The rainy season has officially begun.  Our mornings often start out with sunshine but around midday the clouds start to roll in and many evenings are filled with rain and thunderstorms.  This can often lead to our power going out for a bit so it makes us grateful for the nice fireplace and a gas stove for cooking.  

Recently in the news they have announced an electric power outage nation-wide and they will be cutting off power for up to 4 hours a day in each area.  I'm not sure yet how that will affect us but might be a good idea to stock up our firewood!  

October has been very full.  We started the month off with our big outreach camp and once again I served on the work crew.  As we drove to camp, Ivan and I shared a lot of memories over the years from past camps and it was incredible to look back and see how far we have come.  In the early years, we ran around (literally) doing everything.  I remember the first year we invested in some walkie-talkies, what a difference!  I remember a year where someone in work crew saw the extreme amount of dishes piled high after the first dinner and just walked out and left!  I could write pages of memories.  Some really low moments but along with them the high points.  I have always been on the work crew side of things and so my favorite part of camp is when I read through the letters that campers write on the last morning.  We ask every camper and leader to write a thank you note and share a little bit about their experience at camp.  When I read through those letters, it reminds me of the "why" behind it all.  It gives me hope for the next generation.  It fills me with joy to read how they thank their leader for spending time with them and never giving up on them.  It makes me laugh when they mention how dirty they got in the obstacle course.  

I think about the many letters Paul wrote to the early church, the first Christians.  I imagine how they must have felt receiving word from him and how it spurred them on.  Often challenging words but always with love and encouragement.  

Philemon 1:4-7

Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, "Oh, thank you, God!" I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other Christians.  And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in all the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it.  Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers."

I hope this "letter" does the same for you.  I hope you know how grateful I am for your prayers and friendship.  Your messages of encouragement spur me on.  I praise God for all the good things happening because of your faithfulness to partner with us.  This journey has both mountain tops and valleys and sometimes simultaneously.  Thank you for showing up and walking with me in both.  

Letter from camp

Mountain tops and valleys

Some of our work crew at camp! Grateful for these people and their heart to serve!