WFR Creekside Camp 2023, week 1 stories!

This first week was electrifying. Tanya preparing for and delivering messages each day for 435+ campers was an opportunity to rely on Jesus, and finally get to clearly share the message of 'invitation to relationship with God' that has been welling up for 7+ months. At the end of the week, 170 kids came to the new believer's experience (<----1 minute highlight video here!) to learn first steps of faith and put a 'tile' with their name and date in the 'sluice box' to express their 'yes' to Jesus, and over 60 kids (it's fuzzy math, friends!) had the courage to stand up at the end.

A cabin of girls shared that really resonated with Tanya's illustration of chairs facing each other, representing God creating us to know and do life with Him (see pic to the right). The girls creatively answered to their leader, Emily Jamieson, that their upbringing kind of arranged them to face God, but they treat their chair like a swivel chair where they twist away and turn their heads away from God. But this week, they truly fell in love with Jesus and turned towards him because they want to and finally understand God's love and goodness.

Dietrich is serving on work crew- flourishing in his faith and relationally too. One of his 'fast friends' Mike, is a joyful kid, full of humor and 'rizz.' He shared his faith story with Dietrich and some boys, then volunteered to share at their first work crew presentation to the entire camp. He had never done it before, and felt God close to him as he shared. Here is a video clip of it, which includes Dietrich's intro and Yakima's "Alán" who is referred to below too.

Next door to Creekside, at WFR Canyon, one the YL staff Tanya trains, Jason Jordan, from Connell WA, on Day 3, had a powerful cabin time where kids said YES to Jesus (Day 3 is pretty early in the week for that, but, YOLO!) Then after cabin time, he proceeded to baptize 5 of these kids in the pond at WFR canyon. This is generally discouraged to do at YL camps (better done in a local church) but he insisted that ‘they were ready now.' Well...OKAY! PTL, right? 

Also at Canyon, our Omak staff, Jeffrey Chambers, shared about kids lives transforming before his eyes. It started night 4, when one kid, at 1am woke Jeffrey up and insisted on talking NOW. He was really disturbed. They talked until 3am, and then, now day 4, he was ready to say YES to relationship with God. As well as 3 native kids from the 'res' in Okanogan/Omak did too. So GOOD...and thank God for coffee

3 kids from Gig Harbor had never heard sin spoken of, in terms of being a broken 'relationship with God'. They even grew up going to a Christian school yet had not heard sin in a relationship sort of way. They had never heard the accounts of Jesus of the bleeding woman or Zacchaeus, and how relationship is actually God's top priority. All the pieces finally clicked for them, which is often the case for kids who grow up 'around' God. A relationship with God begins by a 'yes' to Him. They each 'turned their chairs' to God, saying yes to a relationship with Jesus! The leader shared this report with tears streaming down.

This story reminds me of Dr Mike Valente's son, 'little Mike' who went to Creekside 3 weeks ago. Mike Valente, a beloved friend and influence to many, Jeff's chiropractor in Spokane, man of God, and force of nature, who passed away suddenly one year ago. Little Mike was here with Spokane Valley at Wyldlife camp, hearing the gospel, having growing up in a Jesus-centered family with Jesus-loving people all around, but said yes for the first time, when it was his own decision to make. He shared that starting a relationship with Jesus. He shared that this joyful, personal decision made him feel closer to his dad. How SWEET that is!

Connecting with people here has been unbelievable and special: Heather Hopkins-Ruetschle, who was Apple Blossom Queen in '94, the year before Tanya was Princess, came to serve as mini-session work crew, and listened to two talks, and was a huge encouragement. Chris and Lisa Kaiser, who Jeff interned with in Bellingham at Cornwall Church of God during college in '96-'98 are here with all 3 sons (SS, WC and camper.) Royall City's Brea Diaz led this week. Then our friends' kids! Meghann Zenonian. Casey and Melanie Price's son. Jay Rinne's daughter. Gig Harbor friends' kids. Tanya's former teen mom YoungLives 'kid', Braelyn's, daughter Taylee. Jim and Michelle Robertson's kid. Ryan Prothero the longtime YL-er in Ellensburg and Kelso. Joel Boyer's step-son. Former Marysville YL 'kid' Priscillia's daughter from Mill Creek. And on and on. We feel both BLESSED...and OLD!

3 boys from Yakima are serving on work crew in the dining hall with Dietrich- Diego, Diego and Alán, each of whom their YL leader Gerardo Mendoza brought with him. All week, kids went wild cheering for them, especially Alán. They began to chant his name every time every time he carried food to tables, and during the work crew presentation (in the video link above.) As that week of campers left, TJ, our work crew coordinator, asked Alán and the Diegos how they will feel, if these new campers do not cheer for them and chant their name. They shrugged their shoulders, recognizing that it was just a special experience to be praised this way by others. TJ leaned in and invited them to now learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit cheering their name, "Alan! Alan! Diego! Diego!" as His beloved sons, every day as they serve. "Listen for the voice of God this week!" Wow. 

What a great reminder for each of us in our everyday grind, to listen to the voice of God to us as His beloved sons and daughters! (insert your name here x3!!!) "You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Join us in praying for week 2. Kids from Everett/Mill Creek, North Idaho, Boise, Tri-Valley in Cali, West Sound, Belllingham, Kirkland/Redmond, Snoqualmie, Puyallup and more.