40 Years as Moose

40 years is a lot of tradition. I first got my camp name back when I was 16 and working at Camp Ambassador. That summer every one new was named for an Archie comics character and since I was the biggest guy, Moose it was. It was also the year I grew my beard, though it had much more colour then. 

The next camp I worked at (Camp Ganadaoweh) I tried to get a new camp name. That summer everyone was being named for animals. Bear was taken by the camp director. Yup, I was still Moose. From that time on, I have owned it and made it my own. 

Camp names are magical adding to the mystery of camp. Being Moose allowed me the freedom to become who I wanted to be and in some ways it is also a character I put on. There’s nothing like hearing a camper yell “Moose!” when they see you away from camp, like across the Burlington Mall one time. It was great!

The Chronicles of Widjiitiwin

Our 2020 summer camp theme is

The Chronicles of Widjiitiwin (Narnia)!

The forests around Camp Widjiitiwin are not the friendly Hundred Acre Wood of Christopher’s childhood days. The bears here do not eat honey and a lion, not Tiggers, roam these royal lands. But hope and spring are on the way for Aslan has been sighted, and he’s calling you to come and explore the land through the wardrobe into a magical land where Aslan is King, a land of fairy tale creatures, where boys and girls become kings and queens! Pack your sword and trumpet along with your toothbrush and prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime! 

There is a quote I have always remembered from the Chronicles of Narnia that I thought said, “Ours is not to know what might have been.” The actual quote is from the book Prince Caspian and reads, “To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.”

“The castle of Cair Paravel on its little hill towered up above them; before them were the sands, with rocks and little pools of salt water, and seaweed, and the smell of the sea and long miles of bluish-green waves breaking for ever and ever on the beach. And oh, the cry of the seagulls! Have you ever heard it? Can you remember?” – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

“To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant. To the great western woods, King Edmund the Just. To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan the Gentle. And to the clear northern skies, I give you King Peter the Magnificent. Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.” – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

What Would My 16 Year Old Self Would Say to Me?

Lately I’ve been wondering, “What Would My 16 Year Old Self Would Say to Me?” That’s him on the right. 

  • Nice beard! Aren’t you glad I started it? But what happened to the colour?
  • And where did all my hair go?
  • I saw you on Facebook. Sure glad we didn’t have that when we were in high school. Imagine all the stupid stuff people would know. And mom will never know. 
  • I think it’s really cool you followed God and our dream of working in Christian camping. 
  • Hey, remember that girl you kissed in the center lounge at Camp Ambassador as a camper? Yeah, me neither.
  • 16 was our first summer on staff at Camp Ambassador. We first got the camp name Moose (named for the Archie comics character). That’s stuck for 40 years now. 
  • It’s kind of amazing you lived through all the stupid things you tried. God must still have work for you to do. 
  • So you got married. Elaine is great!
  • You have three great girls (some sense of humour God has after growing up in a house of 4 boys).
  • And three grand-kids! WOW! That’s cool. Which one is your favourite? 
  • Did you ever tell dad about… yeah, never mind. 

If you got a message from your 16 year old self, what would it say?

I Was An Orphan

World Adoption Day – was this past Saturday, November 9, 2019

I was adopted at the age of 6 months having spent that time in foster care. I have friends and a niece and nephew who are adopted. It creates a special bond between us. 

At a conference focused on adoption and fostering, I realized that I was once an orphan. That time between being born and being adopted. Granted for me it wasn’t very long, but the realization impacted me in a way I didn’t expect. 

When I tell my story about my adoption I often say something about the circumstances where my birth mom had an affair with a married man, which of course is sin and could have ruined many lives. Little did Satan know that at 13 I would attend a Christian camp (Camp Ambassador) and make a decision for Christ. Or that I would go into full time ministry at camps and be influential in the Christian lives of many people, some of whose stories I will never know. 

I am reminded of Joseph’s situation with his older brothers in Genesis 50:20; You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. NIV

Further, I have been adopted into God’s family by my salvation in Jesus Christ. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.” 

Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. [Westminster Shorter Catechism]

Carver’s Cardinal Virtues

I’ve been reading a book called, Chosen for Greatness; How Adoption Changes the World by Paul Batura and was one of the stories was about George Washington Carver. His life was not easy, but he had some great influences in his life including being adopted by Moses and Susan Carver. He grew up on a farm with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. 

Carver was an American agricultural scientist and inventor. He actively promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. While a professor at Tuskegee Institute, Carver developed techniques to improve soils depleted by repeated plantings of cotton.

In 1922, George Washington Carver penned a thank you note to one of his students who had given him a fountain pen as a Christmas present. In the note, Carver offered hope “that each of you will rise to the full height of your possibilities” and suggested these eight cardinal virtues to help them do just that.

Mr. L. Robinson

I wish to express to each member of the Senior class my deep appreciation for the fountain pen you so thoughtfully gave me. This gift is characterized by simplicity and thoughtfulness, which I hope each of you will make the slogan of your lives.

I hope that each of you will rise to the full height of your possibilities, which means the possession of these eight cardinal virtues which constitutes a lady or a gentleman.

  1. Be clean both inside and outside.
  2. Who neither looks up to the rich or down on the poor.
  3. Who loses, if needs be, without squealing.
  4. Who wins without bragging.
  5. Who is always considerate of women, children and old people.
  6. Who is too brave to lie.
  7. Who is too generous to cheat.
  8. Who takes his share of the world and lets other people have theirs.

May God help you to carry out these eight cardinal virtues and peace and prosperity be yours through life.

Lovingly yours,

G. W. Carver

Carver Quotes:

  • Inspiration is never at variance with information; in fact the more information one has, the greater will be the inspiration.
  • When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.
  • God is going to reveal to us things He never revealed before if we put our hands in His. No books ever go into my laboratory. The thing I am to do and the way of doing it are revealed to me. I never have to grope for methods. The method is revealed to me the moment I am inspired to create something new. Without God to draw aside the curtain I would be helpless.

On his tombstone, “He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world”.

Widji 2019 by the Numbers

Here are some of the numbers from our 2019 summer at Widji!

  • Weeks of camp – 9
  • Decisions for Christ – 56
  • TNT & Blast & Sizzle campers – 195 (7 day campers) 
  • Ignite Partnership campers – 319
  • SALTers – 18 (72 camper weeks)
  • Aspire campers – 5 (for 2 weeks each)
  • Total camper weeks – 591
  • Staff – 50 
  • Volunteers – 51
  • Bibles given out to campers – 125+
  • From the kitchen
    • meals served – 22,175
    • bags of milk – 258
    • ice cream sandwiches – 1,080
    • waffles eaten- 1,320
    • burgers served – 1,080 
    • Subs on Sunday – 1152 croissants + 912 ciabatta rolls
  • 168,000 feet of toilet paper 
  • Bus trips – 15 with 19 buses

2 cool stories

  1. Another camper stands out for us from one of our Ignite partnerships. It was the first time this camper had been to camp, and they were nervous about the experience, in part because their birthday would take place during the week. The leaders found out and arranged a cake and a celebration; we often do such things for birthdays, but what happened behind the scenes was special. While at camp this camper’s shoes fell apart. One of the leaders went to town and purchased a new pair of shoes for them, and gave them to the camper afterward. At the end of the week, Heyoo was chatting with the camper and asked how his birthday was. “I got a new pair of shoes!” they said with excitement. It is such an encouragement to see a need and meet it without asking. Nobody needed to ask if the camper needed something, people knew and met their need proactively, perhaps leaving an impression that will stay with that family for a long time.
  2. Summer camp has always been a place that meets needs for people in a variety of circumstances. In the case of this summer, we welcomed a couple of campers who had recently lost a parent to cancer. The speaker that week unwittingly answered questions about heaven, a topic that was at the front of these camper’s thoughts. Closely following the Q&A period, they approached their cabin leader, who engaged with the leadership team at camp for help in answering their questions. What made this so interesting was how this was minutes before the cabin leader was sharing her testimony. That night, all of the campers in the cabin shared their testimonies also and prayed for each other. A healthy conversation took place that allowed these campers to work through some of the healing needed in coping with their loss. It amazes us how God works in His people when we provide love and support to others, not always knowing what circumstances they are coming from.

The Greatest Gift

As Thanksgiving approaches, we often pause to think about the things and people we are grateful for. It cased me to wonder, “What is the greatest gift you have ever received?”. I have a few that come to my mind. 

  • Life by my birth mother, though she could have chosen abortion
  • Being adopted at 6 months and receiving love & grace from my loving parents
  • Grace from God who gave me salvation in Jesus Christ (I became a Christian at 13 years old at Camp Ambassador) 
  • A wonderful wife of 33 years who is also forgiving and understanding!!! (so much more than you know)
  • 3 beautiful girls (Nicole, Carolyn & Melissa), 2 godly sons-in-law (Tim & Ben) & 3 wonderful grand children (Olivia, Logan & Liam)!
  • Not dying from doing stupid things like rock climbing with no harness during high school to name a few. The credit goes to God as He had things for me to do. 
  • Financial help when needed from many family & friends.
  • The church generously being the church when I was unemployed and also during my time of sick leave for post concussion syndrome. 
  • A variety of Christmas and birthday gifts from family & friends.
    • One year my dad gave me my grandpa’s journeyman’s box from the 1920’s.
    • Melissa knows I love to watch NCIS (TV show) and gave me a t-shirt with the Gibbs’ rules. 
    • The girls have a tradition of wrapping up the same hammer for my stocking each year that I stopped unwrapping it, so the paper grows thicker each year. 
    • And many more that have been wonderful!

SO, what’s your greatest gift? What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend??

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-42 And when he drew near and saw the city (Jerusalem), he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!”

Jesus is approaching the city, coming down from the Mount of Olives, he is able to see over all of Jerusalem, the temple mount is immediately across the valley. His memory goes back to his years of preaching and doing miracles there, to worshiping the Father there throughout his life during the religious holidays, and back to his time in the temple as a young boy talking with the priests. 

Then his memory goes back further; to the repeated conquering of the city by foreign kingdoms, back further to the rebuilding of the temple and the city walls after Israel’s exile in Babylon, back further to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the first temple, back further to the wicked kings who rebelled against him and killed his prophets, back further to the building of the first temple by King Solomon, then back to the inauguration of King David, and even further to the conquering of the land by his newly rescued nation, and back to the initial promise he made to Abraham as they both looked over the land that would be the home to his people Israel.

He looks down on this city and He cries out, would that you, Jerusalem, irony of ironies “the city of peace”, even you had known on this day the things that made for peace!

He was right there, riding on a donkey, coming to pay with his own blood the penalty for all of our sins. The God of the universe came down to earth to personally be crucified, be buried and rise again one the third day to conquer death and bring us salvation. 

God is good… ALL the time!!

Days Without Sin: 0

I heard a story recently of a Christian man in Brazil who determined he was going to stop sinning. An excellent goal to be sure and something for which we should all strive. He tried and tried and started to eliminate some sins. He had to get away from the distractions in his life, so he shut himself off more and more from people, technology and the world. Although he didn’t do a lot of the sins we commonly think about, he couldn’t escape himself and his own thoughts and heart. He could NOT stop sinning. 

A Christian who sins vs a sinner saved by grace. The goal is to NOT sin, though we struggle against our human nature. 

1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

We all sin. Our sin is doing anything that is against God’s character. For examples; we shouldn’t lie because God is truth and we shouldn’t hate because God is love and we shouldn’t sin because God is holy. 

Keep short accounts with God. Pray for forgiveness often. Repent. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

Reaching the World One Camper at a Time

Ignite: a partnership program with churches and organizations impacting one camper at a time to impact one family to impact one neighborhood to impact one city to impact the world!! We are reaching the world one camper at a time!

How donations affect campers. A week at camp can change the trajectory for a child or youth’s life forever. Not only does every camper hear the Gospel, they also learn from the example of Christian youth and young adults as they live out what it is like to be a Christian in front of them. 

Consider these two stories from camp

  1. Knowing what some kids come from is humbling and sobering for me. The bus driver for Escape Week told me that on her way up she overheard a conversation between 3 girls. One asked another how her house was doing. Another girl entered the conversation and asked what happened to her house, to which she replied that all of their windows had been shot out, but it was okay now because they were boarded up.
  2. Sponsored campers from Capstone banded together to raise funds for at least one other camper to be funded to come to camp. This means that we have campers helping campers help campers to come to camp.

This summer we hosted 319 sponsored campers in our Ignite program from our five partnerships. The total donations needed to sponsor these campers is $220,000, but our God is bigger than our need and He is always faithful. The donations cover all program, food, staff, cabins, busing, Tuck Shop, tubing, and a camp pastor for each week. 

You can help send campers to Widji to experience life changing ministry. For every $520 in donations toward Widji ministry programs, the full cost of non-ministry programs (meals, accommodations, recreation) for one camper will be contributed by Bible Centre Ministries. Your financial partnership with Camp Widjiitiwin is an investment in the lives of 100’s of campers and staff.

Relationships have always been at the heart of the success of Christian camping ministry and that is what most campers talk about when they get home – the friends they made & the staff that influenced them. That, plus the FUN, games, food, campfires, activities and of course the Tuck Shop.