half way done

Well this was our last week of Kaleo before we go home for Christmas break and it was an amazing way to end it. Tuesday we had a talent show, which was sooooo; much fun I was in a couple parts of it. My friend Josh wanted me to sing a song in a band with him, I did it and I actually hated that part. Other than that I had a blast I helped in an improve skit and I taught some self defense to which was definitely my favorite part. The next day a couple of us went to help serve at a seniors Christmas dinner. I poured some coffee here and there but next thing you know they want me to dress up as Santa! I walked around to spread Christmas cheer I gave hugs and blew kisses it was a lot of fun. After that, I sat out near the door and handed out oranges to the school kids who came to sing to the seniors also a blast. But after that my Santa duties were over and I was back to being a server, we helped take the stuff down and were fed a delicious turkey lunch. The next day we were off to Vancouver for a youth workers conference and it was so much fun I learned so much. My favorite speaker’s name was Rene (I forget her last name). she gave her testimony which was very moving, she talked about time and “passing the torch” to the younger generations. And a lot of other stuff (I wish I wasn’t so tired when she spoke so I paid better attention) the days were long and tiring and I am glad that I am back and ready to get some rest. Even more than that I am ready to go home I know I have said that in the like that last 3 or 4 blogs but as you can tell I really cannot wait. Lately I have been learning a lot about God’s will and trying to find out what he wants me to do in certain situations. but it seems like when I talk to people they feel as though they need to do something different than what he is telling me, its really confusing and kind of stressful but I will figure it out, you know…read my bible, pray, it should work out. I feel as though I did so much this week but I just do not know what it was or what to write. So that being said I am afraid my last post of the semester is going to have to be a short one. Love you guys…whoever is reading this…Mom Kristie and whoever else.

farewell

apples and bananas

Hey everyone this week we had our church ministry class it was pretty cool and pretty easy, I felt like I was involved in the conversation more than I had been in other classes. We had the exam today and I felt like I did pretty good as well. This week in church I actually got to attend the service! It was a good message to; our church is doing the “Advent Conspiracy”. Basically the idea behind it is giving up things in order to give money to charities, for example my church wants to by a well so we are giving up morning coffee and the kids are giving up morning snack, for all of December. In our youth group it was just me and my friend josh leading the group not the two other leaders who usually lead more and me and him just help. But it was awesome the kids listened I think they learned and the asked some pretty sweet questions, this coming Wednesday is our last time youth group until we get back from Christmas. Speaking of the break coming up… I cannot wait! Not to say I don’t love it here but I definitely miss my friends and family from home. Although we don’t have any more class until January this week is going to be very busy with both homework and recreation that I’m committed to. This weekend we are going to a youth conference it should be really good and I hope to learn a lot but I looked at my bank this week and I am starting to worry I am not going to have enough money for Christmas presents for everyone back home. But I’m pretty sure I still have money on my travel card actually I’m positive because I am yet to use it. This week a bunch of people went to go see a skiing movie (which I really thought was going to be a snowboarding movie) and I was lucky enough to go and on top of that I was lucky enough to win a new snowboard I was quite excited after I got it. I feel like God has really blessed my family and me lately with all the things he has been doing for us. I know that he is always watching my family and me but I could just really notice lately. Its awesome. Well I will so you all very soon hopefully.
MAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

WANNA FIGHT?!

Well the 24/7 week of prayer is over and it was amazing… I wish that we could keep the room we used to just go in and be alone; I see that being something really helpful. Something really cool happened to me this week, I got a letter from my Dad where he both quoted scripture and said “praise the Lord” it makes me think back to who he used to be and I am so glad that he has changed. It is such an answer to prayer! I had some pretty cool times in the prayer room this week, my first time in there I was alone and I felt kind of weird like I wasn’t connecting with God the way I wanted to. The next day was completely different and set the tone for me for the rest of the week. I was in the with Matthew Newton we started by sharing some of our testimonies with each after that we just prayed for each other and the people of kaleo who wrote “prayer requests” on the tables. That was the only time I was in there with someone else other than the time all the guys went in to pray for each other. This week at youth group the kids were crazy! The exact opposite of last week not only were they barely listening to me and the other small group leaders they also were barely listening to Stevie-G our youth pastor, but I guess it’s good that they are going. It is getting frustrating through because I’ve been going to help in the youth group for so long now and it seems like the kids aren’t absorbing anything but only God knows the heart and I’m going to try not to let it bug me. At church this week was in charge of the games it was really fun, the kids had fun and so did I, but once again I don’t see them absorbing much but that might also be because I am leading the game the lesson… I hope so. This week is our church ministry class I really didn’t think that it was going to be very good but we had our first day today and I loved it. I thought a lot of it was really interesting, the teacher is fun, and the work load isn’t that bad. This week we also had a “kaleo fight night” where we got all the guy together and matched them up in wrestling matches it was a lot of fun to watch and we made some really funny mock fight interview videos it was a lot of fun.
Anyway I’ll be home soon enough, see you soon

24/7

Well well well, what can I say about this week in Kaleo. We had our Old Testament Literature class, which was by far may favorite. The reading for it was interesting and do was the class, there wasn’t even that much of a work load. But we did have an exam today, most of the class didn’t feel to good about how they did. But I felt like I did fine so im not to worried. This week in our youth group was really cool even though none of my kids showed up. I was put with the grade sevens (I am usually with the grade sixes). They had a really good conversation, apparently the only good one so far. The theme of the week was being born again. But the group I was with ended up talking about how accepting Christ changes someone, we used the example of Paul “the worst sinner of them all” and how God changed him. I was unable to go to church this week because I was once again working at camp, doing maintenance. I found that to be more a blessing than I thought it would. Because last week I was not able to give my all into my work because I was sick this week was much better. I felt as though I was working for the Lord. This week I have been reading through James and I think it is my new favorite book in the bible I look at the book and I realized I underlined almost every other verse. This week is our 24/7 week of prayer and I already had two sessions in the room. My first one was kind of slow I was one of the first people in there and I found my self just sitting there in silence a lot of them time. However today was awesome I went in with my friend Matthew Newton we started by praying for each other and then for the people had written things around the room. By then end, I wrote some encouragements for certain people and wrote down something I want people to pray for me. I really look forward to this week, I am in there everyday and I only think that it will get better. But I have a lot of work to do this week so I hope I will be able to remained focused on God but still be able to get my work done.


Thanks for listening

WHATS YOUR NAME......WILLY?

Hey everybody, I'm doing pretty well. Not a lot happened this week to be honest cause it was reading break. But I think I did enough stuff to attempt to entertain you with this blog. The first couple of days I just did work, which was all right but very boring. On Tuesday, we took a day trip to Victoria, which was really sweet I bought some cd’s and volleyball. But even more exciting than that were the people we met. Me and the people I was with decided it would be cool if we bought some lunch for the people we met on the street. We went up the first street and we met a musician named Julian (I think… I’m actually really bad with names) he had some pretty good songs (minus the profanity) that he played for us and we told him and his friend don to meet us down at a fish and chips place later for lunch and we continued on our way. We went to some stores along the street they were okay. We turned the corner and we saw a man sitting on the side of the sidewalk so we went up to him and asked him if he would like to eat lunch with us. He was drunk out of his mind and could barely communicate with us. But we managed he eventually told us later that his name was Willy and we talked with him as we walked down to the fish and chip store. Once there we bought him some food and walked down to a nicer sit down restaurant where we met the people from earlier. We told them about the program we were in and tried to witness a little but then we learned that Julian was a pastor’s kid. His dad thought at capernway he had some pretty interesting views on Christianity and religion in general. After lunch we departed from our newfound friends and went to the mall… that’s where I got the stuff I bought (not important). The next day was Wednesday, and I had youth group I went and it was about the usual. My kids were kind of listening but not really all “there” but every little bit helps (or that’s what I keep telling myself) after Wednesday I had to get cracking on my hermeneutics paper which was completed early and I felt pretty confident in what I wrote. I worked this weekend in the kitchen and challenge coarse where I feel like I did my part however, I have been feeling pretty sick lately but its getting better. Other than that, I look forward to our next coarse (old testament) it should be a blastprayer requests: my health and the health of some other Kaleo students who are even worse than I am.

I'M BEACHED DEEZ BREW

Hey everyone this week was pretty awesome for me, we started the week off by surfing which –although I was no good at surfing- was amazing, the views were amazing we stopped at some really cool sites that really reveled God’s awesomeness there were giant trees, beautiful mountains and a really cool river. That night we stayed in a church, which honestly wasn’t very comfortable, but it was good enough. I wasn’t expecting a five star hotel or anything J earlier the first night we had some pretty sweet worship which I helped lead for a bit and then I handed my bass of to my friend jade. So the next day we started surfing and I really sucked so I stopped pretty early but I still had a lot of fun on the trip. Due to the trip I wasn’t able to go to youth group but that’s okay I had a lot of work to do on my essay. For the first time this in a while I was able tyo actually attend a church service instead of working in the Sunday school. Reading week is coming up and I am pretty excited me and a couple other people are hoping we can go on some sweet day trips to Victoria and Salt Spring. But I am also need to get some work done this week but I’m not to worried about it I’ve been pretty good at doing my work so far in kaleo. Well anyway that’s my week and my week coming up I lok forward to writing you once again J.
Prayer Requests: I’m feeling kind of home sick

THIS IS A TITLE

Well this week was crazy… we had our hermeneutics class. It was pretty intense we talked about a lot of pretty cool stuff but something that stood out for me was the idea of baptism and whether you need it to be saved. I never thought you did but some people in my class who believe that you must be baptized to get into heaven. We talked about and it didn’t really change my opinion on it, I wish the Prof was a little more clear what he thought though, because it does say both things in the scripture. So as far as comments go feel free to give what you think… I’ve been thinking about baptism to lately even before that class cause when I was baptized I didn’t really get it or understand what it was all about I just really wanted to go in the water I was like 8 or something. So me and another guy here were thinking about asking Jim about that. It would be pretty cool I think. This week at youth was pretty awesome my small group is starting to pay more attention and the kids are starting to open up more to the Kaleo students. In church I was working with the older kids so we talked about the parable of the lost sheep/coin/son. Well that’s pretty much my week, I feel really bad because I never know what to write in these things and there are always really short. So if you want me to add anything just ask in the comment section and I will try to answer eventually.

Any who this week we are going surfing and I’m really looking forward to it.
Prayer Requests: Patience for me…. thanks

these weeks are going bye sooooooo fast

As I said these weeks are going by way to fast. I feel like I was just writing a blog yesterday. Sorry about the no pictures but I’m not much of a picture taker you can look at my facebook pictures if you want. I’ll try to get some pictures eventually but no promises. Last week was pretty fun, guys night was awesome we started with some hockey which I was really not very good at then we played at a park. Followed by steak dinner at Jims house (jim is like the kaleo boss man for those of you who don’t know) then some girls came over and we had some really cool conversations about god and relations ships and stuff (I know it doesn’t sound like a normal guy night right lol) its bible college J. This week in church I worked with this kids it was a blast! Although I don’t think warmland is very good for my walk with God just because of the audience it directs its messages to. I am not saying that it is bad I am only saying that I will not grow much. Anyway… this week we start our hermeneutics coarse we had our first day today and it was pretty intense but apparently it gets easier I looking forward to it. For those of you who don’t know what hermeneutics is it is how we study or interpret the bible so I think it will be really helpful for every over class and just life in general. Well I guess I will write again next Sunday …or Monday
Expect me to complain about how hard hermeneutics was lol

Hello again everyone, this week was pretty exciting for me because…I was sailing! For five days my class and me went sailing with S.A.L.T.S a Christian sailing program it was pretty sweet. We only really had one day of actual sailing though but I didn’t really mind I just liked being out on the ocean I didn’t care if we were motoring of sailing. The food was really good but I didn’t really think there was enough. We did lots of fun stuff we explored some island, picked some apples, and they set up a rope swing for us to use. The water was so cold! But it was definitely worth it.

Now onto the important stuff God. I dint really feel like I was very close to Him on this trip simply because we didn’t get a lot of alone time and we were always busy. The few times that I was able to be alone with God were pretty good I started to read through Ecclesiastes which I found really interesting and I never really went through it before. Every night we sang songs including worship songs, that was pretty cool. Cool might not be the right word… when we did worship I felt really close to God is what I guess I’m trying to say.


Coming up this week in Matt’s life… out trip tomorrow caving shopping and swimming and then a guy’s night…. I’m not quite sure what we are doing.

Hey everyone…. We had our first week of classes this week, it was pretty cool I learned a lot. Our professors name was Marv Penner he did a really good job. We learned about spiritual formation so things like spiritual disciplines like types of praying and just was to get closer to God. On the last day of class we had 2 hours just for ourselves with God, mine started off pretty slow, I wasn’t really getting anywhere but eventually I got into it and I felt good about it once I was done. Saturday night we had a dance party which I was kind of spectacle about but it ended up being really fun. We had a “Kaleo’s Best Dance Crew” contest I was in the contemporary dance style group we danced to “I would do anything for love” by Meatloaf. And we got second! After that we were treated with a break from our on-going media fast and we got to watch a movie…. “Save The Last Dance” which is actually really funny, its one of those movies that’s so bad that its good. Through out the week I helped out in my churches youth group and I attended the Sunday morning service and the “deeper” service, which was really cool. God taught me a lot this week about doing things His way, that’s what He really showed me in my 2 hours of solitude, I thought I was going to do things my way but He just showed me that, that was not going to work but in the end I did things the way He wanted and I really got a lot out of it. Well I’m off to go sailing tomorrow and I’m really excited about it, ill be sure to let you all know about it and try to get some pictures up, no promises though.

Kaleo Begins...

hey everyone thanks for wanting to read my blog. hopefully I will be able to keep you guys up to date with all the fun stuff I will be doing out here. so my adventure at Kaleo began on wednesday the 16th. We started with some orientation stuff which was alright, but on thursday night the fun began. We started to choose are churches when I got the sheet i quickly scanned it up and down looking for the smallest chuch i could, because my church as home is so small. My choices ended up being between Ladysmith Baptist and Cobblehill. I ended up choosing cobblehill and i was pretty excited about it. however the next morning i was approached by Christie and Jim about changing churches, at first i was a little hesitant but after they told me about the church i would be going to i got pretty excited the church was Warmland. It is a seeker-focused church which means most of the people who attend their church wouldn't normally go to church. i am looking forward to some of the conversations im going to be able to have with the people who attend the church. I'm hoping that i am going to be able to help out in there youth programs working with the kids. with all the years i worked at christian camps i think i will be able to bring something there that is unique to people who have worked at camps.





......well its a couple days later and I went to church and i really really liked it. i founf it was alot like my church at home. it made me look forward to being part of the ministry there even more, i plan on attending their evenind "deeper" service as well. which will have a deeper sermon and their "up" service which is more focused on worship songs.

thanks :)