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Fisher Bay Bible Camp- Week 6 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
The final week of camp is finishing today! On Monday and Tuesday there was the 5-7 yr olds camp, and Thursday-Sunday we had the 17-19 yr olds camp. For the younger ones Marilyn Thiessen was the speaker. Praise God that the kids began to understand the message of the gospel (many of them were hearing it for the very first time). Praise Him also that we were five children over capacity and that God provided excellently behaved kids, low amounts of homesickness, and lots of staff once again. It was a tiring two days with the little ones but it was enjoyed by both the campers and the staff. For the older group Ken Karg spoke on the beatitudes. The young adults had a relaxing fun week paintballing, canoeing, playing ping pong, and other games. Pray that what they heard in the sessions, and the conversations they had with the staff would be remembered and that the Holy Spirit would use it in their lives.
Pray also for the financial situation, as $7000.00 is needed to pay outstanding bills for the basement and money is also needed for the general fund to cover the final expenses for the summer. (If you feel that you are able to help in this area, click on the Donate link to help FBBC meet their financial budget.)
Pray for the staff this next week as they will be going home after a full summer of serving God at camp. Many times after a time of ministry the devil will attack and temptations will arise. Pray that the staff will be able to walk with God this week and all year round; also, that they will be a light in their communities like they were at camp.
Thank you to everyone who has been faithfully praying for the ministry. Thank you also to those who have worked here this summer, and to those who have given financially. God has been working mightily again, and the fields have been ripe for harvest. Please do not stop praying for camp now that the official camp season is over. Pray even more now for the campers as they try to live out their new lives in Christ at home and in school.
Finally I just want to praise God for his amazing goodness to us in providing what was needed for His ministry once again. Time and time again this summer we saw God provide staff, soft and receptive hearts for campers, safety, health, opportunities to share the gospel, strength for the staff, patience, and much, much more. We serve a great and risen Lord whose love never fails, whose mercies are new every morning, and who is able to do much more than we could ever ask or imagine!
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Fisher Bay Bible Camp- Week 5 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
This past week was our teen camp (ages 13-16). God blessed us with a full camp of 47 very well behaved campers. This is such a blessing because just a week before camp there were only 18 kids signed up. Last week we prayed that God would give us well behaved campers so we could spend more time building relationships and sharing with the campers about Christ, and God did exactly that for us. Kevin Simms was the speaker and God used his words powerfully in the lives of campers and staff alike. We also prayed that the campers would open up to the staff and trust them easily and God also answered that prayer with an overwhelming yes. God was definitely moving in the hearts and minds of campers this past week. Two campers made first time commitments and many others were renewed in their desire and hope that they can follow God.
Pray for the campers who desire to follow God but find it very difficult to do so in homes where they are dragged along into sin, and hardships. Pray that we can be there for these campers and that God would send more workers who can walk with these youth throughout the year.
This next week there are two camps, on Monday and Tuesday there is the 5-7 yr olds camp, and Thursday-Sunday is the 17-19 yr olds camp. For the younger ones pray for Marilyn Thiessen as she speaks. Pray that the gospel can be clear enough for them to understand. For the older group pray for Ken Karg as it will be his first time speaking at camp. Pray that these young adults can be challenged in their walks with God and those who are not walking in obedience to God would be broken and come to repentance and a new found freedom in Christ.
Pray also for the financial situation, as $7000 is needed to pay outstanding bills for the basement and money is also needed for the general fund to cover the final expenses for the summer.
Pray for the staff this next week that they continue to love the campers and be focused on serving God here for the final week. Pray for the camp staff as they are presenting the service in Dallas Church today.
Thank you to everyone who has been faithfully praying for the ministry. Thank you also to those who have worked here this summer, and to those who have given financially. God has been working mightily again, and the fields have been ripe for harvest.
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Fisher Bay Bible Camp- Week 4 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
It's hard to believe that week four is over. The summer seems to be going very quickly. God has been so good to us again this week, as He has been all summer. We started the week with a very full staff and our smallest group of campers for the summer. I wondered why so few campers were here after the first three weeks were so full. God had it all under control though, as He always does. We found out quickly that many of the campers this week needed concentrated one on one attention. So the smaller number made this possible and many of our staff were sick and were put out of commission early in the week. So the lower number of campers became a blessing. With the small number, deeper relationships were built and we saw many campers come to know the Lord. The speaker this week was Walter Selke from Regina and his enthusiasm in chapel drew the kids in and had them listening every time. At the end of the week we just have to praise God for sending us the campers He did, and the harvest he produced.
Next week is teen camp and we have 35 campers signed up out of a possible 48. Pray that the camp would fill up so that we can share the gospel with more people. Pray that the walls of mistrust in the teens would break down quickly so that relationships can be built and lives shared with each other. Pray for campers who have made decisions in previous years to be renewed in their walk with God and those who have never received God`s forgiveness to accept it this coming week. Pray for the speaker Kevin Simms as he shares with the teens. Pray that it would be with God`s words not his own.
Prayer items:
-pray for follow up efforts
-for full camp next week
-warm dry weather
-staff health
-finances(great needs)
-speaker Kevin Simms
-teens to have soft hearts, walls come down quickly, building relationships
-wisdom for staff switching from dealing with 8yr olds to 16 yr olds
-full reliance on God for all staff
Staff needs
-(1)female counsellor for Aug 3-8
-(3)kitchen workers for this week, Aug 3-8
-(2)kitchen workers for Aug 10-11, Aug 13-16
-(2)camp clean up crew for Aug 13-16
IMPORTANT
In order to get camp in operation for the summer, several local businesses became involved. Some of the hook-ups were temporarily done, and other work had to be done to make camp safe and functional. We went on faith that bills would be paid, and there is now an urgent need. We need approximately $7000 to pay outstanding bills. Are there congregations or individuals who would feel led to support us in this?
If you need more information, call chairman Dave Klassen (425-3016) or project manager Harry Hildebrand (746-8036).
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Fisher Bay Bible Camp- Week 3 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
The third week of camp is done. Camp was completely full with 49 campers (8-11yr olds), and God blessed us with a very full staff. It was the third week of our counselor training and discipleship program (LEAP)and the LEAPers worked as junior counsellors. They did a good job and we could see God working in their lives and working through them. Loella Hartog from the Hodgson Church was the speaker and told the message of the gospel and God's changing power through telling stories. Friday night we saw God working in kids hearts and making the gospel clear to the campers hearts. A few campers gave their lives to God and others decided not to, while others have yet to make a decision.
Next week is our last week of the age 8-11 age group, there is still lots of room for campers, especially girls. Pray that the camp will fill up and that we will get to share God's love and message of salvation with a full group again.
The camp bank account is almost empty. Please pray that God will provide. Please give to support this ministry that brings the gospel to many children and families that would not hear it otherwise. Also, the basement project is at a standstill. There is much landscaping that needs to get started as soon as camp ends in order to have the grass growing, and the grounds ready for next year. To do this though a very large amount of fill and topsoil needs to be purchased.
Staff needs: Aug 3-8 we need one more female counsellor (Age 18 or older), and 2 cooks.
Aug 10-11 one cook is needed.
Aug 13-17, two cooks are needed as well as 2 maintenance men, and 2 camp cleaners to close
down camp.
Praise God that every week He has been providing great harvests.
Pray that God will continue to work in hearts of kids and that we will be able to faithfully follow up.
Pray for the staff for continued passion and fervor for serving the Lord.
Pray that God will use the seed that was planted and cause the growth.
Pray for health for the staff as quite a few of them are getting sick.
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Fisher Bay Bible Camp - Week 2 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
Camp is over for the second week. It was a hard week in many ways. It was rainy, cold, there were quite a few campers who had a very hard time listening later in the week, and until Friday we had not seen very much in the way of kids’ hearts being moved by God. We continued to trust God though and to pray that God would open the camper’s eyes. Friday the weather started to get a little nicer though and Friday night we saw God working visibly in kids hearts. A number of campers gave their hearts to God and some who were Christians rededicated their lives. Praise God because He works even when we are having a hard time seeing it. On Saturday we had a family chapel and meal with the parents and the parents who came heard the gospel. Pray for the parents as we will be doing this every week.
The next week of camp is the same age group (8-11 year olds). It is a full camp with a waiting list. Loella Hartog will be speaking, pray for her to have the words to say and that the kids will have open hearts. Pray also for safety and no flu. Pray for staff for renewed energy, patience, love, and passion. Pray for some warm dry weather as camp is very wet.
Thank you for all of you prayers, and please continue to pray as it is God who does the work and provides the harvest.
Financial Needs:
The basement project has come a long way in the previous weeks with dirt being back filled, sewer, water and power being hooked up, and the entrance framed sheeted and shingled. Now though we are at a standstill as we are not only out of money for the project but have $2000 owing on what has already been done; $60,000 is needed to finish this project. This basement project will allow us to run winter follow weekends, retreats, and camps, and will provide desperately needed staff housing. If you can help with this project please send cheques to Fisher Bay Bible Camp Box 277 Hodgson, MB R0C 1N0. (Or you can go to the Donate page and follow the links to on-line donations.)
Staff Needs:
Next week we need another kitchen worker and possibly 2 more as some of our workers who were committed for next week may not be able to stay(July 20-25). For Aug 3-8 we could use another female counselor and another maintenance worker, and more kitchen workers. For Aug 10-16 we could use kitchen workers and maintenance.
If God is calling you to help, please call Carlyle at 645-2531 or email: carlyle.hartog@gmail.com.
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Fisher Bay Bible Camp - Week 1 Update
by Carlyle Hartog (Director)
As I write this it is 1:53 AM on Friday night, and the first week of camp is almost over. Though I am tired, I am also very excited about all that God has done here this week. Monday at orientation when I asked how many of the campers had been to camp before, all but two of our 45 campers raised their hands. Out of those 43 campers who had come before many had been campers 3 or 4 times before. Seeds have been planted over a number of years and tonight it was amazing to see the harvest. The speaker Ed Stewart who had been speaking all week with the theme of making a decision to live our lives for ourselves or for something else, gave his final chapel. He asked the campers to really think about, and to decide who they wanted to live for. Many children decided for God tonight, I don't even know how many yet, but I'll let you know the story of a boy named Will who was sitting beside me in chapel. After chapel he remained behind and just sat there. I asked him what he was thinking about and he told me he was deciding whether he wanted to live for God or not. He sat there for another 5 minutes and then I asked him if he had decided, and he said not yet. A few minutes later he put his hands together and his head down and I could see he was praying and crying. When he looked up a few minutes later he told me with relief and a sense of freedom that “I choose heaven and that I will live for God and I have decided that I would die for God if I needed to.”
Pray for our follow up efforts as God has provided a mighty harvest this week with many children accepting God's free gift this week. Follow up has always been one of our short falls at camp. We feel God's calling to fully follow the great commission by making disciples, which takes us father than just one week of camp. To do this we need your help, first of all to pray. We want people who can take one or two kids who accepted Christ and pray for them consistently, and to call/email/facebook them 2x per month throughout the year. We are also trying to get rides for theses kids to church on Sundays. We need your support to see the full potential of this ministry fulfilled and strong believers established. We are also praying that people will be called by God to move to this area and minister year round to the children and youth who are desiring to follow God. This would include picking up kids for church, teaching Sunday school, and visiting their homes. There are more than a hundred children who would come to church faithfully if they could have a ride to church. The local churches of Dallas and Hodgson have a small amount of Sunday school teachers though, so pray that children can come to church and that there will be people to teach them and walk with them. If God is calling you to help with the discipleship of a child please call Carlyle at 645-2531 or email carlyle.hartog@gmail.com.
The basement project has come a long way in the previous weeks with dirt being back filled, sewer, water and power being hooked up, and the entrance framed sheeted and shingled. Now though we are at a standstill as we are not only out of money for the project but have $2000 owing on what has already been done; $60,000 is needed to finish this project. This basement project will allow us to run winter follow weekends, retreats, and camps, and will provide desperately needed staff housing. If you can help with this project please send cheques to Fisher Bay Bible Camp Box 277 Hodgson, MB R0C1N0. (Or you can go to the Donate page and follow the links to on-line donations.)
Praise Items
-Safety and health at camp this week. There were no major injuries and no H1N1 cases.
-The massive harvest with 40 children either giving the hearts to the Lord for the first time or recommitting to following Him!
-God has blessed the camp with amazing workers from our different churches and elsewhere!
Prayer Requests
-Staff for this coming week July 13-18, we still need male and female counsellors(Age 14 and up)!
-An ever deepening walk with God for the counsellors as well as health, safety, and energy.
-For our speaker next week, Dez Hartog
-For children's hearts to be open.
-For continued health and safety.
-For the follow up of the children who desire to follow God.
(Next week is the first Junior Week ages 8-11, and we are full for girls campers and need two more boys.)
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