Thursday, March 9, 2017
Winter Blast Report
Our February winter camp was a lot of fun and a huge success! We had two evening lock-ins back to back: middle school with 35 kids, and high school with 55 kids. Each camp had 4 club meetings (with games, songs, and message), 3 cabin time reflections, 2 meals and a snack, 1 crazy gym time, and lots and lots of chances to build relationships and talk about Jesus. To see pictures, videos and hear more, click HERE.
High School camp started at 7pm on Friday. Most of the students were from Mt. Edgecumbe High School, and they all felt very comfortable. Again we had 4 clubs times meeting together where our speaker shared about how giving control of our lives to God makes all the difference. In small groups kids really opened up and shared about fears and what they face back home. The weekend was filled with impromptu Native singing and dancing, Native Youth Olympics, wiffle Ball and 5 star food. It was an 18 hour whirlwind- but it's absolutely amazing what can happen in such a short period. Here are a few pictures from the weekend....
The weekend started of at 7pm Thursday night with the middle school camp. Our wacky program team did goofy skits to start off a great club and followed by great cabin time reflection. Next we headed off to Sitka's very own Ninja Warrior Gym combined Sitka gymnastics gym. This was the perfect place for kids to bounce off walls as well as climb them. Our middle school kids were challenged to look at it means to let go of control of their lives and give control to God. It was a great time of fun, crazy games, and great conversations with kids and leaders.
High School camp started at 7pm on Friday. Most of the students were from Mt. Edgecumbe High School, and they all felt very comfortable. Again we had 4 clubs times meeting together where our speaker shared about how giving control of our lives to God makes all the difference. In small groups kids really opened up and shared about fears and what they face back home. The weekend was filled with impromptu Native singing and dancing, Native Youth Olympics, wiffle Ball and 5 star food. It was an 18 hour whirlwind- but it's absolutely amazing what can happen in such a short period. Here are a few pictures from the weekend....
Upcoming Winter Blast
We have been looking forward to this weekend all year- Winter Blast! Sitka Young Life will host a middle school and a high school lock-in starting on Thursday, February 23rd and then follow that with a lock-in for high school students Friday, February 24th. These events are an amazing chance for kids to share experiences, make memories, build friendships and hear about Jesus. Camp is aimed at kids who would not come to church. Please pray that God would speak through all of camp and especially during the club talks and our cabin times. We want to make camp available to all and we have found that many high school kids have a hard time paying. To make winter camp accessible to all students we are not charging for kids to attend this event. Camp costs $50 per student, so if you would like join us in making camp available to all kids by making a donation please click HERE. For more details click HERE
Last year we had 45 middle school kids and 55 high school kids come to Winter Blast. We flew up two people to come do program- which means- design and facilitate games and humor that breaks down walls, creates shared memories, and helps people bond. This year we have the an all star crew of Young Life staff coming in from Anchorage and Fairbanks. Our speaker this year is a former Young Life area director in Texas and now travels around speaking in public schools. Each lock-in will have 4 times where we gather as a large group to gather for games and a message. Following each message, students will have a chance to break into small cabin groups and talk about how the message applies to their own lives. Camp is a great time where God really works. Please pray for safety and that God really moves in the hearts of these kids.
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
In Tuntutuliak I had a chance to visit an MEHS Graduate (class of 2007) and his wife and 2 kids. Jason is the first Alaska Native on Young Life staff. The pace of life is in the village is different and no roads or running water effect how people spend their time. Jason coaches middle school basketball and knows every kid in the village. He plans on using his home to host Bible studies, and sleep overs. And wants to give kids the opportunity to go to camp. Highlights for me were spending time with the Bavillas, seeing him coach basketball, and eating moose, riding on his 4-wheeler, and going to hunt for fox. Jason's big dream is to help kids in his village understand that God really loves them personally and wants to have a relationship with them individually. He wants to show them how to learn from the Bible and how to continue their faith when life gets hard. The picture above and below are from Tunt.
I met my friend Dale in Bethel as we met with a group of people who are interested in starting Young Life. Bethel is the largest "hub" community in Alaska. 6,500 people live there and it services another 19,000 living in 50 surrounding villages. In 5 days we meet with many people who had a deep passion to bring the hope they have found in Christ to the youth in Bethel. Many of these people are already involved in ministries but hope that Young Life can bring structure and organization to help coordinate outreach and discipleship. efforts, also bring training and support.
High lights of the trip for me were: being able to meet such great people, the group interest meeting (the group from the photo), home-made pizza party interest meeting at the Byrnes's, a 15 mile snow machine ride down river to a Bible camp called Camp Hope, and participating in nightly traditional native steam baths with the men of the Fox family. Dolena Fox graduated MEHS in 2014 and has been involved with Young Life since she first came to Mt. Edgecumbe. It was during her time in Young Life that she started her relationship with God and since then she has always dreamed that Young Life would come to Bethel and plans on returning to help with youth ministry. She wants all the kids from her home to experience the love and hope she has found through her relationship with God.
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| Ice road on the Kuskokwim River |
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| Tundra by Camp Hope |
Prayer Requests:
- Wisdom and timing for Bethel Young Life, pray also for more people to be interested in being involved in the support committee and a couple people in Bethel interested in coming on YL staff.
- For Sitka Young Life in recruiting more leaders, prayer team, committee, and donors.
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