HH Team '08 colors unveiled

To finish off our staff training week, our colors were unveiled. I kinda like'em. The last few years the colors have been green with white lettering, so this year's is a bit different.

Video
Here is another video from our 'Camp Inspiration' week. It's of Colin getting a ride in the Giant Swing, respirator and all!!. Only at HH do kids in these types of situations get to enjoy things such as this. He had a great time and is already looking forward to next year!

bring on the kids!!

We just completed a week of intensive staff training. I mean 14 hr days most of the time; 8:30am-10:30pm (or later). We learned all sorts of stuff. It was kind of cruel for HH to give us "Camp Inspiration" week and then make us go through a loooong week of training, but it's over now and the kids get here on thursday!! Everyone is pretty pumped. Jenny & I are really excited for what is to come in the next 2 months.

For the next 3 (maybe 4) weeks I will be a counsellor in the Beaver cabin (which houses 15-16 yr old boys). These kids have pretty much attended camp every summer for a long time and know the swing of things. Almost all the returning staff I've talked to expressed that the 'Beaver's' are their favorite group. Once a week (while I'm with the Beaver's) I get to go camping, and white water rafting. HH takes the whole lot of us to Great Escape once a week as well. That should be a crazy event!
Jenny is working in the Happy Barn, but is also a part of the Bear cabin for the first 3 or 4 weeks. The Bears are girls aged 15-16. After 3 (or 4) weeks we all switch cabins to get a better understanding of the children we serve here.

So, today and tomorrow is our break before the hustle-and-bustle of camp begins. Jenny & I hope to get to WalMart today so we can pick up a few things we are needing. Oh, and if you wanna see something absolutely AMAZING, check out the video below. It is of one of the campers proving that a disability is all in your head. Great stuff.

Jenny Brown: 'Small Animals' Assisitant

Our first video from Double H Ranch is available for viewing below!! It stars Jenny, some bunnies, and the notorious pigs (Harley and Petunia). Jenny helps children enjoy these animals daily; it's her job. How sweet is that?!
We hope to have more videos of the Ranch on our YouTube account. Enjoy.

pics of 'Inspiration ' week

Thats right! Pics of our first week of Double H Ranch are -->HERE<--. Videos are coming but it seems YouTube is not working the best for me. Hopefully it will improve. Enjoy!!!.............and keep praying.

Making it happen, whatever it is.

Camp is not fully underway yet but it has been AMAZING so far. After a few days of training, 'Camp Inspiration' week has begun. This week has families with children on respirators attending the Ranch and enjoying all the benefits of this wonderful place. For instance, yesterday, the brothers I am teamed up with got to play some pool, pet some rabbits and guinea pigs and see some horses, they went fishing, they got a ride in a horse carriage, they swam in a pool, they partook of a car race, and finally, they got to watch 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' outside on a big projection screen! All in one day; crazy!! It is absolutely inspiring to watch the kids get to do whatever they want. And I mean, whatever! Respirators and all are loaded into carriages, pools, etc to make sure the kids get to experience things that other children their age get to. No excuses are made; we make it happen. One of the girls who was bigger and on constant oxygen was lifted up into the horse carriage but could not take her respirator. The respiratory therapist got in beside her with a manual pump and fed oxygen into a hole in her neck by hand so that she could enjoy the ride! She left saying that the ride was one of the best experiences of her life. Being here really makes you feel alive. And the nursing staff are among the most amazing people I have ever met. Always keeping the situation light and calm, they put everyone at ease with their confidence to handle any situation. I am surrounded by heroes.

Camp Inspiration will end on sunday morning. The next week we have intensive staff training before the main thrust of campers arrive for Session #1. For those of us who have not been here previously, our anticipation is high. For those who have been here before, their anticipation is HUGE!!!

Lake Luzerne, NY

Indeed. Jenny & I landed in Lake Luzerne friday night. Everyday, I amazingly wonder at God's unconditional gracious love for every single human being. Why did we turn this world into what it is? God has done so much for us, and we wasted it; to such an extent that many completely disbelieve in Him. It's sad. More can be said in one action than a thousand words. Yet, the church is full of empty words. The world is waiting for the action.

Jenny & I are expecting much from God this summer, but not enough. We never think big enough. The opportunity set before us is grand. We want this summer to be completely life-changing.

Double H Ranch was founded by Paul Newman in the early 90's (don't quote me on that). It is a summer camp for chronically ill children. 120 or so children are on their way, and over 60 staff. This camp is anything but Christian, and thats the way Jenny & I prefer it. My favorite figure in Church history, Francis of Assisi, said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words." That is our mandate for the summer. To live a life that challenges people out of their spiritual comfort zones. It may be a daunting task. The people we have met here are mostly in schools or universities nearby. They have loads of knowledge and plenty of compassion. They are all (so far) amazing people.

Coming from a Bible College where the students were anything but eager to demonstate their beliefs, I am almost embarrassed at the state of most of Christendom. It's a joke. We should be leading the pack, but we are mocked, ridiculed, and laughed at instead. I don't blame them. It's time to change all that. But, we have to do something about it. Actually, all we have to do is SOMETHING, ANYTHING!! Just get out and go!

We request prayer from anyone who reads this. We want people to see Jesus in us. We want to steward this opportunity in the most loving way possible. We want to do ALL THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.

Visitation/Impartation Campaign: check!

Jenny & I's trip to the Island is just about done. We are at my brother's right now and will jump on a plane tomorrow and start the journey to the state of NY to work at Double H Ranch for the summer. In my opinion, the Island has been a great time; maybe the best time I've had here in years.
We did so much here. Something like 15 meetings; we spoke at 2 churches, a homegroup, and a daycare; we took teams out on the streets of Charlottetown on two occasions; Jenny got to see a lot of this Island of mine; and so on. But the time was so short, and we could list many other things we had wanted to do, but time didn't allow. Maybe in the Fall?
To see the full set of pictures from Jenny's time on PEI click -->HERE<--.

And now, we prepare ourselves for the emotional summer which lies ahead. I expect us to leave Lake Luzerne even more changed than when we arrive.

Apostolic Servanthood

On sunday I wrote about Jenny & I's experience at Harvest House. We led the service and then took 3 people downtown to share the love of Jesus with anyone who happened to be around. Right after the service a woman and her roommate were expressing their desire to come out with us but they weren't able to do it that day because of a prior commitment. They said that the idea of street evangelism terrified them, but the cost of NOT doing it was far greater than staying in their comfort zones. I asked what time was good for them and they said monday evening. So I told them that Jenny & I would come back at that time and take them out. I really feel that to be a true servant of God, we must inconvenience ourselves and our schedules for the potential betterment of others.

So, around 5:45pm the next day, Jenny & I made our way to Harvest House to see if they really meant what they said the day before. I left them feeling rather skeptical, because usually if you don't do something right away, it doesn't happen. To our great surprise, when we pulled up, there was 10 people waiting outside!!! At first we thought most of them were just hanging around, which is a common sight in this area of Charlottetown, but these saints were all there for the opportunity to stretch out of their comfort zones and obey the Great Commission Jesus gave us. It was a far better turnout than any time I ever tried to mobilize teams at Bible College! Amazing!

With Jenny & I included the team numbered twelve, so I divided us up into 3 groups of 4; Roy took Hillsboro St, Jenny took University Ave, and I took Queen St. EVERYONE was pushed out of their comfort zones.

Jenny and I led by example and demonstrated how Holy Ghost has taught us. Then we encouraged our teams to step out in boldness, and do the same. Tracks and Bibles were handed out, curses were thrown our way, some were not interested in talking, but others were interested. The biggest fruit we seen though, was in the lives of our teams. They couldn't believe how easy and practical witnessing was.

The best story was from Roy and his team who witnessed to Boomer Gallant!! Thats pretty sweet. For a second, I thought Roy was gonna get on the evening weather update! They also handed out a New Testament to a man who professed to be Muslim. I was kind of skeptical again but though, "Oh well, whatever." But, when we were walking back to Harvest House, this gentleman rounded a corner and began greeting us emphatically thanking us for the literature we gave him and saying he was eager to go home and read it! This man surely looked like he was from the Middle Eastern region.

It was an amazing couple of days. Never before had I been part of a church congregation whom immediately desired to apply the message that was preached. We left our teams saying that when we return in the Fall, we would like to be part of an existing evangelistic team rather than leading one. We pray that the Fire that has been lit would be fed, and not diminish.

We thank Noel and Harvest House for the opportunity to give out of what we have recieved.

un-nice weather

The weather indeed has been un-nice. We have had a couple times where we had the top down on the LeBaron, but those times have been few and far between.
Our time has been spent visiting , visiting, visiting, and seeing the sights of Prince Edward Island. I think we have 15 separate visits scheduled for our time here. It has been good though.
Yesterday we went to Faithworks and I got to give a brief testimony about the goings on and the upcomings in our life. It was great to see my congregation and spend a little time with them.
After that, Noel allowed Jenny & I to conduct the service ourselves! We had a blast. Some worship, followed by an amazing message by Jenny, followed by a (not as good) message by me an evangelism. After the service we gave an opportunity to put their faith into action by hitting the streets of downtown Charlottetown for some 'evangelism outreach'!! Three people came out with us; which was like 25% of the total attendance!! So that was sweet. We got to speak into the lives of a few people and tear down the walls that religion had built up in their lives! We may take a couple others from Harvest House to the streets tonight.
It has been a really nice time on the Island though. It is passing by quickly. On friday we fly to Albany, NY. But, this week is filled with visitations too. A highlight will be on thursday, when Jenny & I travel to Murray River to attend my cousin Charmayne's Daycare. I hear the kids are eagerly awaiting us.