Day 2: Beyond Your Performance

Today the kids are learning about moving beyond counting on any of their works to earn salvation. They looked at Abraham and the fact that he had faith in God and it was counted to as righteousness.

Last night our camp pastor spoke to our students about how great and holy God is and how sinful we are. Several of our students responded by saying they knew they could do a better job at reflecting Christ in their daily lives.

However, I'm really excited to say that, after last night, we also have a new brother in Christ! Camp is going great, and we're so excited to see what else God has in store for us as the week progresses. Keep praying and we will see you all soon!

Day 1: Beyond Your Position

Hey Everyone!

As you can see below we have arrived safely and activities are well underway. Today the students are looking at getting Beyond their position. In worship tonight we will look at the seperation that exists between God and sinners without Christ. Pray for the students to see the huge gap that sin puts between them and God and that they would be broken by their sin.

As you can see from the photos our students have started their POI's and are loving camp. I will continue to update as much as possible and also try to get more pics up when I can. Thanks for praying for us. Please continue to do so!

We;re Off!!!

Well, by the time time you read this we will have left the parking lot with your children. I'm really looking forward to this week. We have a great group of students and I know that God will work in their lives. With that said, please begin to pray, even now, for the students and adults on this trip. Pray that God would work His will in all of our lives and that students would be significantly changed. It is my prayer that some of our students find a personal relationship with Jesus Christ this week. Others, who have that relationship already, will be challenged to mature in their relationship with Him. Your prayer will play a huge part in that. Don't just pray for your student. Pray for all of us to draw near to the Lord and that we would continue to draw near to him long after camp has ended.

I will update the blog as often as I can so check back for pictures! We'll see you on Sunday!

Devotional Time's

Each night before bedtime we spend about an hour in devotional time. We pray and meditate on a passage of Scripture each night and discuss it once we are through. It is such a sweet time and we are never disappointed in our time together. Each night God has shown us something amazing within his Word. Tonight was 1 Timothy 4. But, before we began our discussional time in the passage we were interrupted by John, the Pastor of Hamden Baptist Church. He came down into the basement to talk with us (unscheduled). Hamden is an older congregation and they let the Village Church share the facility since they are such a new congregation. He first apologized for interrupting us but wanted to share something with us. He began to share how the things Dan Hyuhn, Pastor of Village Church, had us doing in the community was causing quite a stir. He shared with us that every kid we have encountered is going home and shouting in excitement. He later on shared that it is causing a lot of the kids parents to wonder what is going on in Hamden and at the Village Church.

To our excitement of hearing this we were humbled on how the Lord was using us in the Hamden Community. Hamden and all of Baltimore is full of so much spiritual darkness (We have seen it) John continued to share that the work the Lord has us doing in Hamden is providing so much excitement that a lot of the families we are connecting with are planning on attending this Sunday for worship! Isn't the Lord amazing. On mission trips it is very easy to fall into the trap of the enemy and become discouraged. I think this was the Lord's way of saying, well done, but keep going finish strong on the path that I have laid out for you.

So tomorrow we are having our sports camp/kids fest celebration (block party) at the Village Church from 6 - 8pm. We need you as a family to pray for this night. Please ask God to do a mighty work and bring the families of the kids we have connected with through the sports camp and kids fest to the Village Church tomorrow for the block party.

Our kids will be making balloon animals, face painting, serving food, playing games and fellowshiping with the neighbors. Dan has been saying all week that we have been pionneering for the Village Church this week. This is the first time that Dan and the Village Church have ever done anything like this as an outreach for kids. Your child has been used by God to do a mighty work this week and we wait in expectation to see what the Lord does after we leave. We will wait patiently and trust in the Lord that he will see his Gospel come to full fruition in the lives of the people in Hamden. Pray for Hamden and pray for more laborers to come too Baltimore. There is a great need for the Gospel to be shouted in love from the rooftops and your child is getting the opportunity to take part in this here. Will you join them and do this in your community? The need is just as great there as it is here.

Blessings,
Bryan

Double Duty Day!!!

Today we began our kids fest! But before that we had day two of our sports camp at the Roosevelt Recreation Center. This morning we had about 20 students participate in our sports camp which was down 20 from the previous day due to some kids not being able to come. It was still a very successful day. Our students are connecting more and more with the kids in this area which is providing more and more credibility for the Village Church and its pastor and members.

We played soccer at sports camp today and that seemed much more successful than basketball, because it was a little easier to instruct for the younger age group. All was well at the camp today until I started to kick a soccer ball around in the gym. There is one kid at the sports camp named Sean, who I will just say is very lively and likes sports and competing. So I thought it would be a good idea to have him play goalie and I would try to score on him. Bare in mine that he his 10 and I am 25. This would be like me going against soccer star David Beckham, if you are familiar with him. In no way am I David Beckham or will I ever aspire to be like him. So, as the story goes I began to dribble the soccer ball at him about 40 feet away and then my competitive spirit takes over after I saw Sean's face saying, "bring it on, buddy" Like David against Goliath Sean stood his ground. I kicked the ball as hard as I could, and not purposefully, the ball sailed straight to his face and nailed him straight in the lip. As he fail to his knees I came back to reality and realized what I had done. Luckily, he was fine no blood or tears. Sean, was a little stunned after his head shot back in whip lash from the blow. But we made up and he was back in the goal standing his ground 1 minute later. He was a tough kid to say the least and I didn't kick the ball much more after that.

The kids fest was very successful. We were prepared for 2 kids or 20 kids. We had 7 kids show up and our 15 students from Living Hope loved on each one of those 7 kids who came to the sports camp. We learned from Dan that a lot of the kids who came were new visitors to the Village Church and it was great for us to get to minister to those families kids. Jake Trabue shared the bible story today about creation and Taylor Allen shared the 7 day creation wheel. And they did a wonderful job.

At the end of the kids fest Dan pulled me aside and asked if he thought we would be ok with trying to throw a last minute block party on Thursday night from 6-8pm. So tomorrow we are going to do 2 days of kids fest in one day. Chelsea Halter will be sharing the story of how Jesus Loves the Little Children and then Michael Paladino will be sharing the story of Easter and the Resurrection. Please pray for them.

As we have been preparing for Baltimore, we have known that there could be changes to come and must be willing to do what ever the church and pastor would need at anytime. Our team has responded with much maturity and flexibility in the change to lead a block party on Thursday instead of the kids fest. Dan senses that holding a block party will be the best use of our teams time and will be most effective for the Village Church in getting the neighbors and families onto the church lot.

So, we will need your prayers for the rest of the week and the changes for Thursday.

Blessings,
Bryan

Day 2and 3

Sorry for not posting the last two days. It has been hard to find time to update.

Today we began our sports camp and we couldn't have been anymore excited. And neither could Kim, Kelsey, Matt and I after we saw how well our student leaders were doing. We had about 40 kids participate with us. And our students were prepared, ready, and focused. I can't put into words how great our team acted and how well they lead the 40 kids this morning. Since we had so many kids we couldn't teach them all together, but the students immediate took the initiative to split up into smaller groups and began to teach, connect, and minister to each kid that was in their small group. It really opened the door for our team to connect with more kids.

It was a blessing for Kim, Matt, Kelsey, and I to sit back and watch each student lead their section and group at the camp. There were some challenges, but the students quickly adjusted to those challenges and made it a fun morning for every child there.

Dan Hyuhn, the pastor of the Village Church, shared with us Sunday, yesterday, how most families don't see many high school aged students trying to give back and lead in their community (we are here to do more than that in the name of Christ). He was just saying that this sports camp and kids fest will be such an encouragement to all the families in this area and will give them such a fresh perspective on the church and Village Church. All that to be said, God is using us in a mighty way for his kingdom and the Village Church.

We are going into the inner harbor this evening for dinner and a little tourism, but we are all in for a few hours getting some rest. Please continue to pray for us. Specifically that we will be bold and flexible in whatever way God leads and uses us.

Blessings,
Bryan

A long drive!

We have finally made it! We arrived at 10:30pm EST. We were blessed to be on the road from 7:30AM CST to 10:30 EST (sarcasm added). We are waiting for the trailor from the adult team so we can set up camp at the church we are staying at.

So far God has protected us and given us a safe travel. When we got here we got to talk to a neighbor strolling down the sidewalk with her daughter and grandaughter. We got the opportunity to invite them to the sports camp and kids fest (BYBC) we will be hosting for The Village Church. It was a sweet moment for the students and leaders to watch Dan talk to her at 10:45 EST on the steps of the church and invite her to be apart of the activities this week. We are anxious to see what happens this week!

We just finished our devotion and prayer time. (same one we are asking you to do as a family while we are gone). It was a sweet time as we broke up into prayer groups and prayed for our activities and the opportunities we hope God gives us to minister to the community.

Time to go unload the trailor.

Blessings,
Bryan and leaders
P.S. Also, Matt Cassetty, adult chaperone, wanted you all to know that the Yankees beat the Blue Jays tonight!!! Good to know where his priorities are!