End of Year Newsletter 2023
Across the field, we hear a female camper yell, “I found a snake!” Jumping from our seats, several of us run across the field to see. Another camper immediately asks, “can I hold it?” My first thought is “Umm, this is Arizona. We need to find out what kind of snake this is!”
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology on a cell phone, a picture of the snake shows us it is a non-venomous, California mountain kingsnake. The camper then proceeds to pick up the baby snake, and her affection for creatures is so clear in her enthusiasm over the tiny reptile.
Even though the camp weekends can be brief, they are such a joy. Truly, Prescott, Arizona is beautiful, and it is great to see the campers delight in the wonders around them.
The October Teen camp was a blessing for everyone involved. Our theme for camp was Sacred: Through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we have access to God's holy presence all the time. Spiritual disciplines are more than a checklist of to-dos—they are ways of living in relationship with Jesus every single day. The four lessons included:
The Vine: (John 15:1-11): A consistent connection to Jesus, the Vine, allows us to live a full life.
Greatest Prayer of all Time: (Matthew 6:1-13): Prayer is an exciting call to bring God’s Kingdom to earth.
I Have a Confession: (Psalm 51:1-19): Confession to God and others should be a regular part of a Christ-follower’s life.
Give It Up: (2 Corinthians 9:6-8): Obeying God’s command to give generously draws us closer to Him.
Again, God delivered a beautiful weekend in Prescott, Arizona. We were able to spend time outdoors playing an elaborate scavenger hunt where campers found the items as a team and took a picture. Even one of the hardest items to find, a tarantula, was found by one of the groups! Speaking of wildlife, the weekend also revealed deer, javelina, and the previously mentioned snake!
Inside, we had wonderful times of worship and lessons. Our son, Noah, his fiancée, Amanda, and their friend, Jonathan, were the musicians for the weekend. We also went to a local bowling alley to spend some time trying to get a few strikes.
In the heart of Arizona's wilderness, we discovered that sacred moments are woven into the very fabric of our lives. Your support helped create an unforgettable experience where the divine and the everyday converged, leaving indelible imprints on the hearts of our teens.
Thank you for being a part of this sacred adventure!
2023:
It has been a good year! God has blessed the ministry. We see Him working in the lives of the youth that we have the privilege to disciple. We had 71 different youth in attendance throughout the six camps. Each camp had at least one camper who had never attended camp before. Several campers hadn’t attended since before Covid and we are thankful they have returned.
We also began a new ministry, Serving and Leadership Team (SaLT). We are in the very beginning stages but look forward to working with the youth who are a part of it. The goal is to teach how we should serve and lead through the lens of the Bible. The teenage participants will have opportunities to lead activities during the Elementary camps and will hopefully serve the community in some capacity. We pray this will increase the number of Christian community leaders in each of the youths’ sphere of influence.
2024:
Lord willing, next year we will continue to improve the camp program to touch the hearts and lives of Native youth who desperately need to hear the Good News about Jesus. At the same time, we will continue to visit, disciple, and encourage campers to help grow their relationship with the creator of the universe. We desperately desire that these beautiful young people will have an eternal hope in their life and wear the armor of God to protect them from the evil with which the world surrounds them.
We still need a few more monthly supporters to allow us to stay on the field until June of 2027. Please pray that people would hear the calling of the Lord on their hearts and be brave enough to obey Him.
Doug & Becky
To watch a silly “Minute to win it” game we played during camp, click on the picture: