by John Carpenter | Mar 13, 2023 | Camp News
As we once again must March toward the front of the battlefield for the Lord – it is only appropriate that we spend much time before Him in prayer – seeking and pursuing His leading and His provision and His protection from the Enemy and all of his evil plans and devices. We must endeavor – by His grace — to “be strong in the Lord and the power of His Might” [Eph.6:10]. We do earnestly covet your prayers with us and for us in this our resolve.
Please continue to pray for all the children that our Elohim has willed and ordained to be at camp this year. Pray that He prepares their hearts to receive and believe the gospel of the glory only of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, pray for our staff members that will be on the front line with the children – that they be given by the Spirit of our God the words from His Word that will in turn quicken the hearts and souls of the children. Pray for these right now to be shielded from all the machinations of the devil and all of his seed that do tirelessly work to prevent them from hearing and seeing the truth. Call on He who is the Head of all principality and power – to hold them back from effectually working their evil plans to disrupt and destroy.
And, in your praying for us – please do not forget to pray that our Lord blesses our April & May tradition of having work days – especially on the weekends. This means that there will be nine Saturdays beginning with April 1 and then extending throughout the month of May. Perhaps you or your church group could plan on helping us out on one or more of those days – to prepare the campgrounds. We would greatly appreciate any and all that come out to help. Just give Sheri or myself a call or text and let us know your plans: 816-425-0460 or 816-277-7071.
Summer 2023 Schedule
Staff Training: June 5-7
Session 1: 6 to 9 Boys and Girls: June 12-15
Session 2: 9 to 12 Girls: June 19-22
Session 3: 9 to 12 Boys: June 26-29
Session 4: 9 to 12 Girls: July 10-13
Session 5: 6 to 9 Boys and Girls: July 17-20
Session 6: 9 to 12 Boys: July 31-Aug. 3
by John Carpenter | Feb 20, 2023 | Camp News
Well, winter is officially here – in all it’s consequential splendor – heavy coats, gloves, scarves – and these with shoes that won’t be so apt to slip out from under us. Then there’s – at least where living at Del-Haven is concerned – cutting down trees for cutting up and splitting up and stacking up and then feeding into the wood stove. It’s all a part of the routine out here, but God is good to through it all and in it all to manifest His presence and His leading through even times like these. We just keep prayerfully pressing onward for His great glory and honor without ceasing.
Even though this time of the year, as far as the camp program activities – we are idle – we are nonetheless even more diligent in our praying and seeking guidance from our Lord for His faithful leadership. This is when we concentrate on supplicating Him for both the campers and the staff that we will be needing once again in June, July and August of this new year. Please be in continual prayer with us in this regard! Jesus said from Lk.11:9: “And I say unto you, ASK, and it shall be given you; SEEK, and ye shall find; KNOCK, and it shall be opened unto you.” This is the prayerful activity that we are constantly being led to do for this ministry in order for it to be effectual – by the Holy Spirit of our Lord Jesus. And, this activity definitely includes all of you!
Dear ones, the prayerful support of God’s family members has been – and while we are still in this world, it will always be – exactly what God has ordained to truly sustain His ministry here at Camp Del-Haven. Jesus said from Jn.15:16-17: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain – that whatsoever ye shall ASK of the Father in my Name – He may give it you! (17) These things I command you – that ye love one another.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that whatever Christ our Savior – who is our Lord and God – lovingly and personally commands of us – He has chosen to bring to pass in and through us! [see: Phil.1:6 and 2:13] So, if God has opened your hearts of love – by His grace – unto what you hear (or, read – or, see) concerning what has been and is being reported to you about – God’s ministry — through Camp Del-Haven – that has also prompted from you – your prayerful support of this, His work in this world – then do we give our praise and thanks to Him for all of you. And, we pray that He continues to bless you (as only He can do) even as He continues to sustain us – all for His glory and honor! Praise His Name! Make no mistake about it – there is eternal fruit being harvested in the lives and souls of both the children whom He sends through our camp program — and the lives and souls of those that He grooms for the ministerial service that transpires in order to fulfill His will.
This is how the apostle Paul viewed his personal support – delivered by God’s grace from the church at Phillipi. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring out from the end of his epistle to them from Phil.4:16-20 these words: “For even in Thessalonica ye sent – once and again – unto my necessity. (17) Not because I desire a gift – but I desire fruit that may abound to your account! (18) But I have all, and abound! I am full – having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you – and odor of a sweet smell – a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing unto God. (19) But, my God shall supply ALL YOUR NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (20) Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” This, beloved, is how we feel about you all and the prayerful/support that you faithfully give unto us. We love you and thank God for you.
by John Carpenter | Jan 7, 2023 | Camp News, Ministry News
Winter is upon us! Bitter cold wind chills necessitates the layering about us much warm clothing! Nevertheless, the snow makes the campground truly beautiful. This time of year also reveals the trees that we see we need to cut down and then cut and split up for the wood stove. The usual routine tasks of our ongoing maintenance program here at Camp Del-Haven. It’s something that we have gotten used to over the last 7 decades.
We want to be sure to thank the Lord for all of your prayers and support that has been faithfully sustaining us through this present stringent inflationary economy. We pray for all of you in these times as well – that God will continually bless and keep you.
The New Year also holds for us another prayer filled hope of witnessing our Lord’s unceasing and loving work of the ministry — that only He can do — in the lives of campers and staff alike. Please continue to be faithful to pray with us – especially – in regards to this reality. It has become more obvious than ever that the Enemy has been targeting our children to lead astray – ensare – and ultimately devour! After all they are the most vulnerable of all. Please pray for them that they be rescued from being swallowed up with the sham of this world – and with their own lusts of the flesh! Your prayers in this regard are absolutely vital in our sovereign God’s accomplishment of saving them from the enemies of their souls. We need as well to be in prayer for each other in this way!
We must also remember to pray for our great country. Our sovereign – and in complete control – Lord is exposing more and more the deep seated corruption that has been brewing and active all around us! This new year needs to be stimulated with an even stronger resolve to constantly seek from our Savior a closer relationship with Him! After all – this, indeed, is how we grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ! This is what we should strive to do each new day of this New Year. This is exactly what 2Pe.3:18 exhorts us to do! Remember, Peter writes this right after vs.17 from where he is led of the Holy Spirit for us to be warned – by saying: “…beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the Wicked – fall from your own steadfastness.” May God be pleased to deliver us all from this!
2022 Contribution Notices will be mailed out before January 31st. Please contact us if you if you have any questions.
by John Carpenter | Nov 24, 2022 | Camp News, Ministry News
We have come, once again, unto a most Blessed Time of the year: Thanksgiving! And, we from here at Del-Haven want to wish you all a wonderful and a Happy Thanksgiving.
This is a time of year, remember, that for many of our children that come from unusually adverse circumstances that they are not able to enjoy the more typical loving family environment that most of us are looking forward to. Therefore, please be in earnest prayer for all the boys and girls and many of our staff that are included among this particular group. Our Loving Lord God is, indeed, the “God of Peace” and the “God of all Comfort” – and He, alone, can communicate to His own exactly that no matter the adversities that they will have to face! Let us pray for all the children and young people that will face that experience – especially at this time of the year. Thank you in advance for doing so. We love you for being there with us at these times.
Also, please remember us in particular during this excessive inflationary time. The expenses that we are all facing are abnormally high. This is putting an extra strain upon us as a result. Please pray with us in regards to this reality. Your continued prayerful support is much appreciated!
by John Carpenter | Sep 23, 2022 | Camp News
The beautiful Autumn time of year is once again blessing our surroundings here at Camp Del-Haven. It is, indeed, nice to be greeted with some familiar realities – in this ever changing and constantly challenging world. God’s incessantly praying people are – (by Him) made to be able to stand strong and firm in the face of whatever this world may throw at them. Let us continue to seek our Lord for anything and everything that we need. He is our Rock! He is our Strength! He is our Surety! He is our Provider!
With that in mind please continue to pray for our Staff and campers that must face and contend with the wiles of the Enemy. The high inflation of our present economy definitely makes things more difficult to deal with, but nothing ever takes our Great God by surprise. That is why we follow Him – and Him alone! Our God shall supply all our needs – “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” [Phil.4:19]
Our prayers have been made – and answered — in reference to Sheri who had to undergo some surgery for a cyst that adversely affected her ankle. We praise the Lord that she seems to be recovering and healing quite well. Please pray for her complete and perfect recovery.
Thank you for your faithful and prayerful support of this ministry. We have received many kind comments expressing how happy to see that we were able to have regular camp sessions this year. We give all the glory to our wonderful Savior – for everything!
by John Carpenter | Jul 27, 2022 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, our being led of the Lord to return to a full schedule of camps is proving to be a great thing indeed! We have had some wonderful moments once again. Wonderful – because we have witnessed the very presence and moving of the Spirit of God. Please continue to pray for our staff and, of course, our campers. This is an ever ongoing need for us in this ministry. While this sinful world continues – the Spiritual Warfare does also continue to rage all around us. But Praise the Lord we walk through all the trials and temptations – in His all glorious and all victorious and all overcoming Grace!
We have had a couple of unexpected and expensive obstacles that we needed to immediately address. Our commercial window unit air conditioner in our kitchen wore out. And, in the heat wave we have been experiencing – we had to search for another one in spite of the fact that this was the worst time of the year to be shopping for an air conditioner! Nevertheless, because of your wonderful prayerful support of Del-Haven we found one and were able to buy it. It put us back a little over $650. Next – wouldn’t you know it – our gate opener (and closer) wore out! Not now, O Lord! We are now experiencing record inflation! But, our God is bigger than our troubled world. Once again, through His perfect provision through you all – we were able to replace it with a new one. That was an expense of right at $470. Because we have you prayerfully supporting us – these sort of things work out just the way Ro.8:28 describes: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God – to them who are the called according to His purpose.” He continues to demonstrate His faithfulness through you all. We love Him – and we love and pray for all of you as well.
