Brackenhurst Ministries Newsletter

Summer 2011 Camp BlueSky 2011 was an amazing success. We had our largest number of campers ever: 525, plus an additional 20 kids came to our first ever day camp, Lil BlueSky. We saw evidence of the Lord at work in the lives of many, many campers. We had an amazing team of staff who were completely committed to loving the campers, serving as role models, and faithfully sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with each and every camper. Looking back on this summer, Camp BlueSky has much to celebrate. The 2011 Camp Staff impacted 545 This summer the theme for camp young people this summer; camp was the was RESCUE and was based on first place many of the kids were exposed Colossians 1:13-14: For he has to the Gospel. rescued us from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The campers learned how God rescued his people in Exodus and how he rescued both Jonah and the Ninevites in the Old Testament. This led up to telling the campers about the greatest rescue of all, when Jesus rescued the entire world. From the beginning of the week, Sahil was either crying, being a punk, or an awesome camper. He was such a mysterious 8 year old. When it was time for evening cabin devotions, he always asked a lot of questions. On the last night of camp, after summit fires, Bradyn & Mike took their boys back to the cabin. The fun continued with a cabin-wide pillow fight. Then, in order to calm the campers back down, they all went outside and layed on the open field and looked up at the stars for awhile. Such a precious sight to think of a cabin of little boys gazing at the African stars. Bradyn gave the Jr camp devotion on Saturday morning, and he wrapped up the week by reviewing all of the weeks morning devotion stories. Then, he had Jason lay down as a bridge between two tables and the kids walked across. Jason symbolized Jesus as the bridge between us and God. After devotion, Sahil asked Bradyn if Christians are reincarnated? He also asked about other religions. Then, Sahil said, my gods dont really make sense, I want to believe in your God and Jesus. Bradyn had lost his Bible earlier in the summer, bought a new Bible, and then found his old Bible. So, during his conversation with Sahil on Saturday morning, Bradyn gave Sahil his Bible. A little while later, Sahil came back to Bradyn and handed him a little pamphlet. Sahil said this is my Hindu book and I dont need it anymore so I want you to have it. WOW, Praise God! Lets continue to pray for this little boy and that the Lord would use this little boy and his faith and boldness to impact his whole family!

Lexi met the Biggs family a few months ago when she volunteered for the middle school drama production at the international school. Lexi particularly connected with Justins older sister, and got along well with 7th grade Justin, who like Lexi, is a born performer and never meets strangers. It was clear God brought this family into Lexis life. She has been praying for them for months and was excited when Justins mom signed Justin and his brother Tomi up for camp. Justins counselor, Bryce, reported that because Justin hadnt heard much about the Bible before camp he was very interested in starting from the beginning and reading each night during devotion. Bryce said Justin would just read aloud from Genesis while the cabin listened. Can you imagine: nine 7th grade boys reading the Bible together each night and discussing calmly and honestly? God truly does miracles in a camp cabin. Mike, Tomis counselor reported that Tomi, too, had been asking many questions throughout the week and decided he wanted to follow Jesus and trust and believe in Him. At closing ceremony, Lexi had a great conversation with Justins and Tomis mother and made plans to have coffee with her. In August, Bryce and Lexi will be serving in student ministry roles in the school where this family attends. Isnt it great how God weaves our lives together at just the right time for His purpose? Saying Goodbye to Amanda... Our Camp Director, Amanda Highfield, returned to the States at the end of camp this year. Amanda has been the camp director since 2009, she also served on our student and camp team from 2005 to 2007. Amanda has poured herself into students throughout her time in Kenya, she will be missed! This fall, Amanda is starting graduate school at the University of Montana. We hate to say goodbye to Amanda but wish her all the best as she pursues this new opportunity. "It is with gratefulness I reflect on my time with Brackenhurst Ministries at Camp BlueSky. I am blessed beyond my own understanding by being a part of this ministry for so long. God has done incredible things through this ministry, the team, and the campers, students, and families with whom Amanda will be missed by I have shared life these past several years. I will never be the same and I'll our team and many, many never be able to let go of these relationships and memories. Thank you for families in Nairobi. making it happen through your prayers, love, and financial support." In devotions the first night Tarrah stated that although she was interested in Jesus she was not a Christian. Kaelyns entire cabin had many questions about what they were learning in morning and evening devotions. By Thursday night, the girls questions turned more personal as they asked questions about what it would look like in their lives if they began to trust and believe in Jesus. Kaelyn answered their questions and shared a lot of scripture with them. On Friday night just before Summit Fires, Tarrah finally decided to attempt the Lions Pride, a special spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional challenge for the older campers. She was afraid, nearly in tears when she set out for the test, but hopeful. After an hour of collecting wood, Tarrahs fire was lit on the second match. Her fire then burned for only 30 minutes and went out, ending her attempt at the Quest. Tarrah, smiling, walked back to her room and went to bed. She was happy just to have lit her fire, it was a huge accomplishment for her. The next morning, Kaelyn asked her several times what she learned on Friday night and Tarrah continually replied, I cant really explain it; Ill tell you later, so Kaelyn didnt press. Finally, just before closing Tarrah told Kaelyn that while sitting in the dark under the stars in the silence at Lions Pride, she learned to trust Jesus.

As the student team moves into the fall, they have decided to expand the student ministry to include an Indian school located close to the new ministry hub. Each week the team will host an outreach event for both middle and high school students, which will begin meeting in the new ministry hub as soon as it is ready. They will invite students from all 3 schools our team is working in: the missionary school, the international school, and the Asian school. Each team member is prayerfully making steps towards meeting with at least one small group of students each week. This will allow the team to meet each student where they are at. For students who are believers, this will be a time of discipleship. Students who dont yet know Christ will have a chance to ask questions and learn more about Jesus.

BlueSky Student Ministry Prepares for the Fall

The BlueSky Student Ministry seeks, through experiences and adventure, to: Expose students in Nairobi, Kenya to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in prayerful hope that they enter into a life-transforming relationship with the living God . Teach, prepare, and commission believing students to engage their world for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom.

Over the past several weeks, our team has been blown away by the goodness of the Lord. When camp ended, our team was eagerly anticipating the start of the fall. Weve got our largest team ever on the ground, and we were excited to jump into the different ministry areas the Lord had called us to. We were excited to get our new ministry hub and rock gym up and running, but at the same time we knew that we lacked the funding needed to get it off the ground. Just days after camp, as our team recovered from a busy summer at the coast, we received word that $100,000 had been donated towards the project. This amount is about half of the total estimated cost of the project and provided exactly what we needed to get started at the exact moment we needed it. The faithfulness of the Lord to provide has given our team a The team meeting with the huge boost, affirming each team member that the Lord has them in Kenya builder in the climbing area for a distinct purpose and that He is MORE than willing and able to provide to finalize building plans for their every need. Ministry Hub/ Rock Gym Project Timeline Recently, Kim was in the first Church ministry leaders meeting of the school year and she told the group Phase 1 of the project has begun; the about the plans for our new facility. She told them offices for BlueSky Adventures, Camp that the climbing gym at DP (the site) was going to be BlueSky, and Student Ministry are under a center for our whole ministry, opening doors to the construction. Our goal is to have them International community. She wanted them to know fully operational by September 1. that it would be a place to host events for students and Also part of Phase 1, the building of the give us daily opportunities to be salt and light in the student ministry area has been commisHindu and Muslim community. After the meeting, a sioned. This will include the ampithemissionary with another organization came up to her ater, stage, and deck. with tears in her eyes and said, Kim, Ive been praying Phase 2 will be completed in September that the Lord would be at work at DP. Ive been praywhen a builder comes to build the founing that someone would go into that specific place dational framework and climbing walls. and Ive been praying that it would be you guys. How Phases 3 and 4 will be completed as we amazing is it that the Lord would lay it on someones draw closer to our $200,000 fundraising heart to pray for this as Hes orchestrating it? goal.

The Lord Provides $100,000 for the BlueSky Ministry Hub

Team Member Profiles: Lexi Wayman and Stephen Powell

Lexi writes, I have a uniquely combined passion for both relationships/people, and business operations/logistics, which turned out to be the perfect combo for my role in BlueSky! I love getting to maintain parent client relationships and the day-to-day on site operations during camp while still getting to interact with all the campers, as well as participate in student ministry throughout the school year. Ive also gotten to use my passion/experience in acting as a great tool in forming student relationships by plugging into the international schools drama department. Right now I would love for you to pray that my work permit would be approved by Kenyan immigration, as well as the Lords guidance as I begin planning for Camp BlueSky 2012! Stephen says, I love Jesus, adventure, kids, and discussing financial strategy! Its crazy that the Lord is allowing me to mesh all those passions here in Kenya. I believe the best way to get to know someone is to go on an adventure with them. I love the way adventure puts kids in a context that they may not be fully comfortable in and then we get to watch Jesus help/change/redeem them. I also have a passion for kingdom business. My desire is to see the rock gym be a light in the business world by how it operates. Would you pray that the Lord would give me patience, perseverence, and wisdom as we work to get the Rock Gym ready for action?

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