by John Carpenter | Feb 18, 2022 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, we are definitely in the midst of “winter-in-the-woods” here at Del-Haven! It is beautiful – and quiet! God’s glorious creation magnificently manifests itself in all of its different seasons…and that includes winter. The sense of solitude with its silence invites meditation upon the greatness of our absolutely sovereign creator God. Praise His Holy Name!
1Cor.:15:58 encourages us by saying: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord – forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain – in the Lord.” With that in mind, dear fellow prayer warriors, please do not become complacent in remembering to pray for all our camper/children – along with all of our staff and their helpers. Do not ever forget that God’s Word teaches us that pure gospel preaching is made effectual through our constant saturation of it with all our prayers! We pray for our staff and campers before we even see the boys and girls that our Lord sends to camp for us to present to them the wonderful news of the gospel of God’s grace. And, we continue to pray for them after they leave us and return to their different home and school environments. This is what they really need! In fact, this is what we really need as well.
Please do not forget to pray that we may be able to once again be allowed — without restrictions, to return to holding regular camp weeks once again! Our sovereign God can do anything! Things seem to be loosening up a bit. We hope to be able to venture back into a regular camp program. We pray that we will successfully be able to do so. Your faithful prayerful support is much appreciated. We love you – and we pray for you all as well. We thank our Lord for all He does for us through you!
Also, for all of you that have faithfully donated to Del-Haven in 2021 – annual receipts have been mailed out. If any of you have not received a receipt for what you have given – or, if you have — and there is an error of some kind – please do not hesitate to bring it to our attention so we can get the matter corrected. You can call us at (816) 425-0460.
by John Carpenter | Jan 21, 2022 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, the camp buildings have all been winterized and put to rest as usual this time of year. All is peaceful – except for the sounds an occasional chain saw and maybe a splitting mall. The work around here never ever really stops – it just changes forms. Nevertheless, our seeking the Lord on behalf of the ministry is perpetual. God’s Word tells us from Lk.18:1: “And He (Jesus) spake a parable unto them – to this end – that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” How true this is!
Hence, please do not forget to pray for all our children. Lift them up before our Sovereign Savior and pray for their spiritual and physical welfare and preservation. Satan has been after the children from the beginning of his wicked work in the Garden of Eden! Our Savior has been exalted to be the Head of all principality and power and might and dominion [see: Eph.1:19-21]. And, the devil – has never been – and, even now, is no match for He who Sovereignly rules over him! Praise His Name, our prayers are used by our God – not to change His will – but to accomplish it. This is why we are continually coming to know that it takes a great Savior like this to save any of us! That’s also why we ask, as always, that when you pray for the boys and girls – please do not forget to pray for Del-Haven’s immediate future for 2022 – that we be led of the Lord to be able to have regular camp sessions once again. And, also, include in your prayers — the provision and spiritual stability of our staff and their many helpers.
Also, dear ones, we ask that you pray for Ken Edens. Ken served on the board of Del-Haven for years until he had a stroke which hampered his ability to attend meetings. He has recently suffered another stroke and is once again in the hospital. He seems to be recovering well. Pastor Larry Tennant of Pleasant Grove Bible Church has had to have a quintuple bypass. The Lord has brought him through this event in a marvelous way. We ask that you pray for his complete recovery.
Once again, thank you, dear faithful friends, for your continual encouragement and support – especially during these difficult times. It is wonderful to know that you are there. We love you all and we do pray for you as well – that you all will have a richly blessed New Year.
by John Carpenter | Dec 20, 2021 | Camp News
My dear friends and family in Christ, the end of 2021 being right upon us – let us not forget to continue to earnestly pray for the children who have been in the hearing of Del-Haven’s gospel preaching camp program. Please pray that our sovereign Lord will be pleased to allow us to be able to hold regular camp sessions once again. Pray for the boys and girls and also for our staff leaders and helpers. Nothing is too hard for our Lord. He can lead us victoriously through this whole ordeal!
From what we have experienced during this difficult time is indeed amazing! Our new thrust of ministering the gospel to family groups has been very rewarding as well. We may be able to incorporate a few sessions of that in addition to having regular camps. Pray with us – for the Lord’s leading in this regard. We love the opportunity of being able to proclaim the gospel to the whole family as well.
Again, we want to express our sincere thankfulness unto the Lord God for the way that you have maintained your much needed prayers and gifts during these last two years. By God’s great grace you have been so marvelous in hanging in there with us! We just Praise the Lord for all of you!
You are continually in our prayers. We love you – and wish all of you a wonderful and meaningful Christmas Season.
by John Carpenter | Nov 8, 2021 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, we are once again approaching another Holiday Season – and once again we ask that you all please remember to pray for the children that have been through the Del-Haven Ministry during this time of year. For many of the boys and girls are from broken homes – this time of year serves only to remind them of what they don’t have…a loving, stable and safe relationship with their families. This is precisely what the pure truth of the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ announces unto them! A Relationship – an eternal Relationship – with the Heavenly Father – and the Holy Spirit of God – through an ever present Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ – their Kinsman Redeemer! Del-Haven is not a Camp Ministry that seeks to just be a platform to promote Religion. No! We long to be used of the Lord to introduce children (and their families) to a lifelong reliable Relationship and walk with the Lord of lords and King of kings – Jesus, the Christ of Almighty God.
Please keep praying for us – that we will be able in 2022 to have regular weekly camps like before without all the divisive restrictions. This is what we are designed to do. This is the Lord’s ministry – He has been – and still is – totally in charge. Never doubt that fact!
And, when you pray for the kids, please do not forget to pray also for those that the Lord will send to us to fill positions on our Staff! They need to be sent by the Savior to do what needs to be done throughout all our camper days. God is absolutely sovereign and in control – and He uses the prayers of His children to accomplish His Will and Good Pleasure! [See Phil.2:13]
We will continue to try to keep you informed of our needs as they unfold before us – just so you can pray with understanding for us. For the time being we feel we have done what’s necessary to maintain a safe environment for our buildings by trimming tree limbs and even removing some trees that were a real threat should they be blown over during a storm. The unexpected expenses to do that came to $4250. Please pray that this expense can be met. For just about 70 years, now, the only fund raising method that has ever really worked – is – We pray and God provides! Praise His Name! We are ever so thankful for all of you!
“Therefore if any man be in Christ – he is a New creature!
Old things are passed away; Behold – all things are become New!
And, all things are of God,
who hath Reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given unto us the ministry of Reconciliation.”
[2Cor.5:17-18]
by John Carpenter | Oct 25, 2021 | Camp News
As we come unto the final months of another year in the ministry of Camp Del-Haven – we find ourselves praying earnestly that the Lord will grant that we be able to – once again — have regular camp sessions in 2022. Make no mistake about it, our God is in sovereign control over all our circumstances – whether we judge them to be good, or to be bad. All our “times” – have been, and are, in His hand for to do all His will and good pleasure. From Ps.31:15 David is inspired by the Holy Spirit to say: “My times are in thy hand – deliver me from the hand of mine enemies – and from them that persecute me.” Therefore, it is totally appropriate for us to prayerfully seek from God, our Savior, His deliverance from our adverse circumstances. Prayer is the activity of His yielded and still children as they exercise their patient waiting for Him to hear and to answer their desperate supplications! From Ps.50:15 God tells us: “Call upon me in the day of trouble – I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me!
This is also why each and every month we need you — more than anything else – to continue to pray for all the campers that our sovereign Lord and Leader has sent to us to faithfully declare and deliver to them the pure truth of God’s everlasting gospel of His great grace. Like all of us – they need His daily protection, preservation and strength in order to make it safely through this fallen and sinful world. And, of course, please do not forget to pray for all of the young people that are our staff helpers. Don’t forget – all of us are in essence volunteers. This means that none of us are paid salaries. This means we are constantly facing turn overs where our staff is concerned. This is only normal. It is the Lord who also continues to supply this all important need (Phil.4:19)! Please do not forget to pray with us — in regards to this ongoing matter.
We give earnest thanks to our ever faithful God for your continual financial support whereby we are able to maintain the monthly expenses of the camp property and utilities. We recently had to hire some tree service professionals to deal with some additional real threats of having more damage occur on some more of our buildings. This situation we spotted after our attention was aroused due to what happened to the roof of our Cabin Two! We had to have 12 more trees cut down and four trees expertly trimmed in order to remove the real threat of damage to our Dining Hall, Restroom Facility, Shelter House and Jeff and Leslie’s Home. This put us back by $4250! This did not include the removal of the tree trunks and all the piles of brush. So, we are faced with the awesome job of cleaning up the mess. So, please pray that we safely see this task through to its completion. Thank you all! We love and pray for you.
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“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God
by the death of His Son – much more –
being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life!” [Ro.5:11]
by John Carpenter | Sep 26, 2021 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, we are now experiencing some real nice weather. And, that means we here at Del-Haven can – more comfortably – get things done around the whole campground. As we embark on the season of Fall – we anticipate the wonders and colors that will come with it. Already our trees are showing signs of becoming brilliant by the way they will reflect only what God can do with the splendor of the Autumn leaves!
My dear praying friends, our thoughts and prayers do continually go out to the children that have gone through our camp schedule that is literally filled up with the proclamation of the Word of the Truth of the Gospel. For two years now – we have not been able to have a regular camp session. Please do not forget to pray concerning this matter. Pray for the children – and pray for our Country – and for that matter, our whole world! Pray that our sovereign God would be pleased to lift off of us this plague – as well as all of the lies that have been spun as the result of it.
Also, once again, please do not forget to pray for all of our helpers that have been so loyal to us in the way that they were looking forward to coming back every summer to serve the Lord in helping in our ministry. This has been beneficial in their Christian Walk as well as the boys and girls under their charge. Our hearts continually go out to these dear ones.
We want you to know how much we are so thankful to our Lord for all of you who have shown your continual support – both in prayers and gifts – throughout the stifling effects of the last two years due to the plague. Oh Lord! Please set us free from this untoward time! Do this for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.
