I'd better get my Granddaughter signed up for camp!

Yes, she's old enough! Late last night I realized that I'm just like most of you- we're planning on sending our almost-first-grade granddaughter, Nevaeh, to Primary Camp, but we haven't signed her up yet. What's with that?! It's time to print out the registration form (or maybe register online) and get her registered! I'll do it today- if you promise to, also! Some of these camps fill up faster than others and I would truly hate for her camp to be full
without her.

(Hint: High School Adventure Camp is rapidly filling up.)

Do you believe in the value of Christian camping? I'm not sure there's any other single event that is more chock-full of potential to change lives than a few days at a Christian camp. If you'd like to help a child experience this, either sign up your own or help another child pay for camp (or send a gift toward our campership fund). I can't wait to get to Heaven to see the results!

Jonah Family Reunion

We know we've been writing a lot about our Jonah Family Reunion lately, but it's only because we're so excited about it! It's given us an excuse to get out all of our old photos, try on our old t-shirts, and catch up with new and old friends of Jonah Ministries. Only one thing is missing... your RSVP!

Whatever your involvement has been with Jonah Ministries, whether as a staff member, a camper, a volunteer, an employee, or a donor, you've been an essential part of this journey and we want to celebrate with you. So make your plans and then email us ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) by June 1 to let us know you'll be here! (If you can't RSVP, please do come anyway... we'd just like to get an approximate number for the Jonah BBQ dinner.)

Yes, the recession is affecting Jonah, too.

More this year than last, we're seeing small, but significant changes in our retreat numbers and greater requests for camperships. Some groups are really scrambling to make their minimum number commitment. In the past couple of weeks, two annual retreats were canceled solely due to the loss of financial backing by major donors. One of these groups has been coming to Camp Jonah since 1998 and has experienced twenty-one retreats! This is heart-breaking to us- loss of both ministry and revenue.

Then there's the donor who upped her monthly giving to $300 per month with the comment that "I know others have been greatly affected by the recession, so your giving must be down. But I can do more, so I'll be sending more each month."

God is still our Camp Director and this is definitely His camp!

Available Dates

Have you scheduled next year's retreat yet? It might seem early, but our weekends fill up fast!

Here are the dates we have available for this coming year:
2010
August 9-17
September 17-19
September 27-30
October 29-31
December 3-5
December 10-12
December 17-19

2011
February 4-6
March 4-6
March 11-13
A handful of Spring Break weekdays
April 29-May 1
May 13-15
May 20-23

Giving Back to Our Community

It was pretty fun and satisfying this week to give back to our community by doing two days' worth of our high Challenge Course for them at no cost. Saturday morning started with some dads and their kids going through the course together. Then the afternoon brought about 20 people of all ages,
including some 4th & 5th grade boys visiting their grandparents in Trout Lake to celebrate a birthday! And on Monday, we were able to give back to some of the rafting guides (and their friends) who have donated their time to guide some of our campers through the wild, White Salmon River
rapids during our Adventure Camps! We are so often on the receiving end of things, which made it even more special to give back in this way.

We are blessed with a great community that gives us great support!

Progress on the Dining Hall Project

Wait till you see it! We finally have the Dining Hall done through the paint stage! It's gorgeous! We're itching (it feels literal) to finish this project, which we can do when the funds come in. Right now we're at a standstill financially- except for the cabinetry that is being donated (a value of approx. $7,000!). If you'd like to see this project finished, and you have some extra change in your pockets, please send your gifts designated to the Dining Hall Project.

Thank you!

The Miracle Freezer, Fridge and Generator

A few years ago our health inspector asked us to upgrade all of our home-style refrigerators and freezers to commercial- preferably by adding a walk-in cooler and freezer. Well, the walk-in hasn't happened yet, but just this past week we were able to pick up a nice, large commercial refrigerator and freezer from a nearby restaurant going out of business. This was definitely not in the budget, but a $3500 value for $500 was irresistible. If you'd like to
help, we need $450 to cover this necessary expense. Our cooks are sure happy! This will help us to feed our happy campers so much more efficiently!

Summer staff are arriving!

Sherri "Daisy" is here. Sammi "Flutterby" arrived just last night and Ellie "Ish" will be here in a week. These three will be leading our summer staff this year, for which we are excited and grateful. Kevin "Shamgar" is also here putting the finishing touches on the planning for our adventure camps, and our other camp directors are completing camper packets and final details. On June 12th the rest of the staffies will arrive and camp will officially begin. We're very busy year-round, but these eight weeks of summer put the meaning into the word BUSY! Please be praying for these staffies that make the summer so successful each year!

We love you guys!

A Thought from Beki

God keeps putting Matthew 6:33 in front of me lately: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness..." I know that if I truly seek Him first, the whole list of things that occupy my mind every waking moment will become less important. I've heard this verse and sung this song all my life, but I want to live it- not just hear it- at this time in my life. Would you commit to prayer the need for our Jonah staff to seek God first?

Thanks so much for being faithful prayer partners!

Praises:
1. We're excited about the steady camper registrations coming in daily!
2. We're grateful that Beki wasn't injured in her recent car accident- and for good insurance!
3. Thanks, Len and Mike, for all the licorice for our staffies!
4. Thanks to Bill for painting the Dining Hall and to Heath for texturing it!
5. Thanks, Julie, for a Pyrex pan, paints, new mailbox, and more!
6. Thanks, Lynette, for the generator that we can trade for our "new" commercial freezer!

Requests:
1. Please pray as Kevin "Shamgar" puts together finishing touches on adventure camp plans.
2. Please pray for Sammi "Flutterby" as she just arrived yesterday and will now be here though this year. Pray for her as she steps into leadership and still balances school, financial needs, desire to be with her family, camp planning, etc.
3. Please pray for health for all of us, especially Jeff's terrible foot pain.
4. Please talk to God about the immediate financial needs this month- we have less retreat income and more camp expenses.
5. Please pray for "E" and "K", two campers who are in bad situations and truly need Jesus. They also represent the needs of so many kids who come
through our doors. Pray for the hearts of the campers who will attend our camps this summer.
6. Pray that we will seek Jesus and His kingdom first- knowing that He will then take care of all the other details that we let overwhelm our minds and hearts.
7. Pray for intimate times with our Savior, and for unity among our staff as we serve together.
8. Please pray for "bulging camps."