The Journey Continues

(Main Lodge at Camp Bighorn)
June was a very educational month for us since we were actually able to get out to Camp Bighorn, get plugged in with staff training and then head back to WI to finish the goal set before us.

Now that we are in July, summer busyness has begun here in WI. Not only the normal daily things that come up but also as we continue and work towards completion of our fund raising.

We learned many things while at Camp, we posted the biggest thing we learned as to how to explain the format difference in their summer camp. It is really neat to be able to do "adventurous" activities and share Christ at the same time.

We also learned that the area, on a more local level is ripe for revival. The more we research the national,the more we realize our country needs people dedicated to reviving our nation.

Sure, we are a "reached" nation but our churches (generally speaking) are stagnant in membership and outreach. We can't help but ask the question "How does God feel about this"? There are many lost people groups in the world. We are sure many of you would picture in your mind tribal people deep in the rainforests of South America, out in the safari's in Africa or the steppes of Siberia. While there is nothing wrong with seeing those mental pictures, we must not forget about the people next door, across the street, across the state or across our country. While our country has the gospel freely available, many do not know the plan of salvation; many do not know they have a choice; many do not know there really is a Heaven and Hell and those words are not just adjectives in speech; many do not know because they have not heard and many are mis-informed due to do people just not knowing!

 (Video of going through part of Plains heading back to Camp)


What are we, as the body of Christ, going to do? Can we really just work our daily jobs, come home, sit on the couch and watch tv, see commercials or programs on missionaries or malnourished kids and think "man, too bad people don't do something about that" when it is in our power and ability to DO something? What if, instead we would work our daily jobs but then went out of our way to do something to further the Kingdom of God. What if we helped someone else out? Responded nicely instead of "oh no, you didn't!". What if we actually invited a neighbor to church caring more for their spiritual condition instead of our possible rejection. What if. What if. What if.

 

When we went out west the statistics came screaming out to us. Matthew 9:37 came screaming out to us. This is real people when Jesus said "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few". This is not only true where we will be locally in Montana, but it is also true here in Wisconsin and everywhere in the US for that matter.

What we found in that mountainous region is that people really do go to the mountains to escape their past whatever that may be. People really are 'doomsday preppers' and are preparing everything but their souls for the end times. People practice paganism and animism in ways that we have only heard about here in WI. People are searching there whether they realize it or not for something out there just like many do here.

(Looks remote but actually pretty populated locally speaking)

 

Our country is in a sad spiritual state. We are not talking politics here either. We are talking about the spiritual state of our nation and how other countries that we have reached for Christ are now sending missionaries HERE!!! What are we doing here?!

Together we knew God would have us do something for Him and we asked Him where would you have us go. Do you want us to stay here and live a "normal" life and reach those around us or are you sending us else where in the US or abroad? We knew God calls each believer to do something different (many parts make up the Body). So, like in Isaiah 6:8 (Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying," Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, Here I am, send me?). We said "we'll go where you want, show us the way".

Not everyone will go into camp ministry like us, though some will. Not everyone will become pastors, missionaries or move away from friends and family but everyone is called to do something.

Our call and job is to serve God through camp ministry at Camp Bighorn and also locally in Plains/Paradise.

(Going into Paradise, MT- the way the highway goes you have to go through Paradise before going into Plains.)


Help us fulfill the Great Commission by helping to send us to Camp Bighorn.

You can support us by going to Camp Bighorn's website and click the "Support A Staff Member" tab on the right hand side, then scrolling down to our name and clicking on us!
We need a dedicated team of monthly supporters so we can dedicate our time at Camp Bighorn and locally to reaching the lost and discipling the saved.

If you want to be added to our mailing list if you are not currently on it then let us know and we will send you updates as they come.

We pray the next update we post will be that we are officially moving and able to officially step in to our position at Camp Bighorn!

God Bless,
E&K

At the cross above Camp Bighorn

First Day of Summer!

It is neat that today, the first day of summer is also the first time Eric goes rafting! They left shortly after breakfast this morning and then me and the kids will meet up with them at the campsite in about a half hour to an hour!

This week of staff training has been very in depth in the Biblical principles behind their vision here at Camp Bighorn. With this deeper understanding and now ability to articulate properly how the Gospel is shared here at camp, we will be able to share our vision clearer, unlike the fuzzy vision we have tried to explain before. It's like we went to the eye doctor!

Eric and I have been discussing what our fund raising strategy will be now that we have gone through some staff training. One of the things I brought up as to why things are going slow for us (fund-raising)  is that previously, when we explained what they did here at camp people responded to us like all they did here was play and not serious about sharing the Gospel. After being here and getting to know the summer camp format (as opposed to the Explore format we experienced last fall) we realized the set up is totally different than the summer camps we grew up in.

I'm sure you all are familiar with the following (or similar) schedule for summer camp:
Wake up/ Cabin Devo's
Breakfast
Chapel
Free time
Lunch
Chapel
Team Activities
Free Time
Dinner
Chapel
Free Time
Lights Out

I did that so maybe you can see that there is a lot of chapel services and lots of actual "free time" which is unstructured in which kids can do obstacle course, crafts, swimming, boating, other camp time games.

At Camp BIghorn there is less "un structured" free time and the staff is involved in everything, more even than the camps both (E&K) were used to. I'm not  dissing other camp programs or the camp programs that we grew up attending. I am only discussing the differences in programs.

They have Chapel services daily and the amount depends on what type of camp is going on (day camp for younger kids vs. regular camp for older kids/teens). During the week the cabin essentially becomes a family for that week and that is their small group. Because they do everything as a cabin instead of just pairing off with a few friends it lends itself to community which lends itself to unity (ever notice that unity is part of the word community?).

After going through activities (ex. rock climbing) they, as a group have a debriefing afterwards explaining the activity as an object lesson our need for Christ in our life or another biblical truth!

So, while they will be given the Gospel during chapel services the ministry doesn't stop there, it only begins!

Also, a lot of the same kids come back every year and get to be discipled instead of taught the same thing over and over again. Instead of just producing a changed direction they encourage a changed life. It's encouraging to be part of a ministry that doesn't just want to see kids receive the Gospel and accept it, but also to be part of a ministry that encourages these new believers to grow after making the decision to accept Him into their lives!!!!

In saying all this summer camp is still summer camp, the program format may be different than what our friends and family are used to but both Eric and I highly encourage those interested to come out here and check it out! Come out and be on summer staff next summer and see what God will do with you and through you!!!

I hope I haven't caused any confusion in my feeble attempt to explain the program difference. If you have any questions or need any clarifications please feel free to email us! Also, if you would like to meet with us in person we will be back the end of June!!!

Now it's time I go and get the kids ready to go out to the campsite to see what Eric thought of rafting and the things they learned today. God is good, if you seek Him- you will find Him!!!

See you all soon!
E&K

Update

We finally got to see some Bighorn Sheep a few days ago!

We took these photos on the way into town! They were a bunch of females. Later that day on the highway we saw a huge herd of them with two nice sized males!

 

One night last week we hiked up the trail to the cross on the mountain above camp.

 

 

 This photo is taken at the top overlooking the camp, Hwy 135, the Clark Fork River and the train tracks with a train on them!

Here is another photo taken a bit farther away as to get the mountain range in there too!

I will post a photo of the cross taken from camp level as soon as I can get it rotated without the computer freezing up on me!


Today we are celebrating our son's 3rd birthday!!! What a blessing he is to our family!!! We are enjoying watching him as he grows. It sure doesn't seem like it has been 3 years yet. We are cherishing these younger years because kids sure don't stay little for long!!!

We are looking at housing options, staff training continues this week from Tuesday through Friday and we are planning on leaving the 24th or 25th to return to Wisconsin to continue (and God willing complete by fall) our fund raising! It is so nice to be able to see how summer programs are, meeting summer staff and interns and getting to know, in depth, the vision of Camp Bighorn's ministry here in the Northwest US!

Please continue with us in prayer for safety on our return trip, and as we seek out housing options for our return to Camp.

God bless!
E&K

We made it!!!

Praise God we have made it safely to Camp on Saturday afternoon!!

We spent the weekend getting the camper organized, talking with our friends at camp, meeting some new ones and Eric starting to work on camp vehicles!

The kids are on cloud nine with so many trains going by the camp across the river!

The few mosquitos I have seen I think we brought with us in the camper! Ha, total difference from WI in that aspect! When we left the mosquitos carried us away but here it is dry enough where I think the mosquitos all left and went to WI!


It is interesting to see wildlife and plants that we haven't seen in WI. We saw a Mountain Bluebird, Blue Grouse, ground squirrels, elk, deer galore, ground hogs (I think that is what they are?! praire dogs perhaps?!) and the list could go on.

The lilacs are just about done here, the fruit trees are all sporting baby fruit already! I guess it's not "already" here in MT as they had a normal spring compared to us in WI!

Otherwise please continue to pray with us that God will bring in the rest of our support we need as we are hovering at the halfway mark! We will be here a few more weeks then head back to complete support raising.

Thank you all for your prayers and support!
E&K

The Starting Line

Well after a few hiccups in our plans, we are planning on leaving for the west sometime tomorrow!

We are thankful we didn't travel during peak travel time during this Memorial Day weekend.

On that note, we are very thankful for those who have given their lives in order to protect our freedoms so that we can share the gospel! We remember those who are gone and they will never be forgotten.

Please pray for us that once we get off on our trip that God will grant us safety and good health as we travel.

We have multiple things to be thankful also!
Krystle's Grandma came out of surgery and is recovering well!
The weather forecast is nice and cool for our travels!
God is good, all the time!

Signing off for now,
E&K

The Final Preparations

Today we are making some final preparations for our trip to Montana. While we are not going out there to stay. . . yet. . . we will be gone for almost a month.

Please pray with us for these prayer requests:
*Safety while traveling on one of the busiest traffic weekends of the year
*God's guidance in the search for housing
*God's continued provision so we can be at 100% quickly
*Good health as we travel and work

We will post once we get out to Camp and hopefully post some pictures too!

Now off to continue and (hopefully) finish packing quickly!

Take care, God bless and thank you all!

E&K

OP's

Organizing & Packing

We have been busy packing away winter things and organizing our summer things!

With packing away comes organizing and decluttering.

Sometimes while I work on organizing and decluttering I think of how it's important to declutter our lives, not just physically but also spiritually.

Our busy, fast paces, technologically advanced lives get so cluttered up it takes away from our relationship with Christ. Crazy how things that are supposed to save us time actually take it away from us!  I like that photo going around on the internet that says "If you are too busy to read your Bible and pray, then you are busier than God ever intended". Hmmm. Interesting.

We will be heading out west soon for a few weeks, pray that God will grant us safety traveling and to continue to show His provision!

God Bless!
E&K