It is day nine of five months out on the islands of Manitoba Pioneer Camp and I could not
be more excited. With thirty other people in the middle of nowhere, with cold water, no flushing toilets and little heat, there is no place I would rather be. I am amazed at the community that God has brought together for this journey over the next season. Already we are a close family, though very quirky and different but that does not stop us from having the time of our lives. Reading and studying scripture, learning and practicing the Spiritual Disciplines and hearing each others life-stories, the Spirit is at work in building unity, trust, love and acceptance. And the laughter is never-ending! No matter what might be going on, laughter is a constant and the joy of simply being together makes it feel like we have been together for much longer than a week.
Some of the highlights from the last couple of days began with our arrival to the island by air boat (anyone seen the Rescuers Down Under or the Crocodile Hunter?), seeing the island covered in snow and mud and squishing into a small room to meet and have our meals. Most of the week was spent doing group work projects to prepare the site for our first rental group in the middle of May and to clean up after the winter. There was a lot of sledge hammering, boulder carrying, fire making, canoeing portaging, life-jacket washing, paddle moving, furniture re-arranging, fixed plumbing, mud digging, lagoon repairing...all in the name of "team building." "Team Building" is most often synonymous with big, heavy and slimy around here.
If you feel like you would like to pray for the work that is happening out here at camp, there are quite a few new people who have never been to camp before who have committed to ministering out here for four months. Pray that they would feel comfortable, welcome and at home in this community and would settle into the routine of camp. People are constantly arriving and leaving the island, so pray for protection and safety on the water and the road. You can also pray for the Spirit to be present in this place, that this summer would be a time of transformation, healing and life-changing encounters with the Creator.
I added an album with some new photos.
1 comment:
Yeah!! I found your update. It sounds like an amazing time already:) I will pray for you, for the new people, that you all will draw closer to God and that you all will have His strength to sustain you. Love ya!!
Post a Comment