they may be safe, and stay strong, knowing that the Lord is right beside them. During the coming 4 weeks I will be sharing with you news of each Team’s adventures along with snapshots they send in from across Canada.
Next Wednesday I hope to also include a bonus post, focusing on the very special Evening Worship times we experienced together at the Retreat.
Let me first present Team 2017-
“I’ve grown spiritually in the Lord thanks to Valerie and the other fellow team travellers. With these things in my mind and heart, I can teach the Campers the Love of God and his teachings that he taught me.”
“This week has allowed me to bond with others based on the one thing we all have in common, our faith. I have grown in Christ through the people around me and getting to accept differences we all come with.”
“When summer started my mind was not exactly with me; I had empty thoughts at many points. But this week helped revive my thoughts and helped me to recommit mylife to Jesus.(and to Day Camps)”
“This past week I’ve grown my faith through seeing how God works in others and how he brought together 18 individuals to share His Word. Small groups questions led to my group sharing tips and insight which helped me to grow in faith.”
“In the beginning of the week I was excited to get closer to God. However as the week progressed I found myself getting distracted by certain aspects. I felt God putting these ‘distractions’ as a test. Instead of being driven away, I felt God was calling me closer. Being “isolated” from the ‘outside world’ was very helpful to draw nearer to God” (heart)
“Got closer to God! Built meaningful relationships.”
“I have grown in the Lord through community, I found the love of God through the support of other team members.”
“This week I learned to break the chains of fear that hold me captive and to trust in God, to face my fears, to lead kids as effectively as I can to Jesus.”
