25 Letters

We're finally getting all settled in to our apartment - we are even getting a couch this week (thanks to a generous friend who is letting us borrow hers!).
It's that time of year again - Camp Nikos time! As many of you know, David and I are greatly involved with Mission: Possible! Austin (MPA) - an organization which serves the community of East Austin. Although David has been involved longer than I have, we are super excited to continue to be a part of this amazing ministry.

Camp Nikos is a big part of the ministry. It is a week long summer camp for underprivileged inner city kids.

The theme at camp this year is "Great Park - Land of the King." This comes from the "Tales of the Kingdom" books by David Mains. In these stories, the Great Park is where those in trouble find safety and love. These kids face so many issues that most of us never face - from neglect or abuse at home, trouble with peers at school, or the pressure of drugs and violence that surround them. Our goal is to love on them and instill in them the hope and the love that comes with Eternal Peace. Lessons and regular camp activities such as fishing, swimming, ropes, and crafts provide opportunities to love on them and teach these truths to the children. Camp Nikos is a safe and loving place where kids can be kids while not fearing the dangers of the inner-city streets. It is a life experience that most remember for a lifetime. It is truly amazing to watch how much a child's live can be impacted in just five days. Their response to the love and attention they receive is incredible.

To view pictures from last year, visit www.alleys.smugmug.com/Camp%20Nikos.

David and I will both serve as adult staff. David will run the technical side of things (run worship and picture slide shows, take pictures, run the sound, drive around the "alarm clock" for the camp, and pretty much be the "go to" guy), and I will do whatever is needed (my guess is that will mean help lead worship, lead games, take pictures, write updates, and spell counselors who need a break). This week is truly a week of flexibility for both staff and counselors – "rolling with the punches" has a whole new meaning!

Camp snuck up on us this year - we leave in a couple of days! We're really looking forward to the week and would be grateful if you supported us in prayer. We are asking for prayer for the camp , the kids, the counselors, and the staff each day during camp - Saturday June 2th – Saturday, June 9th. Pray specifically that each child's heart would be open to what they are being taught, that each counselor would rely on God's strength instead of their own, and that there would be unity among the counselors and other leaders at camp. We want the kids to not only feel our love for them, but that they see our love for one another and witness the love that Christ has for all of us through the leadership.

If you feel led to be part of our prayer support team and would like to get the daily updates via email, please let us know by responding to this email. A daily report and prayer requests (from both counselors and the kids themselves) will be sent each night, allowing you to keep up with the happenings and to be able to pray for specific needs. Your names and email addresses will be kept confidential, used only for the daily email. We will have a blog up and running during camp if you'd rather read updates online, and for those of you who know what an RSS feed is, there is one that will be attached to the blog. The address of that blog is http://www.campnikos.com

Because Camp Nikos is free for these underprivileged children, it requires funding from other sources. Counselors and staff are encouraged to raise camp fees for both themselves and for two campers. The cost for each person attending Camp Nikos is $300. We know that the Lord is gracious and will provide the means necessary to fund camp this summer, and it is always fun/amazing to see how He provides. At this point, MPA only has a fraction of what is needed to fund camp.

Will you ask the Lord what your role is in this financially? Would you pray for the Lord's provision and whether you are to of being part of that provision? A gift of $25 will have great impact - and one of $300 would completely cover the cost of one child for the week. If you are interested in playing a part, you can visit MPA's website to donate online or send a check to Mission ossible! Austin, P.O. Box 142076, Austin, TX 78714. If you send a check, please do not put anything in the memo field – you can use a sticky note to let them know what you're donating for.

Thank you for being a part of this with us - and we look forward to sharing our experiences with you in a couple of weeks!