The Meeuwsen's Ministry: Fall already?

It really doesn't seem like that long ago that I was writing to update you on the kick off of Aaron's busy season. This summer he hosted 4 groups ranging from 8 people to 25 people. There was 2 from Michigan, 1 from Pennsylvania, and 1 from the Washington DC area. It was a crazy busy 6 weeks with only a few days off between a couple of the groups, but it was a great time to show these groups our lives, in a beautiful state (I love seeing it's beauty through their eyes for the first time), and have a chance to work with them pushing them closer in their relationship with God.

Here is a normal week for Aaron when he had a team in:
Day 1 (Saturday) - Pick up group from Airport and try to manage to get them to a store to buy snacks and forgotten supplies
Day 2 (Sunday) - Church, lunch at lodge, then a hike on the Matanuska Glacier
Day 3-7

Wake up at 7:30 for individual quiet time (many complained of the early hour, but really enjoyed the time since they had never been pushed to do this)
Breakfast at 8:30
9:15 - meet to be assigned work projects for the morning
12:30 - lunch
1:15 - continue work project or get a new one
5:30 - dinner
6:30 - evening activities (different every night... Lion's head hike, Cliff jumping hike, River buggy trip, dinner and dessert at our house, horse rides, waterfront, chapel... you get the picture, nights were easily busy, fun and full!)
9:00 or whenever evening activities were done - Aaron would do a wrap up discussion on servant leadership. Challenging his campers in their relationship with God and pushing them to making their Christian walk a lifestyle that has fruit even at their young age.

Day 8 (Saturday) - Brunch was served at the lodge on Saturdays and Aaron often spent the morning packing for the next days trips. His groups would finish up some work projects around camp and if they wanted to attempt a long hike Aaron would give them packed lunches and directions up Victory Peak. No one made it all the way up this summer, but we had a few attempts!
Day 9-11 - The groups would pack up and head out for their destination of choice. We had 2 groups choose to go white water rafting in Denali National Park, and 1 group do a day cruise out of Seward. At the end of their trip Aaron would take them to the airport and take a few days of Rest and Recovery before the next group arrived.

Of course their were a few exceptions to this schedule, but this was the general schedule... Some groups got to go flight seeing during one of their work days, and one group opted out of the weekend trip, so Aaron put 2 of the groups back to back with only an 8 hour break in between... but it gives you an idea of our summer in ministry at camp.

The girls and I would tag along as much as possible. We usually ate lunch at the lodge and it didn't take much of not seeing my husband to want to eat dinner there too. I would lead the Lion's head hike most of the time so Aaron could spend time with the girls and relax watching "Frozen" and we went on a couple weekend trips, river buggy rides, and waterfront nights. I never got to hang around during teaching time due to my little distractions, but I love my little girls and know that this is a stage that will be gone way to soon, so one day I will again get to do teaching times with my husband.

Aaron's program this summer went rather smoothly. We appreciate your prayers for him as I know he had a huge impact on some of the lives that came through his program. He was healthy all summer and able to find a bit of a balance between family time, work, and being an introvert. After each group he was tired, but with a task well done. We are hoping to recruit help for his program in the years to come, so that he has 1 or 2 more people working with him, so continue to be able to build deeper relationships with the kids and leaders that come, and to help give him a little more family time in the evenings.

Camp as a whole this summer has been going through a lot of changes. Through one thing or another many of the families that we have served with and grown to love have been called out of serving alongside us in Victory Ministries to other ministries. Although we are excited to see where God is taking them and how He is at work in their lives, they have left a few holes here in our staff. Be in prayer that as God has been working on the hearts of our people to go, that He is faithful and has a plan and has been working on the lives of others to come. We are currently in great need for an auto mechanic, a camp director (currently Brian Headdings our Executive Director of Victory Ministries is filling in), Guest service help, and Kitchen help. A couple arrived this week to help in Guest service and program and we do have some other people on the horizon to come that are currently raising support, so pray for them that God's will be done in their progress and they would be able to join us soon fully supported and ready to do God's work here in Alaska.

Lastly... Here are some pictures of our summer adventures!