news06

Ephrata, PA ~ In May TNT Youth Ministries held it's annual Extreme Event for area youth. PEI provided a book table to encourage teens to gear up for with good Christian books to read this summer! All the you had to do to acquire a book was take time to find out what the book was about and tell Chris why you thought the book would be helpful to you. The books were provided through CBF of NY and were a great blessing to those who stopped by. Over 45 youth and adults picked up books at the event.

(Chris is a part of the Volunteer Staff with TNT Youth Ministries which meets at Ephrata Mennonite Church on Thurs. Nights and also has a "seekers Bible Study on Monday nights at EMC.)

Ephrata, PA ~ Phil Horning is the camp director at Woodcrest Retreat. It's been a joy getting to know him. When I heard that Woodcrest was in need of volunteer speakers for their day camps and over- night camps I prayed about what GOD would have me do. Phil has been a part of a group of youth pastors that meet on Thursday mornings for prayer and he's the kind of guy you can count on to pray for you and help you when you need help. That made me pray seriously about donating some time to Woodcrest this summer. I decided to volunteer to speak for two weeks of day camp and over- night camp. Since the camp is not too far from where I live I would drive up there about 8:00 a.m. each day and be home by noon. Then I would return about 7:45 p.m. and be home by 10:00 p.m. each night. Speaking at Woodcrest was a great blessing to me. The kids and counselors told me that they really enjoyed the messages the LORD gave me for them. The goal of PEI is to see lives touched and changed as we "Evangelize always - reaching, teaching and helping". Supporting local church and camp ministries is one way GOD is using me as a missionary here in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. As I continue to trust GOD to provide for the finances for this ministry I'm so blessed to be able to say yes to GOD when HE calls.

Many thanks to those of you who support this ministry with your prayers and gifts. I know that Woodcrest Retreat appreciated the time I was able to donate to them this summer with your help.

I remember my summer at Camp Joy well because it was one of the most trying summers of my life. I will not go into detail but I will tell you that I was stretched in so many ways that summer I felt like a toy from many years ago that was called "Stretch Monster". To say that it took faith to get through each day would be the understatement of the year! I made it through the summer and have become well known to all who have seen Daniel Kang's film about the ministry of CBFof NY "Forgotten Fields". Everyone who sees that film meets up with that unforgettable summer. Daniel Kang assisted by Alex Fong did an extraordinary job of capturing the campers and staff in a way that allows all who watch and listen to experience what GOD is doing through this wonderful ministry - day after day - year after year.

I've been involved in a variety of ways with CBF since then but this year I was blessed to donate them a week to come back and be the speaker at Camp Joy and to spend some time leading worship at the afternoon Bible studies at Camp Hope. What an amazing week I had. It was a week of building relationships with campers and camp staff. A week of playing in the pool, sharing my heart with them from the Word of GOD and even having the blessing of rest in a comfortable room provided for me by CBF. I had my meals with the camp staff at Joy Dining Hall each day. Wonderful meals prepared with care by Brother Dennis. My first two meals I had with the full-time staff at CBF prepared by Sister Kashie. GOD has blessed these folks with a great gift taking what GOD provides for food and making balanced meals that all enjoy. Thanks Dennis & Kashie.

"Uncle Jim" was in the midst of calling CBF Partners to tell them of a $20.000 matching gift to help pay off the summer of camp. A total of $50,000 is what was needed. Even if the $20,000 was matched there would be $10,000 to go. While doing that Jim became ill and by the end of the week was in the hospital with emergency gaul blatter surgery. (He's doing fine.) Funds are still needed. Jim is an amazing man of GOD that never gives up and never stops giving his time to serve JESUS!

Would you remember to pray for: Jim & Carole Wickliffe, Rich & Becky Meyers, the full-time staff of CBF, Jeff & Rachel Mohl (Urban Missionaries), Pastor Jack and Tina Raeside (Beacon Bible Church - Bronx NY), and all those involved in the camp ministries. Also remember Doug & Kashie Boyd - Project Genesis.

Baltimore, MD ~ During their 6 weeks in the USA, the Vincent's (my missionary friends from Mozambique) experienced blessing upon blessing as they spent time with family and friends in VA, MD, MA, NH, and ME. Each day I prayed for them and that GOD would bless me with an opportunity to see them and to in some way be a blessing to them. It had come down to their final days here when I got an email from them telling me they were back in Baltimore. I didn't see any way that I could go to visit them. My finances would not permit me to make such a trip. I kept praying.

In an email I explained to Pastor Cliff that I needed to get some papers to the boys in Africa for them to obtain their Student Visas. I had explained the great expense of using FEDex or DHL to send them. Timing was so perfect for them to be able to take the papers to Africa and then deliver them to Swaziland. I told them I would pray about the funds to make the trip to Baltimore. The next day I saw a prayer request the Vincent's send to their friends in the USA that they would be needing a ride from Baltimore to JFK for their flight back to Mozambique. That sparked my "leap of faith". I called the Pastor to tell him I would arrange to take them. This would cost a lot more of course than a round trip to Baltimore and I would also need a van to be sure I had room for them and their baggage. Within an hour it was all solved. Some friends agree to loan me their van and another friend provided for gas, tolls and extras! GOD is good. We had our visit, they got their ride and the papers got to Swaziland faster than if I had paid FEDex or DHL.

Thank you - dear friends who provided your van and to my generous brother who provided the funds. When the body of Christ comes together in ways like this it must make GOD smile. I love you guys! Thanks Pastor Cliff & Marcia for what you did for me too! MAY GOD BLESS YOUR CONTINUED MINISTRY in AFRICA.

to see how He wants us to live. It's exciting to know that GOD has a plan for us and that His plan for us is GOOD! As we realize the truth in 2 Cor. 5:17 and Gal. 2:20 where we find that we are "new creatures" and that "old things have passed away and all things have become new", and that "it's no longer us who lives, but Christ who lives in us" we discover that our lives in Christ have so much hope. So much promise. In Col. 3 we are learning so many things that help us understand just what GOD intends for us as his dear children. We are also learning the importance of some of the things Paul wrote in Romans 12:1,2 and Eph. 6 that will help us pull it all together.

We want to be transformed this week. We want to leave different than when we began this journey together. Each night we are praying that more youth will come and find out what GOD has for them in His Word.