I could use some backup

Hy guys I don't usual post super personal stuff and even now I'm pretty hesitant to post but I need as much prayer as possible. Ummm some of you may remember me talking about my dad and his faith issues and stuff. Well a big part of his views on Jesus and Christianity as a whole is becasue of the way his parents have misrepresented Jesus to him. So as you can maybe surmise his parents are difficult people to live with. Unfortunatly they both recently broke their hips. My family has been trying to move them from victoria and they are being completely stubborn. Umm i need payer that God will break them actually shatter them and that they will sign some medical forms and sgree to come to victoria. They are supposed to fly down today but they have been arguing with my dad all morning. It looks like possibly my grandma might come but if my grandpa doesn't I'm pretty sure like everyone would be happy to let him rot alone till his end sounds harsh but that is the kind of person he is. Also pray that God would use this experience o heal some of the hurt my dad has in his life towards God. Thanks alot guys sorry to unload but right now only God doing something amazing will change this situation -HAWS

Life.....

So life pretty much sucks right now, could you all please pray for me, it will be appreciated!

This ones for Jim...

Ok, so here's the scoop. I cried again. But this time was different and it might make you all feel a little bit bac, but whatever. So lets take things from the begining...

I was born in the Stony Plain hospital at the age of 9 months, er summin like that, sorry but my memories are a lil bit blurry. But anywhoo, the hospital was located within a 7 min drive from my folks' 1972 Trailer on an acreage just west of stony (which is 15 west of Edmonton btw). But lets fast forward a lil bit now and say that I am still residing in the exact same trailer, renovated a few times of course. Who in thier right mind wants to be born in the exact same place and live thier thier entire life? I mean really, when i was in Grd 12, just like every other teen, i was gonna leave home someday. To speed up a bit more my dream came true when I was accepted into the Briercrest Program called 'Kaleo'. I had absolutly NO sadness or fear on the friday morning that Brandon drove up my driveway to carpool with me all the way to Qwanoes. I've been waiting for this day my entire life. All throughout Kaleo, I did miss my mom's cooking and my dad's stories, but I never once cried. Kaleo was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I finally got to move away from home and on top of that make some lifelong friends. When I went home for Christmas, the only thing i had on my mind was coming back to Qwanoes in 2 short weeks. Time went by incredibly slow but i finally got back. Second semester was even better. I became closer with everyone in Kaleo and really knew what it felt like to have community as believers. Jim you always told that that was the most important part of what Kaleo was about.

You specifically mentioned that yeh, it would hurt alot to leave Kaleo and for some of us that would mean more than hurt. Well I got home to mom's cooking and daddies stories yet nothing phased me. I was depressed. My spiritual life was fading because all that made me who was in Kaleo was taken away. As you read in my blogs over the summer things were finally getting better. But what was really happening was that I became so busy in life that Kaleo was lesson my mind. I started to make new friendships, work with the most amazing youth group in all of the universe and even started to become excited when I'd tlk about Kaleo. This entire time I was really only excited becuase in a few short months I'd be away from home again, on my way to Briercrest, and there was gonna be some kaleo peeps there!!!

Well heres why I write this...I cried tonight, lots, like a baby who craves its mothers attention and will cry throughout eternity until it gets some form of earthly motherly love. Anywhoo it only hit me tonight that Stony Plain IS my home, and Always will be* For years I wanted to just get away, Kaleo was my way out, and boy did it ever work fine. I remember Jim, when you always mentioned that Kaleo's ending was only a new begining. What we were to take from Kaleo, if anything, was the community aspect. To cope with loss by forming our own little Kaleo's. And it was only until tonight that I realized Ive built that Kaleo back in Stony PLain through my youth group, old friends and even my old parents...lol (just had to throw that one in)

So I sit here @, now 2:03 AM, writing from my desk in my room @ BBC, admitting to you all that, like Kirk, I sit here at this moment and dont even miss you guys!!! HAHAHA! I have a new Kaleo that I tended to all summer in blind aknowledgment of Jims words. Yeah I still pray for you guys, yeah I still love you to death and yeah I will still do my best to keep you pdated in my life, but I can say with a clear conscious mind that I will be wed, retired and dead in Stony Plain, Alberta. Thank you Jim, may all of you find encouragment through these words, and never lose sight of what Kaleo did for you, and is STILL doing for you!!!

I Love you all and (dont) miss (but really do...in a way) you all.

Be Blessed and keep walking in FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-14***

I miss my mommy!

Your brother and prayer warrior in Christ...

Jason :D

GO LIONS GO

hey kaleo!!!
i got an email today form jim and realized that i suck at keeping up with this whole blog thing.... dont get me wrong... i have it as my home page and love to read about all you... i just suck at posting myself... so....
here i am at briercrest. Life is good here for the most part... i am living with matt and brady which has been a blast! i have become known as Jonah in the room and they are the dirty ninavites..... because i am studious and they are slackers....
The outdoor program here has been awsome!! we have done a number fo trips already and i am loving all the time away from the praries.... and it is true... northern sask. is actualy pretty in its own sort of way...
The pic here is from the Lions, Roughriders game yesterday.... we went with a bunch of guys from our dorm... and we got on national TV..... we are soooooooooo cool now... anyways i just wanted to say hi to you all....
take luck....

So I finally got a webcam...

Kinda randum i know, but hey, thats who I am.

Cam with me next time your online*

My gift to room 311*

So, ALLY, TARA, BRYSON and KAILEY...listen up, i literally peed my pantz when i found this and whats worse is that it totally remined me of you guys and your gongshow.

Now to be fair to everyone else, if you like completely stupid videos that make you laff till your stummy feels like pain, then watch this...and if you laffed @ least the first time you saw the fat dude dancing to Nooma Nooma, then you'll all love this. Just try and not click on this link, hold back the temptation, cuz honestly if your a serious dude or chic, you may become dumber for watching this...but it is my gift to you...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8767496133362013459

pff-HAHAHA

ENJOY!!!!!!

Say Hello to the newest Joe's place DJ*

Well howdy doodly everyone! So basically, if you dont know what Joes is, check my blogsite @ (http://www.tinkyzsite.blogspot.com) but anywhoo, yeh, Ive finished my training and have already lit up the night @ Joes! Ive taken requests, chose my own tracks, mixed them into eachother and even had training with the stage lights and dicso ball and all that funky stuff! Its so much fun and gives an incredible way to interact with these kids. Last night we had 2 windows smashed in, and I ran into a few drunks who rubbed me up a bit, but it was all good. The night went awesome (as always) and God is doing amazing things through all the staff there! Well its back to the books now (I hope) so I better jet out of here.

Jason D, signing out....

Luv yall*

We are so engaged it's not even funny....

Well well, here we are.... the first Kaleo couple to be getting married.... I'm so pumped.... so for all of you wondering how did it happen... blah blah.... here are all the romantic details and some pictures too!






Well first off, Justin took me to a little restaurant that overlooks wascana lake in regina, it's a cute little place. The table we got was all covered in rose petals and had a vase full of gerba daisies (my favourite). When the waitress lifted up our plates when we were done our meal, there on the table were tickets to a play at the globe theatre (which I love!). So we went and saw the play which was cute. Then afterwards we went back to Justin's place.... when we walked in the door, there were candles everywhere, 200 to be exact, and rose petals everywhere, it was so amazingly overwhelming. Then when we got downstairs he did his whole speech and got down on one knee and it was perfect. You know I'm not a romantic ... but Justin is turning me into one. So ya it was perfect.... the ring is beautiful... my fingers are fat.... so I am not showing people the ring in real life until it fits on my finger.... so it's getting resized.... but here are some lovely pictures for you all. We are not sure when the wedding is yet but.... Jim are you still ordained? Have a good one guys. Love you all
Charissa.... (and Justin too)

From Toronto to Ulan Batar (and back some day)

I thought it was finally time I post something here. I've been avoiding writing anything because I think a blog can be kinda impersonal. But I give up. So here's what's been going on with me lately...

I'm in Mongolia right now. I've been here since August 22nd. It's been a really good experience. I'm learning a lot about working overseas. The language barrier sometimes makes it difficult to help. Breaking down barriers between the average Mongolian and foreigner is also hard. Sometimes I feel like serving here is almost impossible. Keep praying I will be effective here.

In January I will be starting school back home in Toronto. I'm either going to Humber college or Ryerson University. I think Sarah from Kaleo 2 goes to Ryerson but I'm not sure. I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm actually looking forward to starting school. The sooner I start the sooner I'll be done lol!

I wouldn't say that I really miss Kaleo... sorry to those that may offend. But I would say that I have struggled making new friends and wanting to further develop my current friendships. Coming out of Kaleo everything in terms of friendships seem like so much time and energy. I also complain that my church in Toronto is "fake" but I don't really do anything about it. When I go there I put on a show and yet judge others who I think are doing the samething. I haven't felt like opening up to people. I don't know how to make a community exist. I do know that I have to press on with stuff here in Mongolia and into school in January.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me. Please keep doing so. I hope to be able to visit some of you guys as time and money allow.

Make good choices

Take luck

Good care

(only 4 parties a week, ally)

--Kirk

hey,

Well I lived. I almost feel like I should be wearing a shirt that says "I survied summer 2006". It was a crayze summer and I don't think that I have ever been so drained in my life. So any how I went home for like 11 days and had a nice relaxing time. I went and saw a few friends, went fishing, taught our youth's sunday school, and went drifting down the river. Well I think that drifting down the river was one of my biggest gon show ever, or at least a period of time that probly lasted about five min. So we get to this one part and the short story was that we got swept up against a log and the boat went under the log and my dad and little sis and I did not. My dad and little sis were holding on to the log and I grabed on to the boat. I told my dad to take care of My little sis and I would take care of the boat and at that time the boat pulled me over the log and down river. When I finally got the boat to shore I looked up and my dad and little sis are still there on the log. So I ended up running over a log jam for about 30 meters and running on logs that were only about 8 inches round and not falling. So any how I got there and ended up telling them to let go so that I could catch them as they drift by. So that was my big gon. So any how, by the way did I tell you that I am back in crofton? Well I stated my first day of full time work at Qwanoes and I thought that I would just give you an up date.

P.S If you want me to phone you just email me and I'll give you a ring.

Hepting 3000 (not jr.)

What the heck, why is it so flat????

Hello this is Amanda and Kailey
we are board and not doing work buhahah...... we spent all night having fun instead of doing homwork .. kailey and me .. we make a great team... basically our reading time goes like this... read a paragraph .. and get distracted by telling a story.. read a paragraph get distracted by small animals or bits of fluff on the floor or ahem boys!!!! it's freshmen mating season here at briercrest and kailey and i hide in our rooms from boys!!!.... accept for the few we hang out with...they are fun...so we want to tell you we like phone calls all the time every day... 5 times a day.. AND we now live together so it's easier for you to phone us ... at this number
1-306-756-2430....We also like letters and love packages with food .. no meat kailey hates it ... so our box numbers are (Amanda Box 890) (Kailey Box 888) caronport sask soh oho yay mail... we will check every day .... we love you all dearly .. this is a picture of Kailey and Amanda standing around saying what the heck where are the trees and mountains ..... yes so that's all for now .... we love you all dearly with all our hearts
untill next time

The Reverand's FA

So basically a couple of days ago Jon and I popped into Cal's office to say hi and talk to him about something and after talking for a bit he asked me if I wanted to be his faculty assistant, I just laughed about it and said that I wasn't to organized. Then the next couple of days it was nagging at me so I went back and talked to him about it and decided that I would do it. So I get to mark some stuff for him, hang out in his office and make some power point stuff for his classes. It's a pretty sweet job and will give me a little extra spending money. Then right after we finished making it official I jokingly said that I should come out to Kaleo with him, and he said that his wife wasn't going this year and that Profs had done it before, so he's going to look into it. Basically it would be awesome to go out and team teach with Cal for the week. So I'm really excited to be working with Cal it's and amazing opportunity, it's kinda weird marking stuff that i just did last year though but it's good.
That's all for now
Later
Parker

Hepting 3000 Jr.

Hello again,

So I got my care package with everything I forgot from camp, including my wallet (enter Halleluiah chorus here), so my fitting in here is finally complete (I think). I still don't know if I've made Highest Call yet (think Elevate), and I don't know whether I should join soccer yet or not (3 night committment per week). Homework's goin swell, and the classes are too (of course).

My job is also going really well. I'm getting lots of paid hours in the kitchen! Yesterday I made dinner. That's right, I (almost single-handedly) made dinner for 250 people yesterday. While I'm not quite as good as Hepting 3000, I impressed even myself. No, no one's food poisoned... yet. So yea, hopefully I'll make enough money to pay for next semester!

What else is going on around here... oh yeah, I discovered this school is very Calvinistic. It makes for some very interesting class time for sure. Umm... I have a phone card now, so just email me your phone number or something and I'll call you, since Messenger is not my primary form of communication obviously. Hope you guys are having as interesting a year as I am!

Jason

Rocking the T-dot

Well here is my update. My life has now begun... First off I sold my beater of a pick-up (yes Jim someone bought it... I'm surprised). I've also purchased a new vehicle. Now I know some of you are like great... He got another heap of junk, but if fact I did not. Some may choose to laugh others look down upon yet, the fact still reaming it's my ride and it was a deal I couldn't turn down. So feast you eyes on [Drun Roll] a Ford Explorer Sport [/Drum Roll].

From The Top

The majority of my summer was spent at the pool, either swimming or lifeguarding. It was great and far from boring. I suppose that right after Kaleo, lifeguarding did seem a bit dull, but that didn't last long. There was some action this summer, but I do not wish for it any more. I was used to the training and fake incidents, but it's different when I am dealing with a real person in a real incident.


I was able to get two weeks off work to camp with my family on the Island and counsel at camp for a week where I was able to connect with a lot of Kaleo people. I have also been able to go on some sweet hikes with the family. Just recently we went up to Manning Park and hiked First Brother mountain. It had an amazing view at the top. The view did not just consist of mountains, but also black smoke and, at one point, fire balls from the forest fire in Washington that crossed the border soon after we were there.

Well, if you are ever around Chilliwack come stop by.

Happy Anniversary to me! (and the rest of you too)

Hey guys, well here it is, 365 days since we walked into the Pacific Woods Lodge and met that lil man who knows more than we may ever know and greeted us with assurance that we'd have a good year. And did we not have a great year? Man im so excited for Kaleo 4, you have no idea!!! But hey, worship night tonight gotta header, Love you all and miss everyone of you*

Till meet again...

your brother in Christ :)

Life in Vanderhoof

Well Well, im home from camp and now i'm working untill i leave in october(37 days and counting).So yea im working for a construction company its a little vulgar. I have never heard the f-bomb dropped so much in my life. its seriously like every second word. But im learning lots from these guys and its pretty good pay. The good thing is in between shifts(10 days of solid work) i get four days off which i am on right now and i managed to get out the a lake yesterday to go fishing which was sweet heres a picture of my friend erik witht he fish we caught in about an hourDuring the summer i was at Ness lake bible camp and what an amazing summer i had i was sick for about two weeks of it which kinda sucked but yea so bout half way through the summer the director asked me if i wanted to switch from being a cabin leader to being a work crew boss which was an amazing oportunity that God had provied for me. i had so much fun doing it. For my break during the summer a group of people from Ness lake (including kailey) went down to tofino and went surfing so much fun. the road trip truned out to be 37 hours of driving for 6 hours of surfing. Note to self never go on a road trip with two couples yikes me and kailey third wheels thats right. this picture is by that river on the way to tofino.


So yea im doing well, see you guys later

The Other Other Other White Meat...uhhhh Bible College

Hey everyone!
Well camp is done and school has started. The last week of camp was excellent. Couldn't think of a better way to end my time at Qwanoes. I got home Sunday night and classes started Wednesday. For those of you that don't know I am back at Columbia Bible to finish up my BA. This semester will be interesting as it is sort of a "catchup" semester after doing Kaleo so my courses are all over the map. So far though, I'm really enjoying everything. It will take a bit of getting used to after doing Kaleo though. I also have a nice enjoyable hour commute to school everyday which is a big change. With being a commuter it is very easy to just go to class and leave again. I've been praying that I can find a group of people to form community with. Anyways, I have to run but just wanted to let you all know where I'm at! If you are ever in the Vancouver area call me!!! And remember, the big yellow one's the sun!!!!!

A comment

I'm glad things are going good for you Jason, and i know Katie!! she's really nice......have you met Lisa Gagel? She's the most wonderful girl....anyways, things are good here, Amanda Lindsay is here and my room mate!!!!!!!!!!! looking around, i think i may have died if she wasn't here....but anyways, yes, things are good, our early mod was good, ill tell you guys more about it later but it was basically 9 days in the bush canoeing with no showers.....it was wonderful. and ness was good, when i left i had been living with dave clark for something like 15 months...and now i miss you dave...but anyways, its lunchtime, so i will talk to you all hopefully soon. love you all
kailey thompson

The Other Other Bible College...

Yup, I'm not at Kaleo like Mr. Incredible, Hepting 3000, or that other Parker, and I'm sure not at Briercrest with half of you guys... although that picture really looks like it was taken from around here... I'm at Peace River Bible Institute, in the north north north region of Alberta.

So how's it going, you might ask? Well, upon my arrival, I realized I had forgotten some bits and pieces. For example: my wallet, my cheque from Qwanoes, my computer mouse, my computer speaker cables, my binders, my papers... and the list goes on.

Not only that, but I arrived right after 3/3 important meetings. Haha, I felt so out of place even just eating supper!

So I'm penniless, without a clue... yet somehow still making it through (and I'm rhyming!).

My Kaleo credits transferred pretty well here, just a couple bumps but nothing too drastic. I'm just taking anywhere from 1st year to 4th year courses (example: 1st year, English Composition and Analysis. 4th year, Ethics)

I'm also meeting a lot of 'mutual friends'. Quite a few people here are also from Ness Lake Bible Camp, such as Jamie Giesbrecht (I asked about Jordan, no relation we think), Katie (short and really red hair), and a couple others. Lots of mutual friends... so that's a good thing.

Here's one of the biggest differences from Kaleo: there are three computers here with internet... for 300 college students. No, there's no internet connection in our rooms... there are 3 computers in the dining hall, and that's it. If you email me and don't get a response for a week, you'll know why! (But please do email me regardless, I always love them!)

I can definitely feel God watching out for me here still, so blessed be his name! Pray that I may be able to have a huge impact on the other students here, that I may bring Kaleo here somehow (it feels like it DEFINITELY needs help or something). So... yea... wow, God just answered a small prayer RIGHT NOW! I may be a part of a worship team, yay!! (Someone just came up to me and asked if I could sing for his team, yay!)

Yea, just pray for all of that. And one other thing... as nice and thoughtful as it is, don't comment! For some reason, I can't read any comments, arrgg. So please just post or something (share a little about yourself, and then give your "hello" to me or whatever). THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Jason - fearful of fall and winter this year :S

Back to school

So basically that is what all of us at Briercrest get to live with for the next little while. It's not as bad in Caronport because the trees and stuff can fool you into thinking that it's nice here and if you stand in front of superstore and dont look behind you it almost feels like you're in Duncan. We've been having some goods times out here Jon, Brady and I are all in the same room along with another guy, Jon Neuafeld from Winkler, and then Derkson is in the same doom as us but on the floor below us. Don had us all over for a camp fire and smores last night it was good, Kailey and Amanda got lost and ended up walking around the whole town but they made it eventually. Ya so basically we're having some fun before the learning begins. We've also realized how good we had it at Kaleo, everything was done for us there but here you have to arrange everything yourself. Well i'm getting kinda hungry so i'm going to go eat soon. If you're in caronport and want to know where the party's at come visit us.
Later
Parker
PS Pray that God will give Kirk guidence, Mongloia is a little tough right now

I'm finally home....

So, my Qwanoes adventure has finally come to an end almost 15 months later... crazy. The good news is it ended with a bang. On the last day of camp I got pink eye and then I got this 24 hour flu thing the next day and on my way back from the doctor I started puking out of the side of the car watching the puss from my eyes dripping into my own vomit.... it was pretty intense... but anyway, I ended up back at the doctor because my eyes got worse because apparently I burst some blood vessels while I was puking or something and.... yeah, the pics pretty much explain it. So anyway, I'm back at home now, so you guys can phone me if you get bored or whatever... miss you all!


-Charis.

It's snowing!!!!

yeah!! i love snow!!! i had been praying that it would snow before i left mongolia and i woke up this morning to see everything turning white! haha... i love weather in mongolia! the leaves haven't even changed colour yet and there is already snow! well anyways... i have only about 2 weeks left here before i head back to canada. the summer has been really good! i am sooo glad that i have been able to come! oh and for all of those who came and met holly she had her baby on monday. her name is HeatherGrace Mandakh White(it is a mongolian name for sunrise but i don't know how to spell it) and she was 7lbs 7oz. well i haven't been doing too much the last while. we went camping right after kirk got here...poor kirk got really sick though. we were camping next to a river so we went tubing lots and the one time we went there were all these mongolians next to the river and as we were going by a guy came out and grabbed my tube and wouldn't let me go for quite a while. ahh... it was funny and creepy. i love random things in mongolia like... at a gas station they will tell you they are out of gas and come back in like 10 mins, or huge billboards all around the city that have wrong english. actually there are tons of things that just make you laugh cuz it is so different sometimes but i love it! also I did start language classes which has been good and challenging! it is nice that at least back in canada i will have my brother to practice it with. my plans for fall are to go back to prince george and find a job. i am really excited about it! it has been amazing to see how God is opening doors for me to go back there! i will be living with 2 of my friends in an apartment and actually we are going to be in the same apartment buildings as my brother and his friends! anyways i should get going i hope you are all doing well... ttyl!

Happy B-Day J-Dawg!

Just a little advice...

Don't go chasing waterfalls

Please stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to

Quick update*

So yeh, Toronto was amazing, so much fun catchin up with my friends and just hangin out. But anywhoo I'm back now and made it home safely and have 2 days to pack for a year @ Briercrest...LOL. But life is great, I just picked up a few books for myself for this coming school year. I dont know how many of you are familiar with the author Donald Millar, but he was the man who wrote the awesome book 'Blue Like Jazz' well he has 2 other books and I picked one up called "Searching for God knows what?" and its lookin pretty awesome. Its something about like how the deepest longings of our hearts are put there for a reason. Another book that I think will help me out with some papers throughout the year is "The complete IDIOT'S Guide to The Gnostic Gospels" I'm rather excited to delev into the pages of this book. And last but not least, the one that I just had to read first, 'Love Beyond Reason' by the very same guy who wrote our spiritual formation book "The Life You've always Wanted" John Ortberg. This book is so amazing and I'm only like 30 pages into it! Ortberg tries to explain a Love that has no explanation. With some recent events in my life I shed a few tears as read through these pages, and even found myself highlighting my way through it, which (even after Spiritual Form) I've NEVER done with any book. Must just be the author??? Anywhoo, yeh life is great and all, I found out Amanda finally deciced to come to BBC this year so Im siked to see her. I still dont really wanna leave my youth though, but I know God has His way and thats def. the best way!

You can check out further updates in my life on my newest website...

http://www.tinkyzsite.blogspot.com

I will def. keep you all informed as to what is goin on in my life and I will continue to pray for everyone of you who has thier own special place in my heart*

Consider yourselves offically invited into the world of Derkson!

Your brother in Christ.