Camp Koinonia

28 February 2016

Coordinating Team: Mexico

Jim Ministry glimpses, Missions, Prayer and Praise, ST Highlight 1

As the leader of my team of Camino Global missionaries, I’m also a member of the Coordinating Team for Camino Global in the Mexico field.

Now the Coordinating Team (CT) actually doesn’t coordinate all that much – most decision-making is done at the team level. And most of that tends to be done by consensus (on our team, anyway). You thought I was actually important there for a second, didn’t you? 😉

Camino Global Mexico Seriously, though, the CT does have some important roles. Facilitating communication between the various teams of missionaries, for example. Making sure field-wide events happen, talking about field-wide strategies. And representing Camino Global in communication with certain organizations in Mexico – in our case that includes Camp Koinonia and the Puebla Bible Seminary, as well as the churches that are related to our mission.

There are a lot of seismic shifts taking place among these groups here in Mexico, which makes our job much more interesting – and challenging.

Today I’m on my way to the city of Puebla, where the CT (made up of of missionaries from various parts of the country) will be meeting tomorrow to discuss a variety of things – many of them very important, things that could impact the ministry here in Mexico for many years to come. We would very much appreciate your prayers as we meet!

28 February 2012

Brief Camp Video

Jim Family, Video Blogs 0

I had my computer automatically generate a brief video based on video I took at the spiritual emphasis camp that Nathanael and I went to last week – which means the computer chooses the clips and the length of them. Crude, but quick! So here are a few glimpses of the camp for you…

27 February 2012

Camp – MKs and Bloggers

Jim Family, Other missionary blogs 4

Late Saturday afternoon we returned from camp (and were greeted by a hailstorm in Ixtapaluca – go figure! Just a mild one, though…). A good time was had by all.

Topp Talk – Chuck and Karla Topp did a great job in the younger kids’ chapels

Nathanael had a great time, and I’m sure he’ll be talking about it for weeks. Even though he did fall out of the top bunk onto the cement. And there was that freak swing accident – ***kerTHUMP*** right on his face. So now when people greet him, they say,"Hi Nathana… what happened to you?!"

But it was fun. We learnt verses, songs, stories… had great food (I kept asking them when were were going to get the "yucky camp food", but they never served it), played great games (thanks to Tina)… I even got to lead an activity, and help with crafts, and help with the younger boys cabin.

Nathanael was introduced to kick-ball

One thing I noticed about this camp was that there were a lot of bloggers (and former or delinquent bloggers – but we won’t talk about them!) there. So let me see if I can remember them all, and not get nasty comments from the people I forget.

Helping in the kitchen among other things was The Ice Cream Grandma. The camp director is the man known by Knowing Your ABCDs.

Since it’s a family blog, I’ll mention The Smith Connection – the kids were at camp, and their parents showed up on the last day.

And we had someone in avoidance of the perfunctory who was also a great counsellor and game-leader. And we enjoyed getting to know the person who posts about This and That. The Aguirres helped with the youth chapel.

And, of course, yours truly.

So now we’re home recovering… Nathanael had a slight fever last night, but seems to be feeling better. And – did I hear a rumour that we’re supposed to check for lice?

I love camp.

The young boys cabin. Jonathan Baker and I are young boys at heart.

22 February 2012

Nathanael and I are going to Camp.

Jim Family 0

Today (Lord willing) Nathanael and I will be making the long and arduous journey of about 200km (124mi) to Campamento Koinonia (Camp Koinonia). We’ll be at the camp with a few other missionaries and MKs (well, most of the MKs are missionaries too – but you know what I mean) from CAM (and perhaps the occasional other mission – I think some are coming from Pioneers).

The purpose of the camp – well, apparently it’s somewhat in a state of evolution (and in the State of Querétaro), but it’s mainly for MKs who are homeschooled – and some of their parents – to get together and worship and play and all stuff like that there.

All right, so we’re not 100% clear about what it’s all about. But we know most of the people who are going and organizing it, and they’re cool, so how can we go wrong?

Tina Barham (the mid-missionary who is running the community centre Centro Cultural Tiempo de Vivir in Jesús María) will be going with us. She’s going to add her rather considerable camp experience to the venture, and lead some games and stuff.

They tell us it’s going to be cold at night – I believe these are unheated cabins – so we’ll see if we can find something warm enough to wrap ourselves in when we need it! (Then again, if we were camping somewhere like around Buffalo Narrows, SK, it would be about 18C colder. Except that the buildings would be heated!)

Shari and Hannah are having their own girls’ camp back home. They have some neat things planned, so they should have a fun time too.

So – here we go!

20 January 2011

Camp in Mexico (prayer request)

Jim Prayer and Praise 0

Just a quick item of prayer for you all. Our mission is related to a camp north of Mexico City, known as the Camp and Conference Center, Koinonia. Until recently, a couple of CAM missionaries have been in leadership there, but they have stepped down for health reasons.

So, the camp will be looking for a director – if possible, a Mexican who has a vision for the ministry, good people skills, and a knowledge and love of God’s Word. Working at this camp means you need quite a variety of skills, actually – as many of you camp workers out there know! 🙂

Many of you have been involved in camp ministry and know its value. I think in some ways it’s an even more rare and valuable thing here in Mexico than it is in Canada and the USA.

Besides a good Mexican director, maybe there are some of you outside of Mexico who have a vision for camp ministry that would be interested in coming short or long term to be involved here. Talk to us – we’d be happy to introduce you to the right people!

Thanks for your prayers! Learn more about the camp here.