This past week the students have were in their 2nd last class of this semester, Introduction to The Old Testament, taught by Don Taylor, D.Th. Along with a writing a couple of papers and having a lot of reading, the students had been working at putting together a film encompassing the message of the Old Testament. Their video aired yesterday and all the Qwanoes staff came out to watch, laugh and celebrate the students hard work.

On the Thursday of this past week it was nice enough outside that Don took the opportunity to do a portion of class outside, so as to take in God's marvellous creation.

"For me class really began to come alive in the latter half. As I was gaining a much broader understanding of the Old Testament and where it was headed, I developed a deep appreciation for each of it's smaller intricate pieces." - Tyler Weatherly

Up Next and How You Can Be Praying

Were are currently in the final three weeks of the semester and you can be praying for our students as they work hard to wrap up all their school work for the semester. This next week for the students will be mostly dedicated to work on class assignments for past weeks and preparation as they gear up for Foundations in Church Ministry. Pray for the students that they would be effective in the time they have and that they would finish of this semester well. 

(Photo by Julia Hood)

The weekend before last some of the students were serving here at camp in our Senior High Retreat. A few of the students were able to serve by being counsellors as well as many more served on our maintenance team, in the dishroom or in the kitchen. On top of being able to put into practice this heart of service at camp, during the week our students were involved in what we call Love Crofton. This is essentially a time where the students create for themselves an opportunity to serve the community of Crofton through helping people with odd jobs around their yard. On Thursday night there was a potluck at Warmland Church in Crofton and it was amazing to see the impact of the joyful service of our students, especially on those who are physically unable to keep up with all the work around their house.

On Friday in the morning we took a trip to the Kinsol Tressel just on the other side of Duncan. It is a beautiful old Train bridge that has been refinished with rails and solid deck platform for the use of tourists. The students had a tone of fun exploring the area and just hanging out at this beautiful site. 

(Photo by Julia Hood)

 (Photo by Julia Hood)

 (Photo by Julia Hood)

(Photo by Julia Hood)

Up Next and How You Can Be Praying

This week the students are in their  Old Testament Class with Don Taylor, D.Th. You can be praying for them that this time would be formative in their understanding of Scripture and who God is. You can also be praying for them as their semester is beginning to come to close, as they would not get too stressed with their school work but rather that they would finish strong. 

(Photo by Mark Jobst)

This past week has been our prayer and leadership week, in which we have had several leadership seminars including sessions lead by both Ryan Morgan and Taylor Williams. These seminars throughout the week gave the students a chance to evaluate their own perspectives on what leading well means, and how to implement that in their own lives. Along with this, the students have had someone in prayer around the clock for the past four days concluding tomorrow after lunch. 

"Prayer has allowed me to slow down and relax and cast all my worries on Him even amidst all the craziness of the week and school" - Jacob Adams 

This past weekend, we had our Junior High retreat here at camp which several of our students had the opportunity to serve at. We had students serving in activities, programming and counselling. 

Up Next and How to Pray for Our Students

In the next week the students will be serving the community of Crofton in something we call "Love Crofton". The community is blessed through yard work, the chopping of firewood and the like. You can pray that as the students humbly serve, God's love will be demonstrated in some way. In the week following Love Crofton, the students will be in their Old Testament Class. Pray for them as they prepare for another class full of assignments and readings. One of their larger assignments is to make a video capturing the storyline of the Old Testament, prayer for this project would be greatly appreciated by many of the students. 

Kaléo 2018 

My name is Sarah McQuarrie and I was the recipient of the leadership award last year. There is actually so many things I could tell you, so I am going to try and choose some highlights here of what I believe I learned about leadership through the program, as well as what I believe will be helpful for you as you continue in it.

This is longer than my fellow award recipients, I realize, but I encourage you to set time aside to read this. Whether you feel like you are an amazing leader in the Kaléo Program, or whether you think that you are getting it figured out, I believe these ideas will help you grow where you are at, and are relevant for all.

#1. Leadership does not mean you get it right. I learned this both by examples of very humble leaders I have had in the past, and through some unfortunate experiences of living up to my mistakes. Humility, more than anything is a defining characteristic of a leader. Who are the people in your life that you look up to the most? Maybe it is a professor you’ve had, maybe your parents, or an older sibling. What makes them so great in your mind? I encourage you to practice the discipline of humility. There is a section about it in your spiritual discipline book and try not talking about yourself as you practice humility. This is in conversation, not bringing it back to yourself. This is also when you get it wrong, that you do actually call yourself out and not be afraid of the mistakes, because it is not about you guys.  Here is the thing, everybody else might not even realize that you are being so intentional about it - that can be humbling.

#2. Leadership is being intentional. Something about the program is that you guys are the program. Nothing that we did last year actually matters in comparison of this year. What we did when it came to relationships is not going to be the way that y’all are going to do it. The program facilitates this to happen, so allow it facilitate, and take advantage of the space that you have to do it how you would like. That is why is it so unique, and this is why it is a leadership program. It takes leaders to initiate, plan game nights during a super stressful week, plan prayer times or a hang out time with just the girls in someone’s room, and boys do whatever boys do when it is just them, etc.

#3. Leadership means using your voice. Peter warns us that if you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, then you put away deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech (1 Peter 2.1-5). When was the last time you said something to make it sound like something else? Or that you said you believed something but have never followed through with your actions? Or looked at what someone else had and wanted it? Or was unkind to another being, whether or not you knew them? Or spoke sarcastically? If we say we indeed know the Lord is good, then these should not be said of us. Therefore, when I say use your voice, I mean in a way that calls out your peers in humility and with gentleness. I mean that when you have discovered truth from God’s word that you would be a man or women speaking from the authority of God. That our words would be full of truth. I have a quick example -

            My friend called me the other day and asked for advice. Before she told me the scenario she first said “I called you because I knew you would tell me what I needed to hear and that you would encourage me to be more like Christ” in that moment I realized that whatever I told her it needed to be truth. I wanted to live up to that, but had no idea what was coming at me. When she finished explaining I did not have anything for her but to remind her of the life that God had called her to. That God has called us to glorify him, and as I reiterated back to her her own scenario, she knew what she needed to do. I literally felt as though I had done next to nothing except remind her of what she already knew. But that was all she needed, someone to listen to her, someone who knew her. She did not need any crazy wise words from me, just to be reminded of what she already knew. I pray that all my relationships will be like that - two people trying to discover truth in the midst of life. Use your voice, and relay truth.

One last thing - I love you all. If you ever need anything, and I truly mean this, get in touch. You actually have a ton of recourses at your fingertips. So honestly, no matter what you are going through, whether you think it is normal and no big deal or super burdening, your leaders, myself, any of my past classmates, we actually are here to support you. Send your prayer requests, whatever it is.

        Praying for you all as you continue this journey.

                  - Sarah

(Photo by Julia Hood)

CAVING!

In the past week the Students have been hard at work studying and preparing for the exam they wrote this past Tuesday for their class, Introduction to New Testament. Yesterday we drove up to Horne Lake Regional Park, to go exploring in the Horne Lake Caves! We had a guided tour of three caves which included a climb up a small waterfall section and some narrow squeezes. 

(Photo by Julia Hood) 

On the way home we had our first experience with snow on the Island. We stoped at Coombs on the drive back to camp, which was a good time to take in the winter experience and get a good hot chocolate or some warm Doughnuts. As well they had the chance to see the artsy side of the Island as there were a couple of pottery shops and a few other touristy type shops. 

 (Photo by Kaitlyn Willems)

(Photo by Kaitlyn Willems)

Up Next and How You Can Be Praying

In the Following week the Students will be in their Prayer and Leadership week. This will be a time in which their will be multiple leadership seminars equipping them to understand and know where they are at as His anointed servants, and how to best culminate that in their setting. As well this will be a time of continual prayer where the students will take shifts of prayer from Monday to Friday. You can pray for our students that this would be a special time for them and that they would genuinely grow in their servant like leadership. Pray for our students as well as they look forward to Love Crofton in the following week, and their Introduction to Old Testament class with Don Taylor, DTh, in the week after.   

Kaléo 2018,

My name is Virginia Flahr and I was nominated this past year for the “Adventure Award.” First off, I’m totally stoked for all of you to be here! I believe that from the moment you hopped on that plane or jumped into the car, you were saying a BIG “yes” to an adventure-filled future God calls each one of us to (and I’m not just talking about the outdoorsy kind). Adventures always have an element of fear to them. Sometimes it specifically zeroes in on our uneasiness of the unknown, but more often it merely focuses on our expectations. By that I mean, we fear what we expect - what we conclude and label our situation to be. We see those “mountains” looming in the distant horizon (cough cough, Mt. Albert Edward) and instantly, by default, dread the ensuing elevation gain that brings with it insurmountable fatigue. We don’t by habit think positively. It takes experience, practise, and perseverance to realize that every summit is attainable - whether that be in the classroom or out - as long as we pack the right equipment (no knock-offs). So here’s my personal full-proof packers list that’ll get you through those mountain passes (and not lost with one shoe and no water in some backwood horror story).

1.) A GUIDE. Actually, His name is Jesus and He’s better than a guide. He’s like the trail master. He’s done every trail anywhere. He knows how it feels when you’re scared, exhausted...hungry! And besides, you should never attempt any sort of adventure alone (it’s just a bad idea). Life is one BIG ADVENTURE but it won’t feel like one if you take a go at it solo. Jesus honestly needs to be at the core. He’s your solid ROCK. You’re going to be walking a lot of miles this year both figuratively and literally. This is your chance to really grow in your relationship with Jesus. Get to know Him deeper and find time each day, to “walk with Him.” Take it seriously.

2.) A MAP. Not the kind you buy at MEC, nah it’s a better one. The Bible. It’s like, our compass and map put together. It’s a lifeline and if you aren’t prepared to find time to delve into the Word, than you might as well just start walking into a forest....

3.) CAMPFIRES. This is called the community program terms. It literally is your classmates, professors, interns, qords, church, youth groups, and leaders. Try to have daily “campfires” with these people. Talk with them. Invest in their lives. Take initiative. Discuss concepts, thoughts, and s’mores (more like cereal in the kitchen). Share your day’s occurrences. Cry and laugh together. Be real.

4.) RANGER CABIN. This is what I like to call your dorm room. It shouldn’t be a place of gossip, clichés, or weeklong hibernations. It’s where you need to be proactive. Take time to get to know your roommates. Be real with each other. No one likes talking about the weather (we all know it only rains anyway). Take the time to really get to know AND support your roomies. Take the time to get to know the other “ranger cabins” too. Plan games, outings, gym sessions. Just DON’T ever plan a math and science quiz contest.

5.) REST. This is so important for anyone out adventuring. In the Kaléo Program, it is vital to set time aside to rest. God mentions it so many times in the Bible. Try and make it a priority to find time once a week to just do nothing. And by nothing, I don’t mean absolutely nothing. But try not to do homework. Spend some time with your awesome Creator. Go for a walk. Breathe the fresh air and just allow your soul to say “It is well.” Challenge yourself and do another fast or silence and solitude.

6.) NUTRITION. Fuel your body, mind, and soul with the right kind of nutrients. This is your chance to really rid yourself of those nasty toxins. If you found yourself struggling with things back home - something as simple as too much screen time, unhealthy Netflix addictions (Wi-Fi kind of kicks this one), etc. - this is your time to address them. Don’t rid things out of your life though without replacing them. For instance, change out screen time with writing letters to your friends back home or taking a afternoon out in the town with some of your fellow classmates. Tell someone you trust about it too. Don’t keep it to yourself. There are so many people here that actually care about you and love you. Talk to them (your leaders would be a good choice - they have nuggets of wisdom).

7.) DO IT! This is it. This is your year to really challenge yourself and grow. You’re really only going to get as much out of it as you give. So go all out. STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. That’s where we grow the most and that’s honestly, where I believe God wants us to be - where we can no longer rely on ourselves but God alone. Again, I cannot tell you all enough how pumped I am for you!! God honestly used the Kaléo Program to impact me in such big ways and I have no doubt He intends to do the same for each one of you. I hope you can take something out of the “packers list” and really apply it to your journey ahead. Finally, I want to leave you with one of my favourite verses that I think is very applicable to us.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

- Isaiah 40: 30-31

All the best, I’ll be praying for you.

Virginia Flahr