Good morning everyone. We are having a great time working with the VBS children and back here at El Shaddai. But I have to admit that at the end of the day we are all very much spent.
We start each day and end each day with prayer time. I'm convinced that we couldn't do what we're doing without this. We are amazed that all at once it is Friday. Where did the time go.
Thanks for all your prayers for this ministry.
Carole

More pics

Another busy day!

Things are continuing to go well around the El Shaddai camp as well as in Preston with VBS. The usual routine consists of getting up at 6:30 (early if you are part of the work team), praying as a group at 7:30, heading out for VBS at 8am, and teaching until 11. Once we arrive back to the camp around noon, we all break for lunch, then head outside to complete the tasks for the day. Today I finished the last of the 9 Adirondack chairs I sanded on Monday. There are so many tasks that we accomplish around here each day, that it would be hard to type them all out. Getting the 100 + year old cabin refurbished is a big priority for this trip, and I can't wait to see the before and after pictures....the transformation is amazing! As for VBS, we had 12 children today, but 2 of them were new so that was great. I only had 2 of mine show up today, but they are so wonderful and have quite a bit of bible knowledge so I was able to go "deeper" with them when we discussed the crucifixion today. Just one more thing....Pastor Larry is doing considerably better today and was able to go to VBS and sing a few songs with us...he is also great at delivering brownies to the work crew!! More later.....

Tonya

Heading out for VBS Day 2

As Jeff mentioned, we had a great first day of VBS in Idaho. There were 13 kids who showed up, but 5 of those were in the age group of 5 & 6th grade which is the age I am teaching. I already love each one of them and can't wait to get over to the church today for Day 2! Jeff is our official picture taker but I intend to get a few of my own today as well. Please pray for us to double our number of children today because we are prepared for up to 50 and are up to the task of teaching them all about our loving Savior Jesus Christ! Oh, and by the way, I sanded 9 Adirondack chairs and waterproofed 3 of them yesterday as well for the work part of my day...my knees are feeling the pain!

Tonya

Pray for Pastor Larry

Pastor Larry pulled something in his back walking across the yard last night and is in severe pain this morning. Please pray for him.

(Bottom Left)Myself with Jake and Elwood just outside the house of blues in midway making use of mine and Emily's 2 1/2 hr delay
(Left) One of many pictures of the gorgeous scenery here in Idaho
(Bottom) A before picture of the 100+ year old cabin that everyone is helping fix-up
(Top Left) A picture of Tonya's group day 1
(Top Middle) A picture of Carrole's group day 1
(Top) Emily's group day 1
(Right) Kerry and my group day 1

More pics to come!!
The young gun,

Jeffy B

VBS Day 1

VBS started today with a blast. Children entered into the church hearing great intro songs such as "Big House" by Audio Adrenaline and "Sing Sing Sing" by Chris Tomlin. Tonya led songs today with a couple of fun ones, "Whose the King of the Jungle" and "Help Me Jesus" There were 13 kids there today. We had fun with Larry at the park with Larry leading the game time. Everything went smoothly really except for the fact that I-Tunes did not want to open up at first. Our craft was getting pictures of the kids for the picture frames that they decorated today. The weather was really cooperative as it was drop dead gorgeous outside.

The young gun,

Jeffy B

First Work Day

We hit the ground running this morning! We were awakened by an annoying rooster with a Texas accent! We are working on a cabin that is more than 100 years old. By day's end we has framed all the inside walls, wired the cabin for electricity, and installed insulation. Pastor Larry did the bulk of the insulation installation and is paying a little of the price with a sore back. We had Carole Halcomb and Emily Jenkins installing foam backer in the chinks between the logs and Diane doing a really professional looking chinking job. Tonya worked on Adirondack chairs putting on a waterproofing sealer on them. Phyllis Jenkins painted 2 bathrooms and Jeoff Jenkins put tile down in one of the hallways of the lodge.

We were treated to an unbelievably delicious meal at Rhoda and Dale's home (people from church in Preston). We were about a mile up in elevation and the scenery was spectacular.

We're all pooped and ready to call it a day. Richard Verdery reporting.

Boots on the Ground

Hi,
We're here! (It's now Sunday morning about 7:30 mountain time.) Most of the group pulled into Preston around 6 last night but a few were bumped from the flight and didn't arrive till about 9, so they had a long day of travel. Bill Bagley treated us to some really good pizza and told us about the community. Several members of his church were also there and shared some very compelling testimonies about how they came to Christ. He also gave us a tour of their church facility, which is in a couple of storefronts in downtown Preston- they've done a really nice job of fixing it up. Their landlord is a real artist with finishing sheetrock.

An interesting bit of Preston trivia is that it is where the movie Napolean Dynamite was filmed. The martial arts studio in the movie was filmed in what is now one of the church's upstairs classrooms and they still have "Wall of Honor" painted on the wall. It's opposite the wall with the books of the Bible.

So Kerry VanGundy turned into an impromptu tour guide and evangelist. Tourists come through Preston to visit the Napolean Dynamite sites. Kerry spotted several taking pictures of the building so she invited them to see the "Wall of Honor" and to meet the pastor. Nice work taking advantage of an opportunity.

Today, we're gathering for prayer, Larry is preaching, the VBS people will use the afternoon to get organized, and the work crew will scope out their work so we can all be ready for tomorrow when the real work starts for all of us.

Lyle (on behalf of the group and planning to get someone else to do the next post)

Almost time!

Tomorrow the migration begins. The Illinois group will leave in the morning to fly to Salt Lake City and then drive up to Preston. Lyle and Diane will be driving up from Colorado. We should all be arriving in the late afternoon.

Please pray for safe, smooth travels. Also, Diane has been having some kind of shoulder issue that we're concerned may impact her ability to do some of the work. I was planning on her being the head chinker on the cabin so please pray that the shoulder isn't an issue. (Chinking is the stuff you put in between the logs in a log cabin. We were able to attend a short class on how to do it here in Colorado so she knows what she's doing.)

Pray for the VBS- that lives would be touched with the gospel; and pray for the work crew- not just that we accomplish a lot safely but that the facilities we're improving could be used for many years to proclaim Christ.

Time to go for one last Colorado bike ride.....
Lyle

team picture added

The above is the team photo after Richard photoshopped it to give us a western flavor. The real picture is below.

From left to right here is the EWO team. (sorry if I got any names spelled wrong- I'm going from memory and am somewhat oxygen deprived out here.)

Jeff and Phyllis Jenkins, Jeff Billingsley, Tonya Southwood, Lyle and Diane Risius, Carole Halcomb, Richard "Big Dog" Verdery, Emily Jenkins, Larry and Kerry Van Gundy.

Blog is created

Hi everyone,
This is the first blog I've created. I think I got picked because I have a loptop with me. I'm hoping to draft guest bloggers from our group.

This blog will be used to communicate from the East White Oak team that is going to Preston, Idaho to work will Bill and Gloria Bagley. Our primary activities will be helping their church put on a VBS and doing some construction related activities at their camp. The group will fly out on June 19th. Lyle and Diane Risius will be driving out and will meet the group at Preston on the 19th.

That's probably enough for now.
Lyle