I feel like I have so much to tell since the last time I wrote! Thursday and Friday Katherine, Lara, and I traveled with our supervisor to Camp Touchet in Dayton, Washington. It's right at the base of the Blue Mountains and is absolutely beautiful. Unlike most of the areas we'll work in, Camp Touchet is lush and green with lots of vegetation! The Touchet River runs right through it and we could hear it from our beds. While we were there we were able to do some preparation for the summer- cleaning out the kitchen, moving supplies to storage, sweeping and vacuuming- but we were also able to meet the camp managers (Dale and Alisha) who live on sight and take care of the camp. They were amazing to work with! We got to take a nature hike up the mountain and roast hot dogs around the fire. Dale even shared with us how our summer is like Moses' journey with the Isrealites. It was a refreshing couple of days, the weather was beautiful (even when it rained) and the company was inspiring.
Then Saturday Katherine and I headed to Hermiston, Oregon with our new host family while Lara and her partner Joelle went to Pendleton, Oregon. Saturday night the church in Pendleton had a big block party for the kids to kick off VBS week so we all went over to help them. It was lots of fun- a bounce house, dunking booth, free hot dogs and snow cones, and lots of carnival prizes. Then Sunday morning at Grace Baptist, we got to meet all of the congregation. We are staying with Bill and Bea Griggs- the pastor and his wife who have been there about a month. The Griggs are amazing people! They love the Lord and they love children. Even though they are in their 70s, Pastor Bill still runs around with the kids during recreation and puts on daily skits that have the kids in fits of laughter. Keep him in your prayers please because today he hurt his leg during Backyard Bible Club- we think he popped his ham string?
Anyway, Sunday night all of the youth groups in the CBBA had a summer kick off party in the Tri Cities so we all got to meet a lot of the kids who will be at the three camps we're working in July. Plus we got to visit with all of the youth pastors. We had a time of worship with a youth led worship band which was really cool.
Monday kicked off the first day of Backyard Bible Club in Hermiston. There hasn't been a lot of success with VBS in the past so there weren't very high hopes in terms of numbers. However, we had 19 kids come the first day! Katherine and I were surprised to learn we're in charge of quite a lot. We each teach a class: Katherine has 4-6th graders and I have K-3rd. We lead the songs at the opening rally and make up all the motions. Luckily we've got some great curriculum and the kids seem to be responding really well to it!
We're also helping out wherever we're needed at Pendleton's evening VBS this week. They have the "traditional" Lifeway version which is lots of fun AND it's really nice because next week we're teaching classes with that theme! Two children's events a day is pretty exhausting but we are so blessed to be part of it!
Please pray:
-that Katherine and I keep up our energy and enthusiasm all week
-that the atttendance at Hermiston's Backyard Bible Club is greatly increased and more kids hear the good news!
-that Pastor Bill's leg will miraculously be healed
-that God will continue to change us and mold us for his purpose
-for Shane, a 6th grade boy who has taken an interest in VBS and is going to both Hermiston and Pendleton's. We've taken him under our wing- just pray that he finds good role models and begins to grasp God's truth for him
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!
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