Dear Prayer Partners,
After 22 years of full-time camp ministry, I did something new this summer. I joined the CIA and completed an important mission. Though I didn’t go through training at Camp Peary where many CIA agents do, we did do training for our summer staff here at New Life Bible Camp and we all became Camp Investigative Agents. As a staff, our mission this summer was to teach kids and teens how to study (Investigate) God’s Word and apply it to their daily lives so that they can live as disciples. Learning to look for key words in Scripture, making notes in their Bible, and journaling were all a part of this investigative method. John 8:31-32 says, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This summer, for 8 weeks, we shared the truth of who God is to 583 campers. We praise God for the 18 campers that were “set free” by that truth and became a part of the family of God. We pray that the beginning of their journey will be one that they will look back on and remember what God has done for them and that they will be a part of the C.I.A. for life as they investigate God’s Word for years to come. We know that many others made decisions to read their Bible more, be accountable with their friends or just to be more confident in their faith around their peers.
We are also very thankful for the staff that we had this summer and the many volunteers who gave 1-2 weeks of their time to serve here. The days often seem long when you are tired, but the stories and excitement on the kids’ faces kept us going. Our prayer is that we have planted a seed into the hearts of each camper and that they will find a strong church that will help water and nurture that growth through the year.
During the summer, Chris also had a number of other duties and we are thankful for God’s provision in each area.
Administration: There were a lot of phone calls, emails and registrations and a lot of “behind the scenes” stuff to keep camp going.
Kitchen: Chris led 4 girls on the kitchen staff in the daily preparation and serving of meals to campers, in addition to managing the menu, ordering food and picking up supplies and groceries twice a week.
Media: Chris also oversees the Media Tech position. We are thankful for Katlynn and the work she did capturing photos and videos that shared the joy and vision of camp to families.
Speaking: Chris had the opportunity to speak a number of weeks to campers during the evening sessions. We are thankful for good discussions and follow-up from the counselors during these times.
As a family, we will enjoy some time together now and take a short rest. Looking ahead, we have a full schedule leading up to Winter with a number of Guest and Hosted retreats. Pray for Chris as he prepares for the upcoming Fall Teen Retreat, helps facilitate a number of New Life retreats and events, and looks forward to sharing in supporting churches all that was accomplished this summer.
We thank you for your continued support and prayers for us here in the ministry at New Life and look forward to sharing more with you later.
In Christ,
Chris & Johanna Sirbaugh (and Joses & Eran too)