Kaleo Ministry

Two more sleeps until I am in my very own bed in Saskatchewan! This past week has been another very busy one! Last weekend there was an awesome snow storm here making it feel a lot like Christmas. Monday morning a few of us ventured out into the elements to go to a Switchfoot concert in Seattle. It was my first time using my passport, or being out of the country so I had an amazing time. The concert itself was really good with such a solid focus on God. Tuesday night was our Christmas banquet at 6 O'clock pm and we got back at 5:45, just enough time to change into some formal clothes. Wednesday I had the opportunity to help serve at the seniors banquet in Crofton. It was a really neat experience, especially since the seniors were so thankful for our help. Several of them asked me where I was from and why I was so willing to help out at their banquet which was a perfect chance to share a little Jesus with them. Thursday we headed our bright and early (5:45 am) for Mt washington and a day of snowboarding. It was an incredibly gorgeous day, clear blue skies with such an awesome view. I've never been snowbowarding in the mountains and the view just shone of God's power and beauty. Saturday I once again went to Oceanview to visit with the Alzheimer's patience. Each time I go my heart is touched by how thankful they are just to have someone to visit with. Each time I act as if I am meeting them for the first time, often hearing of their same husbands and some of the same stories. It reminds me of how brief life is, not to take on day for granted, and to keep things in perspective. I am so excited to come home and see all of my family and friends!

The Holiday

This past week we had our last class of the first semester. We did Foundations of Church Ministry with David Lee. I didn't think the class would apply directly to me because I'm not planning to go into full time ministry but I absolutely loved the class. I especially enjoyed Wednesday when the topic was spiritual gifts. Writting our personal reflections paper on our burdens and spiritual gifts really made me consider what gifts God has equipped me with and what he wants to do with me life. Thursday we got to be in the Ladysmith parade on a float with the Ladysmith Baptist Church. The lights were absolutely beautiful and the fireworks were amazing. It was awesome just riding on the float singing Christmas carols. Friday night was youth group once again, we only had three youth show up so that was a little discouraging. We played a couple of games and watched the Christmas movie Elf. I can relate so well with the girls in my youth group because the youth group we're running is so similar to the one I come from at home. I understand the frusteration of having a small youth group while everyone else in your small town is at the party down the street. Saturday morning was Decemeber first and I woke up to huge beautiful snow flakes!! In the afternoon I headed down to Oceanview to hang out with the Alzheimers patience again. I really enjoyed going this time, partly because I was much more prepared for what I was going to experience. One lady Cora made a huge impression on me. She is so honest and funny. I can't wait to be home again in 10 days! I would appreciate prayers that I can continue to grow closer to God, as well as for wisdom in choosing what I'm going to do next year. Thanks for all of your prayers!

Brink of Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas and all through Kaleo the excitement was stirring. I can barely recall anything I've done in the last week, not that it hasn't been busy, but I just can't believe it's almost December! The past week was our 24/7 week of prayer which is something that I have never been a part of before. I was a definately intimidated at the possibility of spending an entire hour in prayer, but at the same time excited to spend that time with God in prayer. I can admit I often found it hard to focus, but walking into that prayer room each time was so powerful praying through the prayers on the wall, getting to know the hearts of my fellow students. Friday night was youth group, which was a night of playing wii and watching Princess Bride. Only two youth ended up showing up, but it worked out really cool because the one girl and I that came got to spend a lot of time talking and I got to know her so much better! Saturday morning our mission trip team to New York headed into Vancouver to hear pastor Billy speak and to meet him. It was a hugely eye opening experience to me. I realized the very real danger I will be in while in New York, as well as the horrible conditions these people live their entire lives in. This week we've started our Church Ministry Class and I'm really excited about!

Jingle Bells

November is absolutely flying back! Last week was reading break. Sunday a lot of people headed out and it was so weird being here without them, it felt so empty! Monday Matt, Jordan and I took a ferry over to Vancouver. When we got to Vancouver we found our hostel we were staying at and checked in. I was excited to finally get back to Camp Qwanoes Thurday night and see my Kaleo family once again! Friday night we had youth at Warmland. This Friday we did a bit of a scavenger hunt going through the alphabet to find items that start with each letter. We had a good turn out of at least 15 kids. It's cool to finally feel like I'm building relationships with the girls in my youth group. It was one of our girl's 16th birthday so we got to share that with her as well as her cake :D We watched a clip of Evan Ulmighty and then discussed it in groups with the guys and girls seperate. Jess and I got to lead the girls discussion and it's neat looking back now how much they've opened up to us since the begining of the year. When we went to close at the end and asked for prayer requests and each one of them had a prayer request was pretty awesome! This Sunday at Warmland I was able to serve downstairs with the kids which I love. One of the girls made me a book with pictures of her and I together. After this week I feel really encouraged with the relationships within my new church that I'm making and I'm really excited for the rest of the year!

Break-fast

Hey again! Starting today I am officially on my reading break! Last week Monday and Tuesday the girls and guys went on respective overnight trips. Us girls got to travel to Victoria, where we went shopping, ate lots of food and bonded. Monday night we also had "blessings", where we had picked names and blessed each other. It was awesome to see how God had truly had a hand in picking who had each names, some of the girls had blessed each other in ways I simply never would have thought to. Tuesday on the way home we surprised the boys and met them paintballing. Saturday afternoon Alex and I went to visit patients with alzheimers in Crofton, which was a hugely new experience for me. I had read books about how alzheimer's affects people but I had never seen it first hand. When I first walked in I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stay because it broke my heart. One woman wanted to call the police because she beleived we were all spies out to get her. I don't understand how God could allow people to live their lives and then have their minds leave them in a sense. It is definately a continually a learning experience at Kaleo, weather it be out of books, on a mountain or life lessons. God has been teaching me mainly about loving people, not with my love but with God's love.

A New Day

Hey! It's getting repetitive but I can't believe how insanely fast time is going, November of my first year of college is here! This past week we finished up the class time of hermeneutics which I found really interesting. Tuesday night we presented our group projects on the book of the bible we read. My group had read Colossians. We decided to create a facebook account for Paul, with the letters he wrote to Colossae on his "wall". This past week was also Halloween. For Halloween a few of us students helped out at various events in Crofton. I ended up at the community center serving hot chocolate and checking up on the school to make sure there was no vandalism. A family from Warmland Community Church had turned their home into a haunted house and we got to tour that which was awesome! Sunday at Warmland I was able to help out with the pre school age children. This was my first time with the pre school and it was so fun just seeing their zest for life as well as innocent love for Jesus. Warmland is definitely slowly starting to feel like home, although it was definitely a huge change from my home church.

Diving In

Hey all! I can't beleive Sunday has rolled around again! Right now we have three classes on the go so that has definately taken a large portion of time. Wednesday this week we had our third camp ministry class. I'm enjoying learning several different aspects of camp ministry that I've never considered such as all the work that goes into a camp board. It's also inevitable each portion I compare what I learn to how things are done at "my camp". Friday and Saturday we started our hermeneutics class which I have found incredibly interesting. Since coming to Kaleo I have realized I love to learn new things, it's so neat to learn things I never knew before. Hermeneutics is how to read scripture. One of my favorite parts of class is listening to my class mates share their opinions on things hearing their perspective and where they come from. Friday night was also our senior high youth group at Warmland. The community center was being used so we got to travel to Ladysmith and spend a night thrashing through a corn maze! I have never been in a corn maze and thought it was awesome! The conditions were a little cold and muddy but the kids weren't deterred in the least. As each new phase of Kaleo comes I keep thinking I've completly adjusted or experienced all the new things I will, but almost daily a I face a new challenge or situation. Adjusting to the community has definately been stretching in ways that have surprised me.

Junior Retreat

Have I ever mentioned I love camp? This past week has gone by once again in an extremely quick fashion! At the beginning of the week we split ourselves into two groups. Wednesday we set out for caving which definitely surpassed all of my expectations! The insides of the caves were like something out of National Geographic. Looking back the coolest thing was climbing up a waterfall inside a cave! It was awesome to see fellow Kaleo students overcome their fears of insects or small spaces! Thursday we went returned to Victoria to help S.A.L.T.S put the Pacific Swift away for the winter. It was awesome to work as a team on such a huge task and be able to help them get so much accomplished. As we were working I realized how much fun I was having serving on a team, it didn't even feel like I was doing "work". This weekend we welcomed a group of junior campers onto Camp Qwanoes for the fall retreat. I got to serve as a counselor, which is a familiar role for me but it was really cool to see how a different camp runs. Coming from Luseland Bible Camp I had a hard time imagining how a camp as big as Qwanoes could create a close, kind atmosphere, but I was so excited to develop close relationships with my campers. There was such a caring, safe atmosphere and I fell in love with Camp Qwanoes not just the Kaleo program here. The theme for the weekend was "It's what's on the inside that counts" which was perfect for the campers at this age. For the weekend we did everything in our cabins, eating our meals, playing the games and of course sleeping. I had such an awesome time hearing where the girls were coming from. I was also surprised how easily they trusted me and shared their hearts. We're currently taking the Camp Ministry class and it was really cool trying to take the things we're learning and put them into action.

Slowly Belonging

Hey everyone! This week at Kaleo went by incredibly fast, I can barely believe I'm writing again! Monday until Wednesday this week was spent at Tofino which is absolutely gorgeous. Monday we hadn't been planning on it but it worked that we got to surf all afternoon. Surfing is definately harder that it looks on TV! Tuesday we went around to a few tourist shops and "wave watched". Wave watching sounds like it should be boring, but it was gripping. One night around the campfire we discussed seeing glimpses of God's glory, and watching those powerful waves roll onto the rocks was definitely a glimpse of God's glory. An analogy that has come up often since then is how the waves pounded onto the rocks, but the rocks, like God were unmoving. Friday night I got to help out at sr youth and it was awesome! We had a night with many challenges set up guys v girls and the kids loved it. We also followed the games by watching a clip of batman with questions. I got to lead a group discussion, with the topic of actions matching your words. It was interesting hearing where each of them are coming from. I'm also enjoying building relationships with the youth group who are so much fun! Saturday I helped out at the Qwanoes Women's retreat doing dishes and preparing breakfast. It continues to amaze me how much behind the scenes work goes into ministry. Sunday morning at Warmland I got to spend time helping with Children's church which was focusing on the fact that "church" is not a building but the body of Christ. It worked well since Warmland takes place at a community center and as of right now has no building to call home. Each Sunday faces feel more familiar and is slowly starting to feel like a church home.

Prime to Paint

I can hardly beleive I've been here for almost a month now! This past week was really busy taking Marv Penner's Spiritual Formation class which was amazing! It was awesome to be in a class where we prayed, read scripture and challenged to thoroughly think through our faith. For me it has been such a blessing and so exciting to be surrounded by christian peers. This past week in small groups we had to prepare a chapel time devoted to one of God's characteristics. My group did God's fatherly love. God's love is something we as christians often just take for granted, but examining it and really thinking about it makes me truly in awe of God. This weekend being Thanksgiving there was no youth group so bunch of us Kaleo students took the ferry over to Ladner and helped paint an elderly woman's house. She is almost 70 and still a foster mother. When we arrived we realized none of us knew what to do and neither did the woman. It was a really good bonding time working with each other. The woman currently has one foster son Cody who is special needs, such a sweet boy. In church on Sunday back at Warmland I got to help out by greeting people as they arrived and handing out bulletins. I've been finding it difficult to connect with people in this seeker sensitive church but this definately allowed for some good conversations. Thanks so much for all of your prayers!

Kaleo Ministry #2

This past week I definitely dove into the ministry I'll be serving in for the upcoming year. Tuesday until Friday this week was spent on board the Pacific Swift sail boat sailing through the Gulf Islands. When we first boarded the boat on Tuesday I couldn't believe we were going to be spending five days with 30 people in such close quarters. After learning a few new knots, getting assigned to our watches we were off. SALTS turned out to be such an awesome experience. The crew was awesome every time I was up to steer whichever crew member was guiding me asked me some very thought provoking questions that went far beyond surface answers. I was also able to connect so much more with my fellow Kaleo students, see where they are coming from and their love for the Lord. For me the evenings were definitely the most meaningful times. We would all squish together and meet in down below and share. One night we shared what we are each most scared for this year, another night we admonished each other with love, it was such an amazing experience. It was such a blessing to be able to support and encourage one another.
Friday after a quick shower I was off to my first Friday night of youth group. Because the church I chose is new this was their first ever senior high youth and there was an awesome turn out. I was pretty exhausted but I had such a good time getting to know the youth in my group as we traveled around Crofton measuring things with bananas and making friendships that will built in the Lord this year. I definitely saw an answer to prayer as the youth leaders had been praying for a good turnout and we definitely got that. We also saw much more enthusiasm from the youth than we had even expected. One of the obstacles we will need to overcome this year is that because Warmland doesn't have it's very own church building there is no definite spot we can hold youth each week so we will be praying that that will come together.
I'm so excited to see how the Lord will work the lives of the youth this year as well as in my heart as I continue to serve with the Warmland youth!

Kaleo Ministry

Hey! Since arriving here at Camp Qwanoes I have encourtered so many new experiences. Shortly after arriving here we each chose a church where we felt God wanted us for the year. I chose Warmland Community Church which is a new that was founded in January 2007. The first Sunday was their kick for the year which took place in a tent. Following the service was a barbeque, with inflatables, facepainting and hairspray for the kids. I was able to be involved doing the hair spray for the kids getting to know them as they came. This past weekend we welcomed over 300 students from Trinity Western College to our campus. Friday I helped out on the maintenance crew raking the grass, moving chairs and getting things ready for the arrival of TWU. Saturday morning I got up at 7 to continue helping out in the maintenance department. Sunday afternoon I also helped out doing dishes. The ministry experiences this past weekend at Qwanoes was definately significant as I have never realized how crucial all of the behind the scenes work is to a ministry. I got to see first hand how important team work and a servant attitude is. I enjoyed spraying the kids hair so much seeing their joy and eagerness to make new friends and how quickly they looked up to me. There were no specific obstabcles that my team was forced to overcome. I'm super excited to continue this ministry that God has brought me to!