Spiritual Formation

Hello Again Everyone! I’m thrilled to get to tell you all about what is happening this week in the Kaléo Program.

We started our week with some guests from Trinity Western University coming for the weekend. It was a lot of fun to get to hang out with and serve our peers for the weekend. The students were able to sit in on a couple of leadership talks and spend some time with them as they did activities. This also allowed the students their first taste of camp life as they worked at the challenge course, waterfront and various other areas through camp.

We were extremely grateful to our students to demonstrate the same servant hearts they have been demonstrating at the local churches in the area. We’re very excited to see how they will grow through these ministry opportunities.

Monday provided us another opportunity to experience growth as our first class, Spiritual Formation, began. After a week of cramming memory verses, the students were finally able to get their first taste of academic life in the Kaléo program. Revd. Dr. Cal McFarlane joined us from Briercrest to teach the class.

Spiritual Formation is an amazing way to start the school year because of it’s focus on our personal spiritual growth and studying the disciplines that take us there. It’s an incredible class that takes us on a journey throughout the course of a week. We are excited to hear the students’ stories after they partake in this class and encourage you to ask questions of the students as well!

One highlight of the week came when Cal brought out a potter’s wheel and taught the class an important object lesson based out of Isaiah 64 – “We are the clay, you are the potter.” Cal highlighted a number of lessons in this analogy pertaining to our spiritual formation. Lessons on how to become good clay and becoming shapeable were just a few highlights. Overall, the students really seemed to have a good time and learn a lot from this demonstration. It was one that will, no doubt, not be forgotten at the end of the year!

Special thanks goes to Levi for these amazing pictures, we are so blessed to have such talented photographers in our program this year!

Today the class sets out on another journey (of sorts) as they are spending the evening in solitude and fasting. Right now we are sure that God is doing some incredible communicating with the students as they seek Him through these disciplines. Tomorrow we will come back together at 8 am for a time of communion, worship and fellowship to finish this time. We can’t wait to hear what has been learned!

We are only 5 days away from our SALTS adventure where we sail around the South of Vancouver Island, I’m excited to get to bring you the report from that next week!

Once again, thanks so much for reading this! Please continue to be in prayer for our students as we can really see the Lord taking them on an incredible journey already this year!

Derek    

Mt. Albert Edward

Hi Everyone! My name is Derek and I am a Qwanoes intern this year with the focus in the Kaléo Program! I'm excited to get to keep you all in the loop on all the exciting things that are going to be happening this year in the Kaléo program!

 

We are one and a half weeks into the program already and excited to update you all on what has been happening so far! God has brought together an amazing group of people and although it's only been a week and a half, it's been incredible to see how He has been bringing us together already. 

 On Monday we all had the opportunity to go to Mt. Albert Edward and face the most monumental physical challenge of our year. We gathered into our vans and drove North to Strathcona park where we set out to our campsites for the evening. After camp setup, we were able to look to the mountains and ponder Psalm 121 as we considered where our help came from. 

Devo Time Around Kwai lake

With four groups spread over four campsites at two different locations we were able to get to know each other in a much closer way. 

 The next morning we awoke early and met together to set out on our most grueling hike of the trip. Mt. Albert Edward looked daunting but we set out for the challenge with a very practical understanding of "Needing God". The hike that day was almost 12 km in total and appeared to be almost straight up at certain points. Ascending upwards we were even able to cross snow-covered terrain.

Next Stop! Mt Albert Edward!

With the group's effort (and ample rest times) we were all able to make it to the summit, where we looked out over God's creation and took lots of pictures. 

There was something about reaching the top that showed us God's immensity and helped get ourselves ready to take on everything that gets thrown at us this year. 

The Group Singing Together on the Summit

We all arrived safely back at camp that evening, amazed at how good canned chicken could taste and ready for bed. 

 Our final morning we set off toward the vans for another 8-9 km hike. While we were all much sorer from the previous day's journey, the last day was a lot of fun. We were all treated with visits from our favorite thieves - the Whiskeyjacks. 

We're not sure if we like these birds taking our food or not!

We all met back together at the vans where we drove our three hours back to Qwanoes dreaming of pleasant aromas and warm showers. It was an amazing trip and we were all so blessed with safety and good weather the entire time. 

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us, we are grateful for your prayers and want to ask you to continue through the year. 

 This weekend is going to be a great one as we are able to serve both the Trinity Western students visiting Camp Qwanoes and our home churches.

 Next week we prepare for our first class as Cal McFarlane is coming from Briercrest to teach us Spiritual Formations. It's going to be an exciting week as students are going to learn foundational lessons about varied spiritual disciplines. One of the assignments the students are working on is that of intense Scripture memorization. It's been an amazing blessing to see Students hiding God's Word into their hearts this week in preparation for this class. 

 Stay tuned for our weekly updates! 

 Derek 

And it begins!

    After months of interviews and preparations all of our student have safely arrived! It has been a whirlwind week of introductions and orientations.  Wednesday was arrival day and students were busy meeting each other and getting settled into their rooms.  Thursday was a full day of staff introductions as we had a chapel together, played games in the field, and then had a beach party together down at the dock. Friday was a day with more introductions and then a chapel where the local pastors came to join us. Over the weekend all the students have completed the challenge course workshop and are now ready for the myriads of retreaters who will make their way to Qwanoes over the coming months.

   We are only 5 days into the Kaléo program but we are already full into the swing of things here at camp. The foyer is filled with backpacks ready to roll out at 7am tomorrow morning. We are heading north to Mt Albert Edwards on our backpacking trip. Hiking will not be the only thing on the student's minds tomorrow though as they will be actively memorizing scripture preparing for their first class, Spiritual Formations, which is only a week away. 

It's been a great start to the year and we have an amazing group of students. We look forward to what God is preparing to do in and through each one.