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 | Nov 6, 2018 | Camp News, Ministry News, Miscellaneous
Praises and Prayer Requests
Well, dear friends, our God continues to faithfully bear testimony unto us that He hears and answers our prayers. Some of the men from First Baptist Church of Oak Grove — whom the Lord sent to us to do the bulk of the excellent work on the renovation of our Restroom facilities and our Kitchen – came out and did some more work to dress up what they had started. So, God’s faithfulness is demonstrated through their doing what they said they were going to do! This is true integrity! Praise His Name! And, He displays this through His people. Marvelous! We love the way our Lord God does that! Thank you, Lord, for these dear friends and family in Christ. Please remember to pray for – and thank our Lord for – these faithful servants of His.
We are slated to get new skirting around the trailer home that Sheri DeShepper presently lives in. It has needed this work done on it for many years. Please pray for this much needed task to get accomplished without any problems. Thank you.
And, dear ones, since this is primarily a prayer reminder newsletter – once again, please remember to lift up before our covenant God — the young people who help us (and who will help us) on our staff. This is when we need to be seeking the Lord’s provision for 2019. We always need to fill some empty slots in our male and female helpers. We do love and appreciate all of you who so willingly and faithfully support this ministry in and with your continual prayers. We also are continually praying (and thanking God) for you.
In addition, of course, when you are praying for us – please do not forget to pray for all the boys and girls whom the Lord has sent (and will send) to us to minister the gospel of God’s grace. They desperately need our unceasing prayer support! As the Spirit of God so moves – please help us in this way. This is what it’s all about! We love you and thank you again.
by John Carpenter | Aug 27, 2018 | Camp News, Ministry News
Praises and Prayer Requests
Well, dear friends and family in Christ, we have completed yet another very blessed summer camp season here at Del-Haven. Our last older girls camp was a remarkable testimony of our Lord’s presence. Around the last campfire, several of the girls stated that their favorite time at camp was learning about the Lord at the Bible study time. Each year we give all the campers brand new Bibles. In fact, it’s safe to say that the two most mentioned favorite things are the food and the Bible studies…or, the physical meals and the spiritual meals. They all declared that they wanted to come back! Please continue to faithfully lift all the children up in your prayers.
Please remember to seek the Lord with us concerning additional male help to be added on our staff for next year. It would be great to have five mature — dedicated to serve the Lord — young men on our staff for next summer. We need them for four camp sessions that would run from Monday through Thursday. Two for our camps for age 6 to 8 year old boys, and two for our camps for age 9 to 12 year old boys. Please pray with us concerning this matter. If you know of any young men – let’s say 14 years old, or older – that might like to do this – we would love to talk to them! Please give us a call: 816-690-8465, or 277-7071.
On Saturday, the 18th – we had a wonderful “thank-you-celebration” for the men and women of First Baptist Church of Oak Grove – plus others — whom the Lord chose to help us with the renovation of our kitchen and restrooms, et. al. We had a blessed time of fellowship over hot dogs, hamburgers and ribs along with Theresa’s famous baked beans (well, they’re famous as far as I’m concerned) and her wonderful potato salad. It is a taste of heaven to sit around a feast table with, and among, the family of God! Thank you, Lord, for granting to us such good times!
by John Carpenter | Oct 17, 2017 | Ministry News
Well, dear ones, we want to thank you all for all your prayers that this 65th year of Camp Del-Haven would have a blessed Open House Celebration – because we did. The Lord heard and answered all our prayers in this regard. The food was good – the fellowship was good – the testimonies of God’s presence were good! We that were there can heartily declare, “He doeth all things well.” Praise His Name!
Now – we begin the wonderful process of two renovation projects that we have needed for quite sometime. They are the renovation projects of the kitchen and the shower house/restrooms building. Here, as well, our Lord has heard and answered our supplications concerning these things. Please continue to pray for the safety and guidance of the men and women who will have a part in completing these tasks. It truly is wonderful to see the hand of the Lord leading this ministry the way we do! Thank you for your continual prayers.
When you remember us in your prayers – please remember to pray for the campers, their parents (or care providers) and their grandparents. This last Open House get together showed us how our Lord God has used Del-Haven in a generational way to touch and change lives. “This is the Lord’s doing – it is marvelous in our eyes!” [Ps.118:23]
by John Carpenter | Sep 26, 2017 | Ministry News
Well, dear friends and family in Christ, while September has brought some very nice days here at Del-Haven – we all need to continue to be in earnest prayer for all our friends, family and all the poor victims of the horrendous weather that has hit Texas and Florida! Ps.50:15 sounds out a very encouraging message: “Call upon me in the day of trouble – I will deliver thee – and thou shalt glorify me.” Oh Lord, please bring speedy relief and recovery to all who are in dire straits from the destruction and catastrophic loss due to the recent storms. Bring thy will and good pleasure to pass for their eternal good – and thy eternal glory. We pray this in the Name of Jesus – Amen.
Please, dear ones, continue to pray for Del-Haven and all the youngsters that the Lord delivered over to the hearing of the gospel of His glory and grace this past camp season. Also, please do not forget to be praying for those that presently serve (and those that will serve) on our staff. I cannot stress enough the spiritual battle that rages around them (and all of us) in our present culture. None of us – by ourselves – are a match for the evil one – or, this evil world – or, even our own fallen flesh. We need to be in constant prayer for each other. And, more than anything – we need the almighty strength and preservation of our all governing Savior and Lord! He is our strong and mighty tower!
Just a need reminder: Please continue to pray that the Lord will supply another Brush-Hog mower – to replace the one that came to its final end this past season. The Lord commands us to cast all our care on Him – for He cares for us. Thank you all for being there. We love you.
