Band of Brothers @ Camp Widjiitiwin                                                                                                       October 2nd to 5th

The Band of Brothers Bootcamps are not an event about the seven things a man ought to do to be a nicer guy. It is a four-day quest into the recovery of a man’s masculine soul, the release of a mans heart – his passions, and his true nature – all of which has been given him by God. It’s an invitation to rush the fields at Bannockburn, to go West, to leap from the falls and save the beauty. For if a man is going to know who he truly is as a man, if he is going to find a life worth living, love a woman deeply, and not pass on his confusion to his children, he simply must get his heart back.

Based on John Eldredge’s book, Wild at Heart, the event is hosted in a setting of beauty and adventure, and includes teaching sessions, films, guided periods of reflection and journaling. We have designed something far more than an event – it’s an expedition of the heart. The men attending will never be the same.

The website to register is www.bootcampdetails.com and then click on the Toronto link to get registered!!

COST: $285 CDN
TWO WAYS TO REGISTER AND PAY:
1. Pay $285 in full now
2. Pay $185 deposit NOW and pay $100 balance at the door (cash only)
Deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable

YOU REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES:

• meals and lodging
• free time activities
• all resources (bring a notepad)
• T-shirt

Retreat location: 80 Widjiitiwin Road, Huntsville, Ontario P1H 2K1

It’s the end of another season of camp at Widjiitiwin. This past Saturday was the end of Sizzle and there were tears and hugs when the campers went home. The staff cleaned up and we did our banquet and staff awards. On Sunday we had chapel and shared what God has taught is this summer, then the staff went home amongst many tears and hugs. It was a privilege to work with such a great team of summer staff.

This picture is what the Longhouse looks like today. Quiet. Peaceful. A little eerie at times. Quite probably too quiet. We’re not a quiet camp usually. Sounds I miss today.

1. The sound of “OOOOOHHHH” (with arms in a circle) at the beginning of a meal and campers cheering to go first for a meal are missed.
2. The sound of many campers excitedly talking all at once.
3. The sound of staff praying for campers at 7:00 a.m. each morning.
4. The sound of, “we’ve got some mmmmaaaaaiiiillll!”
5. The sound of, “a wise man/woman once said”.
6. The sound of, “Seconds”
7. The sound of one of our camp pastors preaching God’s Word
8. The sound of the chaos of Widjiitiwin basketball
9. And many more sounds…

Although camp is quiet there is much to do. Stuff like cleaning up, maintenance & inventory are not a lot of fun, but planning has started for next summer. More on that in another post.

Have a great year at school!

Moose

It’s through sponsorship that so many children are able to attend camp when they wouldn’t otherwise be able to take part in such a life-changing experience. Camp Widjiitiwin is impacting the world by introducing campers to the gospel for perhaps the first time. The Malvern, Hamilton and Guelph communities will be changed this year as campers return to their neighbourhoods changed by the work of Jesus Christ in their lives. We’re offering these specialized partnership weeks where our staff demonstrate a positive lifestyle and share their personal relationship with Christ with the campers.

We can’t do this without the support of our friends. We have a goal for 2014 to raise a total sponsorship of $113,000 to allow us to bring over 200 kids to Camp Widjiitiwin this summer.

It’s amazing the number of campers we teach to ride a bike, do archery, swim in the river, learn cooperation, climb up the rock wall, go canoeing and much more. Many get to see stars for the first time, experience a real forest, see deer as they play along our field, get three full meals a day, learn about Jesus, be loved and so much more.

Our partnership with Toronto Police 42 Division is going into its sixth summer, running July 20-26. Starting from 30 campers 2009, our 2014 the target is 110 campers, making it our largest week of the summer. We are hearing about change happening back in the community from the kids’ experiences at camp. We are now drawing from more neighbourhoods than Malvern, so we have changed the name to the Fresh Air Camp. A goal of the expanded campers is to show the kids that people from other neighbourhoods are good people too.

The partnership week with Toronto Police for youth at risk in the Malvern community and other neighborhoods within 42 Division will take place July 20-26, 2014. This is the program for which we are seeking funding. This will be the sixth year of the program and the target number of campers is 115, up from 107 in 2013, 87 in 2012, 63 in 2011, 47 in 2010 and 30 in 2009. The target age group is 11-14 years. This program is fully funded through donations, although the participants are asked to help pay for busing if they can afford it.

Escape Camp is our partnership week with Hughson Street Church in downtown Hamilton is entering its third summer, running August 17-23. Not only do we offer them new experience outside of Hamilton, but the gospel is presented to each one and Hughson is in their neighbourhood for follow-up.

God has led us to start a new partnership with Church of the Ward in Guelph, a church plant under FEB Central Ministries. Their pastor, Matt Naismith, is one of our Widjiitiwin camp pastors. We’re bringing 30 kids from that high needs neighbourhood. We’re calling it The Royal City Camp week. We will welcome them for week one, June 29-July 5.

Matthew 10:42 – And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” & Matthew 25:40 – ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Camp Widjiitiwin – the way camp was meant to be… relational, central, natural, reaching out, a loving community focused on Christ. It’s like coming home, it’s my camp!

Spring Open House

Come join us  at Camp Widjiitiwin on Saturday, June 7th from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. for our open house.

Come for a tour of camp, to meet the director and some senior staff, refreshments including cinnamon buns and to get all your questions answered.

RSVP to registrar@mycamp.ca so we can have enough cinnamon buns ready!

Ignite is the new week at Camp Widjiitiwin for ages 11-13. We’re partnering with youth/Christian Ed pastors the week of July 29-August 2, 2014.

Kids pay just $425 plus HST, a savings of $84! Youth Pastors or Christian Ed Directors are FREE with 4+ campers registered; BONUS: every 8th camper is FREE!!

Camp Widjiitiwin will provide: all meals, accommodations, 2 cabin leaders per cabin, all program activities, worship team, camp pastor/speaker, activities, lifeguards, trained staff, FUN, camp traditions & a camp T-shirt for everyone!

“We focus on the details so youth pastors can focus on building relationships.”

Theme: The Hobbit!

Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
To dungeons deep and caverns old,
We must away, ere break of day,
To seek our pale enchanted gold.

Around Widjiitiwin brave and bold,
Under the Longhouse, damp and cold,
We must away, ere break of day,
To seek the dragon and get our gold.

The boys were shouting in the west,
The girls were cheering, at our behest,
The campfire was red, flaming high,
The games adventure became our quest.

Around Widjiitiwin brave and bold,
Under the Longhouse, damp and cold,
We must go forth, to claim the treasure,
To slay the dragon and get our gold.

The Camp Widjiitiwin themes for 2014. Sizzle is Every Theme, having elements from each summer theme.

The Hobbit

Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
To dungeons deep and caverns old,
We must away, ere break of day,
To seek our pale enchanted gold.

 

Around Widjiitiwin brave and bold,

Under the Longhouse, damp and cold,

We must away, ere break of day,
To seek the dragon and get our gold.

 

The boys were shouting in the west,

The girls were cheering, at our behest,

The campfire was red, flaming high,
The games adventure became our quest.

 

Around Widjiitiwin brave and bold,

Under the Longhouse, damp and cold,

We must go forth, to claim the treasure,

To slay the dragon and get our gold.

Destination: Hawaii

Aloha everyone. Come join us for a little surfing dry land style, enjoy a luau complete with BBQ, pineapples, leis, palm trees and coconuts. Next we’ll head over to the big island to see hula dancers in grass skirts. You’re part of our Ohana, which means family and family means no one gets forgotten. Hawaiian shirts for theme day? Of course!

Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time begins our tale of friendship, knights, love and a conquering hero. Come explore the realm, meet the King and Queen and become a princess or prince for the week. Help our brave hero rescue the princess from the dungeon and make things right in the land and reunite the royal family. And of course, they lived happily ever after… at Camp Widjiitiwin.

Sherwood Forest

While King Richard the Lionheart is away we’ll go deep into Sherwood Forest. We’ll find Maid Marian, Robin Hood and his merry band to defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham. You’ll meet up with Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, Bold Jane Downey and Alan A’Dale. Your best archery skills will be required along with bravery & good skills with sword and quarterstaff. Are you ready for the adventure of your summer?

I walked down to Widji this morning. It was cold and the snow was deep, over my boots in many places. We’ve had over 30″ (75 cm) of snow in the last few days. Fortunately, I had a nice snowmobile trail most of the way. On my way in I saw a grey squirrel fall (or jump) out of a tree and struggle to get through the deep snow back to the tree. I also saw deer and rabbit tracks and a pileated woodpecker. I went in to pick up a Tuck Shop item that is being given as a Christmas gift.

Camp is quite cold and snowed in and more snow is on the way. There are a few more pictures on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CampWidjiitiwin.

The next time I’ll make the journey is for Widjiitiwin Snow Camp, the first weekend in February 2014. Want to join us?

Just 6 months, 2 weeks, 0 days until and 14 hours camp starts…

I’ve worn a burn rope bracelet for 10 years now. I got it burned on the last season I was the Outdoor Recreation Director at Muskoka Woods (in the fall of 2003). It has faded some and may be a little stiffer now than it was then. It signifies that I am (or was) an honourary member of the guy’s Bible study group called “The Tool Shed“. As the explanation for the name went, it was to remind us that we are all tools in God’s shed for Him to use. As guys, it also reminded us that sometimes we are just tools.

We each have a purpose that God has created for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do“. We all need to be reminded that we have something important still to do for God. God is busy creating you into the tool he needs you to be for His Kingdom’s purpose and in His sovereign planning.

I like the idea that God has been planning my work. As I look back on what I have done I can clearly see how each job or situation or circumstance has been integral to the next task I was lead to do. I can see that the culmination of my skills is exactly what I needed for my current role as director of Camp Widjiitiwin. Looking back it is much easier to see the plan. Looking forward requires faith. Rick Warren writes, “God’s plan for your life isn’t a map you see all at once, but a scroll unrolled a little at a time, requiring faith”.

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps”.

Thanks to Jay Penner and the guys who made me an honourary member of The Tool Shed. I appreciated it and I am still reminded to be a useful  tool available to God for His Kingdom’s use.

I REALLY dislike waiting. And I think we wait way too much in our society. Of course that’s from my perspective. Where does my impatience come from? Partly it’s because we have become accustomed to getting instant service, drive through restaurants with “fast” food, a 1.7 second response time from Google searches and ever increasing internet download speeds. I still remember those crazy sounds when we used to connect to the internet through a phone line and we hoped we would connect at more than 14Kb/second so that we could download a 25 word email in under half an hour.

I have a few suggestions for those times when we have to wait. It could be in the doctor’s office, in line at the Tim Horton’s drive through, at the mall, at home waiting for dinner, for the movie to start, in the car waiting for a family member or friend. It really doesn’t matter where, here are a few suggestions for “those” times.

• Read – I don’t do this enough, yet I see lots of people reading books, magazines, or something on a tablet. Occasionally I remember to take a woodworking magazine or book when I go out shopping with Elaine or the girls. Usually I find one of those benches for dads/husbands and watch the people go by. Reading would be a better investment of my time. Download a Bible app and read that or your emails that have piled up for a while.
• Catch up on Facebook or Twitter – I do a lot of this one. I don’t have a lot of spare time in my work day, so this is good for waiting times. It can also be done while in the washroom. Just saying.
• Engage – with the people around you – This one will mess with the people around you, especially in big cities where no one talks to each other. It doesn’t really matter what you talk about. The weather is easiest, but hopefully you can find something deeper, more meaningful. Of course, it means being vulnerable and taking a risk.
• Write – I start blog ideas as I get them or a line for a letter I’ve been thinking about or a camp program idea. Get a program like Evernote that syncs with your smart phone and your computer. Write an encouragement note or email or text to a friend, your child, a friend, a parent or shut-in. Let someone know you’re thinking and praying for them.
• Pray – I wish I thought of doing this one more. It would be a good discipline to get into. Pray for the people in your life, at work, home and friends. Pray for our country’s leaders, they certainly need it. Pray for your pastor, church and the staff. Pray for your kids! Pray for people’s health, families, direction, wisdom, etc.
• Plan – what better time than when you’re stuck waiting to think about the future and lay down some plans or ideas. Make notes (paper or digital) or send yourself an email with the details.
• Stare at the clock on the wall – I don’t really mean this one, but if you are just truly bored, I suppose you can count the seconds go by.
• A nap is also an option, but you just might miss the appointment you’re waiting for.

With all these ideas, you would think I wouldn’t mind waiting so much. Maybe next time that will be true.

What are you waiting for? How could you best use the time you have been given while you wait?