SMILE...Jesus loves you!!

Hi Kaleo!! Here are some pics of my friends here at home! These guys are my close group of friends minus one of the guys. On the couch is Peter, Me, Dan and on the floor is Travis and Nicole. The second picture is of me and Dan.
Well, it's been a long time since I have posted. I don't know why I haven't posted, it just hasn't happened yet. So, this is what's going on!! I had an incredible summer at Camp Qwanoes. Yes, the kids were a handful a lot of the time, but I was patient and I made it! I honestly only did it on the strength of the Lord. It was incredible to see God use me to encourage these kids. I loved it and I would go back in a second to see them again. When I came home, I was a little nervous. I was leaving my comfort zone at camp. Home was no longer the safe place that it was before I moved out. But, since being home, I have found a steady 8-5 job that I really enjoy. I am slowly but surely getting involved with my church again. I have been working on building past relationships with friends and bringing them to a place where many of our friendships were at in Kaleo. I long for the community of Kaleo, and I long for my friends here to feel what I felt in our group. We are slowly but surely becoming closer and closer and I love it! I just applied to a university in Toronto for the Human Services - Early Childhood Education program. Well, I am working on applying...I still have a ton of paperwork to go through and a ton of money needs to be sent still. Overall, life is good. But I fear that I am becoming comfortable with where I am at. Please pray for God to continue to stretch me and use me in ways that I can't even begin to imagine. Pray that I continue to strive after Him and pursue Him in everything that I do. The Cost of Discipleship is currently blowing me out of the water...and I love the challenge that it is providing. Also, if you could pray for a sense of direction; that God will show me where He wants me and that He will close the doors that need to be closed and reveal to me the open doors. I believe that is all...
If any of you ever want to talk, just give me a call!! My cell number is 1-519-532-7595...I would love to hear from you guys!!

Trusting Jess...

Update from Poco

Hey Everyone! So I guess it is far past time for an update from me. I realised that I haven't posted since the beginning of June so my summer was pretty good. I was at Qwanoes all summer and it was trying at times but totally worth it. The CIT's and other random staff that came through dishpit were awesome! Sometimes I would be annoyed and frustrated but now that I am looking back at it, it was an awesome summer that God used to shape me even more.
Once I got home I had a two day turnaround and I started going to Douglas College. I am taking 5 classes this semester and so far it has been pretty good and really busy. I have 4 Sports Science classes ( called Human Kinetics or Kinesiology at other schools) and one Math class. I am loving the sport science classes and I am excited that I get to do 3 more years of them! Things with my family are going pretty good! Sometimes things can be a little tense but overall it is good. I sorta have a job. I am working for my Dad whenever he needs me to, but I am also looking for a job that will be more regular. I have applied at a few places but I am still waiting to here back from them.
I got plugged back into my church as soon as the summer ended and I was asked to lead our gr. 5-7 youth group, which consists of anywhere between 4-8 kids depending on the week and what we are doing. They are pretty awesome and I love to hang out with them and teach them about God. 3 of them are going to Juniors retreat at camp next weekend (2 boys and 1 girl) and I'm going with them and I am counselling.
It has been weird being home and not around alot of people all the time. At times I love having lots of time alone but most of the time I find myself wishing that people were around all of the time. I have discovered that I really don't know what to do with so much time on my hands. I think that I need to pick up a hobby.
So I am officially an Aunt. My sister had her baby on Wednesday morning, a week and 1day late. Brielle Louisa Nieboer was born at 6:42am on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. She weighs 9 pounds 7 ounces.


My sister had wanted to have a home birth but after hours of labour, her midwifes made the decision to send her to the hospital because the baby wasn't coming down the birth canal so my sister had to have a C-section. She is doing pretty good and she is at home already but she isn't allowed to do any lifting or anything that strenuous for at least 2- 3 weeks. She is on mild pain medication so she isn't in that much pain. Prayer that she would heal quickly would be much appreciated!
So this is my life thus far. Miss you guys! I praying for all of you! Love you all tons!!

Africa (A Shout out from Frew!!)

Hello, from Africa. I know it's been a while and I knowthis post has been a long time coming, so I am sorry. Before I get on to my time in Africa, I have some news. The spent the night before I left for Africa, in Regina with my parents. I was, praise God, able to use that time to talk to them about my past and my struggles that I shared with you at Kaleo. It was a really good time and they were very comferting and understanding (as knew they would be). My mom has been such an encouragment for me since, she tucked a letter in my suitcase before I left and I found when I unpacked after arriving here (it made me cry). Anyway, I also talked to an amazing pastor friend of mine during the summer, and He has such high hope for complete healing for me, and has committed to pray daily that I would be healed during my time here in Africa. So there is such hope in all of this! Now onto Africa. I arrived about 2 weeks ago, after travelling for 31 hours! I was very exhausted when I arrived. I began working 2 days later, and have really been loving it. I can see now why Dotto lover her job so much. I have worked with little toddlers, and then kids up to about age 3. It has been so good, and I am really enjoying. It can be very exhausting at times, and I spend a majority of the day working, and then usually read for a long time and then just go to bed, and do it all over again. Although I have gone out a couple times, it's not like a prison. Before coming I was very unsure why God had wanted me to come here, although now some things are starting to be revealed. Although this the things happening at home are devestating. I am glad to say that I can see the hope that God has in it. To save me from writing it all again, I am copying part of the text from an email I wrote. But first of all, a bit of clarification. About 2 days after I arrived, I receieved and E-mail from my mom saying, that My dad had been kicked out of his work place, and admitted to her that he was struggling with addiction yet again.

Things at home are really not good right now, and that is making in hard for me to be here, but I am beginning to see why God has me here (I'll write more on that later). So my Dad was fired from his job because of what has been going on, so in reality this could mean the end of his carrer. My mom basically told him after it happened that if he did not seek help on his own this time, and wasn't serious about getting better, that she would no longer be able to stand beside him. The crazy thing is is that this all happened like the day after I got here. Anyway, so my Dad seems like he is serious this time, and he confesed his problem to my church, and has committed himself to a 12 month program starting in Nov (the program is really good). So he will be out of our house living at this place for an entire year!! Also it means that my families main source of income is gone. Thankfully my church has graciously set up my mom to work there full time now instead of part time, so that is good. But the main things is that I am so sad that I can't be there for my younger brothers, I mean it's just so crazy, and it kills me to think what it will do to zach. I mean any trust that he may have had in my father will be like totally severed now. Also it means that he won't be around for Christmas, My brothers Graduation, Me coming home, Summer. It's crazy, but I know that he will be getting help. So what God has been teaching me through all of this is that I am here becuase I need to learn that there is nothing I can do about it, and that's the way God want's it. I feel like if only I was there then I could do something about it, I could help, I could work, and stuff, but being here all I can to is trust that God will care for my family (which he will). So really it's a good lesson, but a hard one. And it's refreshing to know at least one of the reasons that God has brought me here, because before coming I really didn't know why I was coming, but I knew that GOd wanted me here.

Anyway, that is quite a bit of rambling. I hear that there are a COUPLE of Kaleo weddings in the works! Congratulations you guys!
Unfortunetly I can't read the blog, but I would Soooo LOVE to hear from you guys! My email here is andrew@tlc.org.za If you get a chance I woud love to hear what is up!
Also I have a cell phone, the number is. 011-27-0738368563

I hope all is well, and that's all from Africa right now!

OH YOU KNOW WHY

sigh

hey again,
first, Jay, i love you and am praying alongside and for you and your mommy

It looks like March 7th is the day... I want you guys to know, though, that just because we're planning it earlier doesn't mean that I don't long with all of my heart for each of you to be there... I know that it's not realistic to think that everyone will be able to come, I still want each of you to feel apart of things even if you cannot be there in person... so be expecting invitations... I completely understand that it just won't work for many of you, but hey, it probably won't be that fun anyway... haha... I am praying that maybe, just maybe, things will change for y'all and I will get to see as many of your beautiful faces as possible on our day... and if not, we will make a point of seeing you very soon!

And if it happens to cross your minds throughout the coming days... please pray for us, planning a wedding is stressful, and its easy to wrapped up in that and neglect actually talking to eachother about our hearts... please pray for our hearts, that they would be prepared and that we would be seeking Christ above all else...

love, your sister Ell

hey hey all, so Lew and I are thinking about moving the date up to March 7 perhaps? Does that cause any significant problems for anyone? Let me know soooooon my friends.

And, for Downs and anyone else who wants to know, I'm not sure about a date for my baptism yet... Nobody from my church has gotten back to me yet!

love you guys

umm...... soo......heheheh

hey my lovely family! So, um, funny story... Jenny my love I don't want to steal your thunder, but I guess something was in the air last night because October 4, 2008 at about 7pm Lewis and I got engaged as well!!!! YEP, you heard me, we're getting hitched :D
So, here's the story because I'm sure you're all dying to know.... :) Lewis asked me to come over on Saturday because he told me wanted to make me dessert (he's a smart one, knows how to get to my heart I suppose haha). The power ended up going out and he had to finish baking the chocolate pudding cake on the BBQ (kind of besides the point but it was super funny)... We brought the cake down to the beach beside Qwanoes where we had our first kiss and he had organized Sheri and Michelle to help him set things up for us... they set up like a hundred tea light candles (which had blown out by the time we got there, it was pretty windy :)) and had his guitar sitting there as well as a dozen roses... he handed me the scrapbook that he has been adding to since Christmas, complete with beautiful photos of us and the lyrics to the song which he wrote and proceeded to sing to me... had me follow along in the book, and then when he finished the song he got down on one knee beside me and asked me to be his wife!!! On Wednesday, he snuck over to Saltspring to ask for my parents blessing while I was working late and swore them to secrecy (his parents also knew, everyone kept the secret really well though) :D Soooo, hahaha, we're thinking May, maybe at the beginning of the month but possibly more towards the end so that all of our friends (including you guys) who are going to school are more likely to be able to make it :) :) :)

Oh my word... I cannot believe Jennybaby that we got engaged on the same night at the same time in the evening and are planning on having our weddings within a month of each other... soooo crazy!!! hahahah, well I love you guys and I really really hope that I can chat with the majority of you on the phone soon, very soon!!!
Signing off,
The future Mrs. Jones

Long over due!

I'm so sorry Brothers and Sisters, i have not blogged in a long time but i suppose now there is something specific to blog about! I'M ENGAGED! Yep as of October 4th at 7pm(ish) Craig and i are engaged!
Craig came over today at around 1 and he brought his hockey gear with him becuase "i have a game tonight at 11:30 so i'll just go to it from your house". We then left and went to the driving range, then he taught me how to drive standard in the movie theater parking lot, then we went ice skating, then we "picked a movie out to watch later", then we went to dennys for dinner. If i had any inkling at the beggining of this day that he was going to ask me to marry him (which i did) it was gone by this point. Then we headed home to "watch our movie" but.... "um we just passed my street" "uh yeah we are going the scenic route" he says. but you see we never go any scenic route... at this point i becam suspicious! i became excited when we passed our last opportunty to head back towards home. "uh we just have one stop to make and it outside, hope thats ok" he says "yeah thats fine" i say bitting my lip to stop the gigantic smile from forming on my face.

we soon pulled into the parking lot by the river in fort langley where Craig and i have sat on our bench many times! as our bench pulls into view i see that there is a large umbrella over it. as we get closer i see two more umbrellas on the ground covering red and white tea lights placed in a heart shape. and 7 roses in a vase. there is also a basket on the bench with a scrapbook in it. we just sat for a couple minutes (meanwhile his mom is sneeking out from the bushes and escaping to her car, his parents had come and set it up for him, i didn't notice her but craig did)
then he starts, the 7 roses represented seven of the things he loves about me and there were 7 pages in the book with pictures of us and an explination about each one.
Faith, Beauty,Love, Character,Family, The little things, and the future. As he turned each page in the book and explained why he loved me in that way he gave me a rose that represented it. Then when he finished he got up off our bench and down onto one knee and asked me to marry him!!!

Then we phoned his parents becuase they were waiting in the parking lot to take pictures and congratulate us. Then we went to my house to see my parents who knew it was happening sometime ecuase craig had talked to them in mid september and suspected it would be today but didn't know for sure. Then we rushed around seing people and calling people! Briercrest boys i tried to call you about 5 or 6 times but no one picked up!! and so yes!! we will be getting married at the end of april depending on when his oldest brother brad gets home from school in boston.

So yes! that was my exciting evening!! and now i'm sooo tired and going to bed!!! i love you all and hope you are all well!!

Love your sister Jenny

Hey Kaleooooo

Hey my family! Well, my second family. Because my first family is here in Steinbach.
Oh where to start? It's been a while since I've had contact with some of you so I thought I'd give a word on where I'm at.

This summer was pretty awesome, it was absolutely amazing to see how God used of you there in your different ways. In my position of observing (which some would call 'stalking') I loved seeing the ways in which God grew you and changed you over the year manifest itself into how God fulfilled roles at Qwanoes. It was super rad working with Jordan. Aside from having so much fun, I learned a lot from his vast wisdom. It was pretty hard to leave at the end.

This is the first time in my life where there is uncertainty ahead. Up until this year I had always known what I would be doing the next year. This made leaving BC even harder. The hardest, saddest day of my life is when I had to leave on the ferry for the mainland. I sat down in the cafeteria and opened my bible. The FIRST words I read were James 1:2. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." That was cool.

So now back I'm back in Manitoba. Just a few weeks ago Steve and Michelle popped by for a visit. We had an awesome time at my cabin in Northern Ontario jumping off cliffs and eating snakes and having fire on the lake. We headed out to Winkler and chilled with Steveo too. Just this last weekend as seen by the previous post, me and Klassy gum booted'er across da prairies to see what the deal is at Briercrest. Oh man, they have a sweet setup out there. It made me a little jealous.

So my current status is looking for a job until I decide what school I want to go to eventually. I had one seemingly divine lead on a job as an Educational Assistant at the Jr. high school in town. This was perfect for me because I was already involved with my Jr. High youth group. I was pumped, and sure this was where God was leading me. The only trouble was the interview. I was petrified of it. My parents helped me out, giving me questions and getting me prepared. I could not answer a single one. So, I decided, it would be up to the Holy Spirit to help me out at the interview. I got a haircut, actually washed my hair, and put on a spiffy shirt, and headed out. It went amazing. I had no idea where I was getting the words to say anything. Questions that had stumped me half an hour before flowed out of me. I felt completley inept, yet I opened my mouth and was able to give great answers. Leaving the office I was so pumped that a great job was coming my way. I got back from the Crest on Monday and found out that someone else got the position. That was so... relieving to me. I asked God on why, if he was allowing me to excell at this interview, why I did not get the job? Was God mocking me? Taunting me? But I know now it was showing me that there is a different job out there for me and that He'll give it to me and it's going to rock. So, I must send some resumes out now.

So that's where I'm at. Drop me a line, it always makes my day! If you wanna pray for me this is how you can.
Getting a job where I can use my talents and meet people. Not working at McD's or Safeway.
Having so much free time that I would use it to spend with Jesus. Lately I've been slacking on that.
The black void that is my future. That it would become bright and clear. I want to be anticipating Joel again.