Wilderness Northwest Blog

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!
Here at WNW, we are in the midst of the mad flury that always precedes the annual Day Camp in July. I would show you pictures of this flury, but I didn’t have time to take any If you have read previous entires, you know that we have struggled to open up camp this year and even now, we are only partially open. It was decided though, that we would go ahead with the Day Camp and as the pieces are put together for this exciting week, we are needing to continue to depend on God for provisions. Provisions for the availability of volunteer staff, preparation of the curriculum and program, and many other things and people that are needed to make this upcoming Day Camp a quality experience for the kids. We currently have more than 75 kids registered and more on the waiting list. Please continue to pray for this ministry, that God will prepare whatever provisions we need as well as the hearts of the children to hear the truth of God’s Word.

The following exerp is taken from the April 1988 newsletter.

“And Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide, as it is said to this day. In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”
Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord will provide. A familiar title to most of you–but are you aware of the nine other combinations of the word Jehovah in the Old Testament? Titles like Jehovah-roi: Jehovah is my shepherd (Ps. 23:1), Jehovah-Shalom: Peace (Judges 6:24), Jehovah-Tsidkenu: Jehovah is our righteousness (Jer. 23:6), etc., It makes an interesting study. We all know that “The Lord will provide” for us, and that is why we are never anxious, fearful, uncertain wanting, or worried. Right?

As you recall the story of Abraham, you remember that he has just passed a most severe test of faith. He willingly offered his son Isaac without questioning God. but he must have had questions because God promised Abaham future descendants through Isaac, and then told him to kill his son! Hebrew 11:19 implies that Abraham was convinced God would raise his son from the dead after he was sacrificed.

We often don’t know how or when God will provide for our needs- but faith is believing Jehovah-Jireh; God WILL provide. As with Abraham, a ram may already be caught in the thicket to provide for our need. Isaiah 65:24 says “it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer.” WE often face decisions, problems, and testing with no answer or end in view. God’s Word reminds us to commit our needs to Him in prayer-and then trust that He will provide.

Paul states that “My God shall supply ALL our need” (Phil. 4:19). That includes more than the physical necessities we usually focus upon. Material things are nice, but remember that God provides the things that money can’t buy. He is the God of all peace and love (II Cor. 13:11), the God of all comfort (II Cor. 1:3), the God of patience (Rom. 15:5), the God of hope (Rom. 15:13), and most importantly, He provdes for us a tomorrow through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (I Pet. 1:3-4).

Wilderness Northwest has always been a faith ministry andw ill continue to be so. We have a waiting list of needs that is several years long. WE don’t know how or when they will be provided-but believe that God will complete the work begun here. More important, our personal lives need to meet the day to day obstacles with faith and prayer. Jehovah-Jirah. (April 1988)

Memorial Day Weekend was ringing with hammers, saws, shouts and raindrops. A group from the Foster/Tukwilla Presbyterian Church came with 16 of their members to help rebuild some of the walls here in camp.

The Linscott Family:Brian,Kim, Micah, Ben, Kayla & Timothy; The Forsyth family: John, Lisa, Alec & Connor; Luke & Kerry Doss; Allan Murphy; Ted & Alexis Hickey; & Joel Curl

Some of the group were so enthusiastic, they really did as the Israelites did as “we carried on the work with half of them holding spears (or hammers and saws) from dawn until the stars appeared.” (Nehemiah 4:21) They woke up early with the elk, briefly broke for meals, and kept at it late into the evening. The second night they enjoyed a nice spring rain shower which was good since the hot water heater in the other showers broke But, despite the many trials, they kept at the work and got several projects accomplished.

Brian & Joel continuing the playground tower project that Tom Bringham and other groups have worked on. By the end of the weekend most of the tower was yet again standing.

They finished a wood shed, siding, roof & painted it as well as split & stacked about a cord of wood to fill it.

Alexis, Leanne, Kayla & shantell painting the shower house

And each other

The Israelites said “we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall.” (Neh. 4:10b) but, “the people had a mind to work.” (Neh. 4:6b) And work they did picking up slash, leaves, raking, carpentry, pouring concrete.

One of the many trips to the slash pile on the flatbed

Thank you to everyone who lended a hand and helped continue the process of rebuilding the walls here at Wilderness Northwest.

On Saturday the 12th of May, the camp grounds were a flurry of activity as 3 different groups joined forces to tackle some of the clean-up in Camp. Fort Lewis sent over some of their troops, families, generals and preachers, to clean up slash, pick up leaves and rake the main part of camp. Ray Canterbury brought a family of helpers to rake, pickup slash, and clean up part of the Wilderness trail and Alan Reimann brought some junior high and high schoolers from the local Brinnon and Quilcene youth group to join the ranks of trail workers and camp clean-up crew.

Chiefs, Generals, & Preachers pitch in

Tim Edgren surveying his accomplished work

Ray Canterbury and his trail crew cleanned signs, raked and picked up slash on the Wilderness devotional trail

Teens from the local youth group lay gravel down on the Wilderness trail

Alivia paints boards for the trail crew

Katie & Emily paint each other

Thanks to all the workers that joined us last Saturday in working in camp and preparing for the hopeful upcoming camp season.
God Bless.

May 2007

It always starts feeling a little rushed around here by early May. This year is especially escalating because we are in a major restoration phase at WNW that needs a majority of completion by June 1st. This restoration project is critical because normal wear and tear and deterioration has taken a toll on our facility and we have not been able to keep up in recent years.

Although we have every desire and intention to open camp by June, the board of directors has determined that we cannot overlook safety risks, and we also want to honor God with a facility that is functional, appealing, and able to accommodate the program activities that we plan.

Our goal was to tackle most of the projects from March through May. Unfortunately, March weather only gave us 3-4 good workdays. In April, a youth group from Oak Bay helped us start the rebuilding of several playground units. Two other volunteer groups were unable to make it in April, but we have logged in some good days between thunderstorms lately to accomplish some important jobs. We still have much to do and depend on God’s people with a heart for ministry, to lend a few hours and help us “Restore the Walls” of WNW.

A lot of young campers are looking forward to the greatest experience of their summer at July’s Day Camp. We don’t want this year to be any different from the last 25 years for those 70+ campers. Pray for the laborers we need, or participate as the laborers we need. All to the glory of God’s Kingdom.

Newsletter May 2007
Jody Weed

A couple of the crew mixing one of many loads of concrete for the posts in the playground.

MIke Miller brought a half a dozen people from his youth group at Lakebay Community Church last week. They spent two days re-building playground equipment and cleaning up brush and branches throughout the main part of camp. They also worked on a little rockwork in the creek bed and kept the fire going with the truckload after truckload of brush.

A hole not filled

These guys and their leaders, Staci and Mike, worked really hard through the hail and the sun to start these projects.

One of the holes filled for the play-tower

The new posts holding up the teeter-totter and the crew that did it.

Thanks to the group for all the hard work.

The 2006 CIT group

Wilderness Northwest Counselor in Training Program

Our program is aimed at and designed for teens who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and desire to be challenged with the demands of true Christian discipleship.

“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23

Our goal is to help train and equip the CIT’s in areas of : Team building, testimony, commitment, gifts of serving, dependability, willingness, cooperation, and growing into the image of Jesus Christ.

We have a group of upstanding and normal……citizens

We have begun a new year of training for our Counselor’s In Training (CIT) Program. This program is for High school and older teens who want to be discipled. We try to meet monthly in order to disciple, challenge, study the Word, work as a team and grow in knowledge and truth of God’s Word and their walk with God. Oftentimes, these young adults will help staff our Day Camp program teaching, getting to know the kids, doing dramas and having a pretty good time.

“Wilderness Northwest CIT program has helped me grow in my walk with the Lord more than anything else. It’s been so awesome. I also really enjoy helping out at Camp too!”
Brooke Parsons (2nd year CIT)

Brooke and Lucy at our CIT Retreat