"I'm tired of this grandpa!"

Hola from team BAAA! This week has been very busy but a lot of fun. We were part of the kitchen staff at Sivell's Baptist Camp and were able to serve over 100 kids! It was a lot of work and the days were long but it was super rewarding to see all the kids happily eating. The other kitchen staff were super cool and it was a joy to work alongside them. We had to deal with more sickness among the team but we were able to persevere through the frustration and poor health. The area we were in was absolutely beautiful which was an added bonus. This next week we will be up at Inlow Baptist Camp where we will serve as the rec team for Student Camp. It'll be exhausting for sure but we are excited to see how the Lord will move among the students.

Prayer Requests

• For all the children at Kids Camp who got to hear the good news of Jesus.
• That the staff at Sivell's would be blessed as they prepare for future camps.
• That the team would stay in good health for this next week.
• For energy running rec all week.

Bryce:

This week at Sivells Baptist Camp we were assisting in the BCNM Kids Camp. We had the opportunity to serve at the camp by helping in the kitchen. Our team worked to prepare meals and assist in serving food for 3 meals. It was very rewarding to help meet the needs of hungry tummies. Unfortunately however, I became sick on the third day and was unable to continue helping for the rest of the week, which was disappointing. 

Through the week, God reminded me that His plans are greater than me and what help I can over. His plans will work out no matter if we are able to partake or not. However, God still works to heal us and I feel better as of now.

Ashby:

Hey everyone!! 

This week at Sivells was a lot of fun! Tiring but definitely an experience worth remembering. We worked in the kitchen for most of the time, but I got to teach leather crafts for a few days!! Working in the kitchen was a lot of learning, adapting and working but now I fully understand and appreciate the work put in by any and all kitchen staff! I became the official pancake and fryer lady, frying everything between potato chips, tater tots, hashbrowns, churros and more. I also got the wonderful opportunity to clean a fryer- let’s just say my arms were well oiled that day haha! But God used this experience to teach me patience, endurance and discipline, so it was not a waste. It was a sweet time for fellowship as well, as a few of us got together to sing acoustic worship by the pond and I got to hear all the kids singing one night loudly to Goodness of God. I remember smiling because  that’s what Heaven will sound like. I got to make new friends as well, such as Ms. June (the main cool), and Mr. Tom (my pancake buddy). I think the best part of my week was being nicknamed the “leather lady” by some of the little girls and getting to know them more. Thank you so much for the prayers! I hope everyone is doing well!! 

Shoutout to Abby- thank you so much for being such a wonderful friend and supporting me in times of hardship🫶

Angella:

This week we helped in the kitchen at Sivells Baptist Camp. I got to lead a beads craft with the students; they got to make their own bead creations, and then I melted them and took them off the molds. I made and handed out drinks for every meal; a lot of the kids gave me dirty looks, and it was funny. We got to hang out with Pastor Larry and Cynthia Evans and their youth students; it was really edifying to see that he takes his students to serve at kids camp when they could be doing so many other things. It was really sweet to get to play games with Ms. June and Mr. Tracy, even though they didn’t let me win. I also helped in the snack shack; it was very chaotic. All the kids were trying to squeeze into a small space and wanted to buy all of the sugar. Overall, it was a candy bag full of experiences. I enjoyed a lot of the different tasks that I got to assist with.

Asher:

Olleh! 

This past week was really exhausting but man was it fun. I really appreciated having a lot of stuff to do. I am not a morning person at all so I missed out on preparing breakfast every morning but every other meal I was able to help with. I did not realize how much work goes into serving food to a camp but I have a newfound appreciation for camp staff. It was definitely a challenge to prepare all that food especially cause I have very little experience cooking. I was always doing something different and no two meals were the same. I feel like I learned a lot though and I'm really glad I got to experience it. I also really appreciated freezer breaks. The kids at camp were also really funny and I got to play some sports with them on the first day. You can never predict what they'll do next and this week was a testament to that. Specifically, I saw a kid at lunch one day who only put green beans on his plate when we had a whole spread of possible food. I don't think I'll forget him and I'll keep him in my prayers cause he needs it (just kidding).

Dishrats! (respectfully)

Pastor Larry!

 

Ashby's Crafts!

God's beautiful creation

In the Mountains Tall

Salutations from team BAAA! This week we had a lovely time serving at Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Capitan, New Mexico. We served in their VBS as group leaders and other supporting roles which was a nice change of pace. We only had 4 days of VBS this week but it was an awesome time getting to know the kids and the members of the church. We ran the VBS in the mornings and had the opportunity to go to Fort Lone Tree in the afternoons to help with assorted projects. It was really cool to see how things ran at the Fort and it gave us a taste of what camp life is like. We ran into some health problems during the week but by God's grace we were able to get it sorted out and complete the VBS. Our next destination will be Sivell's Baptist camp where we will serve on the kitchen crew. 

Prayer Requests

• That Trinity SBC would continue to faithfully serve the Lord in their community
• That Mr. Noble of our host family would have a quick recovery from surgery
• For continued healthiness and focus within the team. 
• For strength to serve the camp staff and the kids at Sivell's this next week. 

Bryce:

This week at Trinity SBC we had the privilege to help with another VBS. I personally worked as a small group leader and assisted with music for the VBS. Not only that, we also spent time at Fort Lone Tree where we were blessed to help them in many ways. As Fort Lone Tree hosts kids camps, it is harder for them to find the time to get tasks done around the property. It was our joy to do some of these for them and help them out. 

Through all this, God reminded me that serving others can happen with just simple everyday tasks. Working with children and worship, or doing physical labor. God uses all He needs to make a difference in the believer and unbeliever. I was taught to serve others with a joyful heart this week.

Ashby

Hey everyone!

This week in Capitán was so much fun. Not only did we get to help out with Trinity’s VBS, but we got to do some landscaping shenanigans at Fort Lone Tree, a local Christian camp for kids. God was teaching me so much during this time, like how to trust in Him and be patient in less than perfect circumstances. Please keep Trinity in your prayers to continue to grow into a loving church community and for one of the girls in my group, as she was invited to VBS but doesn’t actually go to church at all. Pray that God used this VBS time to work in her heart and bring her to church!

Asher:

In the wise words of Megamind, ollo!

This week in the mountains has been an awesome time. It took a bit of adjusting to the different environment but I had a great experience serving at Trinity's VBS. I was assigned the role of games leader for the week and I had a lot of fun with that. The week's theme was all about archeology so I got to create a character named Dr. Rokdig who lead the kids through all the games. The children loved the character and I got to form relationships with a lot of them. It sounds silly, but I also enjoyed the chance to do some manual labor up at Fort Lone Tree. It felt good to serve the Lord in a simple way like that. The whole area we were in was gorgeous and I loved having the chance to wander around Ruidoso. It's definitely a place I want to come back to and visit the amazing people at Trinity SBC!

Angella

This week was really sweet; I got to serve with Ms. Jeanne, Danielle, and Mrs. Kim on music and missions, and it was so much fun. Getting to hear these ladies' stories of how God has worked in and through their lives was so sweet and encouraging that God desires to use us for His mission wherever our feet may be planted.

In the middle of this week, I started not feeling well again, so my team advised for me to go to the hospital again. They gave me medicine and prescribed some for me to take every day, and I’m feeling a lot better now. In the midst of this confusing and scary time of having health issues again, I really saw the Lord’s provision and protection in a super tangible way, and I know that He still has a plan and purpose for my life, even when that shows up in ways that are less than ideal. It has made me remember and be in awe of how much in my day-to-day life I have so many reasons to praise the Lord for (Psalm 103)!

Photos:

Album cover

Working at Fort Lone Tree!

Building benches!

Team Lunch!

Tech Booth!

Basically in Texas

Greetings from team BAAA! This past week in Anthony, NM was such a blast. Anthony FBC is such a wonderful church and the people there are so on fire for Christ. We ran our first full week of VBS Sunday-Thursday in the evenings and it went amazingly. We also were able to put on a youth lock in during the week which was a ton of fun. However, we're still recovering from the late night and doing our best to rest up before next week. Our next stop is Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Capitan, and we will also work closely with the staff at Fort Lone Tree during the week.

Prayer Requests:

• That FBC Anthony will continue to grow and reach more people in their community. 
• The new salvations and baptisms within the church.
• Pastor Hector's family
• Instant rapport with the members of the next church. 
• Health and strength for the next week.

Asher:

Hello everyone!

This week in Anthony has been such a blessing and I don’t think we could’ve started the summer any better. The team was put in charge of running basically the whole VBS and while it was exhausting, I think it has helped us all grow in a lot of ways. It definitely has for me. Everything about this week was honestly beautiful. I was blown away the moment I walked into the sanctuary of the church and saw the stained-glass windows, but it only got better from there. It was amazing to see how much the volunteers loved Jesus and it was such a joy to get to know the kids. The lock in was a highlight for me and I think we got the message of the gospel across to the youth kids. Huge shoutout to Richard and his family for hosting us boys, you made us feel so welcomed and so at home!

 

Ashby:

Hi guys!

This week was so much fun with VBS and the youth lock in at Anthony. God was teaching me so much through these kids, like that God doesn’t need big stages or large congregation numbers to make an impact. The instant rapport between us and the church members was so amazing to be a part of and the participation of the younger kids was inspiring to see. God has not left the younger generation, and I pray that the church, would not only grow in numbers, but in love and willingness to know God. This was especially true with one of the girls who was planning to get baptized soon! It was endearing to see how they supported each other through trials, like the scavenger hunt we had during the lock-in!

Angella:

I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the summer! This week was such a blessing in more ways than I even know how to express. The church welcomed us with open arms; it truly felt like we were members there, not just visitors. We ran VBS and ran a lock-in for their youth students. At times, this past week was very stressful, and it required us to be quick on our feet, but it proved our team's unity.

We got to have lots of conversations with people at the church. I got to have a heart-to-heart conversation with one of the church volunteers. Hearing everything the Lord has brought her through was so touching, and how she still chooses to be a light, love, and support her kids through the midst of some hard circumstances was really encouraging to hear.

Bryce:

Hello all,

God has been very faithful this past week. Through our work in ministering to children, He has worked to hold all together through changing plans. It reminds me of how much He holds all things together and how much we need to rely upon Him. I know in the coming weeks, He will continue to go before us and support us in all we do so we have no worrying to do. It has been our joy to serve this church in every way needed. Not only serving the church, but also trying to help the community and bring them to Christ through door hangers.

It was so amazing to see the impact our team had on the church members. They told us multiple times that our team coming helped church members get the fire to help out with the VBS as well. It truly is our pleasure. 

Singing at Sunday service!  

Out canvassing!

Planning the lock-in

Lock-In dance party!

John 13:35

First stop: Anthony, NM

    Orientation was great! We learned a ton, grew as a team, had fun with the other New Mexico Team, and feel even more equipped for the summer than we did before. We arrived in Anthony, NM yesterday evening and are already having a great time. Please pray for us this week as we serve the church in Anthony. Ask that we would serve the church, each other, our host homes, and the VBS kids well. Pray that our time here would bring refreshment to the church, and that many people would hear the good news about Jesus this week. Thank you for all of your support!

Officially On The Road!

 We are so excited to finally be on the road! This afternoon, we arrived at our first stop, Las Cruces, for orientation with the other New Mexico Team. We checked into our hotel, and joined the other team for dinner. More orientation begins tomorrow morning. Please pray that we will learn a lot, grow closer as a team, and continue to trust the Father as we head to Anthony, NM on Saturday. Thank you for all of your support! We can't wait to share more about all that the Father does this summer.

Preparing To Go!

Thank you for lifting us up as we prepare to serve the churches of New Mexico! Please ask that we would continue to grow as a team, in our individual walks with the Father, and in our love for the people we are going to serve. We can't wait to share more with you about all that the Father does in the coming months!