Our family just returned from a wonderful weekend at Camp Barakel. Winter retreats at camp has always been a favorite of mine. All the different activities there are to do at Camp Barakel in the winter are wonderful. This weekend was full of teens and their shenanigans and Father/Son retreaters working on their relationships! There is no shortage of fun activities to do. There is tubing down a steep, icy, fast hill that luckily for anyone over 25 has a beautiful tow rope to bring you back to the top. There is ice fishing, food, human bowling on ice, cookies and hot cocoa, Broomball tournaments, food, scavenger hunts and well, food and scavenger hunts and escape rooms. But the most important time I’d say is the chapel sessions. When you can hear and read God’s word and have it preached to you is very rewarding if not life changing. Watching teens surrender to God in chapel not only reminds me of the joy of my salvation but that God is still in the soul-saving business. It is very rewarding to have a small part to play in teens accepting Christ as their Savior and fathers and sons embracing each other while singing praises to Jesus Christ! Winter retreats have a special place in my heart. When I was a teen at Camp Barakel, it is where I surrendered my life to God and made a decision to follow Him.
This weekend, Rita and I had the kids with us. It was their first time to Camp in the winter. To say they had fun would be an understatement. Each night they were beyond tired. Never wanting to go to bed but so tired they needed help getting their boots off and help brushing their teeth before the lights went out. Both of their favorite activities this weekend were tubing. They must have easily went down 20+ times each. I feel sorry for the hill workers that their sore backs are from some of my kids.
I worked in the kitchen this weekend. It is very fun and rewarding to be in the kitchen at Camp Barakel. Getting to hear other’s stories and how God worked through them is awesome. The crew always has conversations to laugh about. The company was great and the food was amazing! We even had some first time workers in the kitchen and they definitely plan on returning to do more volunteer work. We love our AVS! (Adult Volunteer Staff)
Rita and I had the opportunity to meet with some supporters and get to know them very well. It is amazing who God is bringing into our lives. What starts off as an email from a stranger quickly becomes a conversation with a friend over some hot cocoa. I thank God daily for our supporters. Without which, camp could not run. No one at camp is paid a salary. The full time staff there rely on God who uses men, women and churches to partner with us to successfully run a camp; all to His Glory!
Prayer Requests:
We are still holding strong at 62% funded. We are earnestly praying for the next 38% to come in soon. We would love to be at Camp by May 2020 so we can get a family camp and some workshops in, and be off and running before the summer fun begins! Please continue to pray for us as we seek supporters and churches to partner with Rita and I. Please be in prayer that Rita and I will continue to seek Jesus first and keep him central. Pray for the other 2 families as well; The Bennetts and Kathleen Anderson as they are working to become Resident Staff as well.
Because of Calvary and a Lamb,
Dave and Rita Miron (Celia and Eli too…. 🙂 )
Here are some pictures from the weekend
