Labor Day Camp Out

Greetings in the Name of our Lord!

The Labor Day weekend event at the Blessing Field was a great success and far exceeded our expectation. Praise the Lord! Nearly 200 people from 10 states attended, among them 60 first timers. There were so much fun, energy, laughter, fond moments, new relationships, teamwork, unity in spirit, abundance of fellowship, sports, games, and tons of delicious foods. So many activities occurred in parallel that a few cameramen were needed to capture all that took place.

We have made significant progress toward getting the land ready for the next phase. We raised $12,000 and received commitments to tithing while we were there. We also are thankful that more professionals in the construction business have committed to help out. We’ve prayed for a sustained momentum and progress. We believe that we have seen it happen. Please pray that sufficient donations (about $50,000 more) will come when we are ready to install the 40x120 building in this coming spring.

Camp Out

By noon on Saturday, everyone has arrived. Different teams and age groups participated in popular games, volleyball, paintball, touring the land, riding on ATVs, etc. A group of mostly women worked hard to prepare foods for the hungry campers. Thank you! Thank you!

Well over 50 tents sprung up all around the pavilion and the persimmon farm by sunset. We also rented an RV equipped with an air conditioned room, used as a clinic in case of an emergency or otherwise as a more comfortable place for mostly elderly people who cannot stand the nearly 90 degree heat during daytime.

Youth and Children

We are proud of our vibrant youth that makes up a large protion of our group. They organized the group mission activities among the young people and children, based on the theme “Team Building”. They also participated in the hard work of clearing the land, including operating the bulldozer and bobcat.

Many young couples came along with their young children. They enjoyed their time together as well as having fun outdoor activities and classes under adult supervision.

Land Preparation

The land preparation crew came on August 28, three days ahead of the campers, and worked all the way through September 1st. A 650HP buldozer, a bobcat, and two ATVs roared all day, clearing trees, flattening land, and preparing specific areas for septic tanks, ball fields, parking lots, entrance, walking trails, and future buildings. We were thankful that we now have four volunteers, who took turn in operating the bulldozer and got the job well done.

Ten trucks of gravel were dumped on the 600 plus feet long entrance way. No longer will we need to clear and level it each time we go there. We are grateful that the bobcat was loaned and delivered to us free of charge through the generosity of Mid-South Roof System, Forest Park, GA. In addition, while we were there, we managed to build a few shower rooms and a dish-cleaning bench.

Worship, Fellowship & Campfire

Sunday morning was devoted to worship whereas on Saturday and Sunday nights, we all sat around the campfire sharing, singing praise, and worshipping our Lord together. The sermon on Sunday morning was delivered by Dr. Bill Thompson from First Baptist Church Jonesboro. A wooden cross was built using pine tree trunks that are plentiful in the land and placed near the center near the bonfire.

Late nights were intimate times for some small groups. For example, on Sunday night, a small group of ladies around a circle started out as a group meeting. But it turned quickly into a larger group. It took them over 3 hours to just introduce themselves to one another, with sweet humor and endless laughter.

Prayer requests:

· Sustained momentum and continued progress
· Broader participation and financial contributions from churches and individuals
· Sufficient funds for the installation of a pre-engineered 40x120 enclosed building, including bathrooms in spring 2009
· Large donations for the Conference Center and Museum
· Divine wisdom and clear vision for the leadership teams