Rodeo Bible Camp Big Piney 2018

Last week was Rodeo Bible Camp in Big Piney, Wyoming. This was our first year there feeding the camp. The camp ran from Monday night through the rodeo Friday night. There were 11 girls and 3 boys that ranged in age from 11 to 17. The camp ran the same as the one in Downey with event clinics, chapel twice a day, meals, games, and plenty of fun and building relationships. The kids really enjoyed the week and we were so blessed to be a part of it.

This young man getting some valuable help on rough stock riding.

Theses girls were learning to rope or improving their skills.

Practicing their roping skills

This young lady is learning pole bending.

During chapel, one of the musicians promised that she would teach any kid to play the spoons who was willing. Every kid came up and did it. Here those with the spoons are learning how to hold them.

Here camp pastor (and cowboy church pastor) David (left) and Dennis help out in the arena.

The kids worked hard for the ultimate rodeo prize- a Montana Silversmith belt buckle. They were not judged on just rodeo results, but also for their participation in chapel and during devotions.

This is the reason we do all this work. These 14 kids stole our hearts and they needed to hear of the love of Jesus.

While we all had fun, Faith may have had the most fun. Although this picture is blurry, we had to include it to show the big smile on her face. She loved being on the horse. She also got to drive a golf cart. We won’t comment on her driving skills though.

Fun Facts

Big Piney, Wyoming sits in the desert with no pine trees in sight. It was named for the creek that runs through that apparently has pine trees on it somewhere, just nowhere near Big Piney.

The camp is actually not held in Big Piney but just north of Marbleton, which is just north of Big Piney.

Mission Montana 2018

This week was a big week in the ministry of Outdoor Life Ministries in Bonner, Montana. West Conroe Baptist Church from Texas came again to assist with Adventure Camp, various construction projects, and random acts of kindness. The adventure camp ran from the Monday through Thursday and featured stations such as Bible, recreation, snacks and games, missions, crafts, music, and adventure. Wednesday was water day and probably the favorite day for many of the kids although they enjoyed the entire week greatly. Five kids made decisions to follow Jesus as their Savior!

Construction projects happened in Bonner and Clinton, a town approximately 10 miles east of Bonner. Windows were replaced, roofs repaired, fences put in among other projects. We were also able to put windows in the Lion’s Barn where Outdoor Life Ministries meets for Sunday services.

Random acts of kindness included lawn work, passing out Popsicles and water, and assisting at the Teen Challenge thrift store.

The week culminated with the Family Fun Night on Thursday with a free BBQ, bounce houses, snow cones, slip and slide, launching of bottles made during Adventure Camp, music, and a message from Pastor Ken. Outdoor Life Ministries was intentional about building relationships with visitors during this time.The event seen over 200 people coming. We had the great problem of scrambling for more tables and chairs as the people kept coming.  It was the best event yet in the four years we have been doing this event. The Lord is doing a great work in Bonner and we were grateful to be a part of it.

Windows for the barn

Kids were taught to track an animal that had been shot by following the trail of “blood”.

Intently painting a birdhouse in crafts.

Bible time

A game in recreation

Archery

Dancing during music

The youth were phenomenal with the kids

 

The ice cream showed up on Thursday and donated ice cream for the kids.

Water day included a water obstacle course and water games in recreation. The highlight was the fire department showing up.

Salt Lake projects in July

While we were in Roy, we were able to work on three churches/ministries. The first was patching a roof over a Hispanic church in Salt Lake.

The church has a rather unusual roof as you can see. The patch job will work for now but the church will need to replace the roof in the very near future. Please pray that the Lord will provide the funds needed for this project.

The second project was at the Baptist Concern Center, a food pantry ministry in Salt Lake.

Singles had blown off the roof. Nathan and the Director of Missions replaced them

The last project was fixing a plumbing issue with the baptistry at Good Shepherd Fellowship in Bountiful.

FIrst Baptist Church Roy

We spent the last three weeks working at First Baptist Roy in Utah. The church had a few projects that needed to be completed.

One of the more pressing needs was this large window. It was leaking and needed to be chalked. We rented a lift to reach most of the window. And since we had a lift, why not repaint the cross that the same time.

One of the bigger projects was swapping a ladies Sunday school classroom and the nursery. This would put the nursery in the same area as the other children’s classrooms for better security. This above picture shows the old nursery. We had to frame a wall, sheetrock it, and paint. Carpet tiles and the baseboard were then put in.

This is the finished classroom.

The hall outside the new classroom was finally finished. This was the hallway before:

The tile floor you see in the photo above was originally laid by Nathan in 2001.

The lighting in this picture was too dark so the color did not turn out right. But the finished product ties in with the rest of the building beautifully and gives it a complete look.

We did do some other projects while there such as replacing lighting and thermostats and putting an air conditioner in the Hispanic pastor’s office. We again enjoyed our time with this precious group of people. We were blessed by them and just hope we were able to bless them as much as they did us. 

Helping on a roof

Immediately following cleanup at Rodeo Bible Camp, we packed up and headed to First Baptist Church Provo to assist a mission team with the replacement of the roof. Wartrace Baptist Church came from Tennessee to replace a portion of the roof on the building. They worked very hard amid temperatures that were hovering around 100 degrees in the afternoons. The team started at 5 and took an afternoon break to avoid the worst heat, returning to work until 10. Nathan only helped the team on Thursday as the roof was finished that afternoon. Nathan helped one of the church members return equipment rentals and unused shingles on Friday. The team plans to return next year to finish the remaining roof.

Rodeo Bible Camp 2018 Downey

June 24-27 was Rodeo Bible Camp in Downey. This year we were the cooks again serving approximately 60 people for 3 meals. Kelly joined us cooking for the week. The kids, ages 11-17, learned rodeo skills while also having chapel twice a day along with devotion times in their cabins. The kids LOVE Rodeo Bible Camp and we love serving them.

Here are the pictures from the camp. You will not find any pictures of us cooking because (1) we didn’t take any and (2) compared to rodeo events, pictures of cooking are boring.

This kid was riding with a broken wrist he got in High School Rodeo Finals the week before.

Horsemanship skills

These girls are really listening to their pole bending instructor

I would run fast, really, really fast.

Not your most graceful dismount but then again not many are.

Challis Changers 2018

First of all we need to gratefully acknowledge First Baptist Church of Roy for their assistance in getting our computer back up and running. Our  computer crashed in early June. One of their members gave us the help we needed and the church bought us a new hard drive. We are so thankful for their help. We are also grateful that we did not lose any information.

June 16-23 was Challis Changers. Red Bank Baptist Church from Chattanooga, TN came to help Challis Community Bible Study with Backyard Bible Club in the park, various construction projects, a ladies’ tea, and a family community night.

The week started with a precious baptism of a couple whom Challis Changers and Challis Community Bible Study have been ministering to for several years.

The first couple of days were rainy and cool. Yet the Lord held the rain every day during the hours of Backyard Bible Club. Eighteen kids braved the cool weather and had a great time.

Various construction projects went on through the community. Ramps and decks were built, houses were painted, windows were washed, and weeds were pulled in addition to projects at the American Legion Hall. It was a challenge to paint with the weather but it all got finished.

Wednesday night was the Ladies’ Cowgirl Tea and this year attendance was much greater than last year. A good time was had and the gospel was shared.

Thursday night was Family Fun night and there was a air soft tournament, bouncy house, free hot dogs and snow cones along with some games with the little kids. Again the gospel was shared.

This is the last year of Challis Changers as we know it. God is moving Red Bank to assist with churches and a church plants in the Boise area. Yet the work in Challis is far from over.