Training Camp Day 8

250 friends and family joined us for our annual Open House.  We loved sharing our life here with so many people we love.  Tom Ives and Louie Inks welcomed us and shared their passion for life change and missions.  Then, we wandered all over visiting the various skill groups.  We started with Drama where they performed a drama that tells the story of salvation, then off to puppets, soccer, basketball, music and finally China creates specialty groups that are able to be used in closed countries.

The heat was intense but, I have to say the joy was even greater than the heat!  Training Camp is really hard to capture and we love sharing our life here with families.  It really helps people understand the process of training.

I have to say dinner was the highlight for most of the students!  WOW!

Everyone spoiled us.  Parents rolled in with treats, yummy food and some of the best cookies we've ever tasted.  THANKS everyone for sharing your culinary talents with the teams!  We ended our night with worship together.  I loved seeing Dad's with their arms around their daughters beaming with pride and little brothers and sisters snuggled into their siblings laps.  I loved how everyone was one big family....and there was plenty of treats and love splashed around for the kids whose families weren't able to be there in person!!  (We know you were ALL there in spirit!!!)  Team leaders gathered their "families" together and spent time praying for the summer and the students before everyone departed.

Last good-byes and quick hugs ended our special day.  As we transitioned back to our evening, we noticed the clouds gathering in the north.  Time to storm proof!  You would all be impressed with how fantastic these students are at preparing their tents for storms.  They know how to keep their gear dry, prepare their tent and get ready for rain!  (Which Is helpful if your team is travelling to a wet climate this summer!)  We train these students for everything from the practical to the heart.

Our evening ended with the highlight of our week, missions team commissioning.  Each team prays for their hearts, the country they will be serving in and for people's lives to be reached for Christ this summer.  We worship, pray and seek God throughout this time.  At the end of our commissioning the d-group leaders serve communion to their d-groups and pray for each of them individually.  Jeff Bell, the Sierre Leone leader, said, "This year was special.  I really felt God at work and the spirit moving."    It was a sacred moment that ended a busy week of heart preparation.

The Nehemiah missions team will be leaving early Sunday morning for their flight overseas.  Pray for safe travel and strength for them as they arrive in their host country.

If you would like to order a picture of any of the Royal Servants Teams, we have them available at:  www.shutterfly.com/pro/reignministries/royalservants  Look for the album labeled:  2009 Royal Servants and order your team.  8x10 team pictures are only $10.00.  It's a fun way to pray for the team while seeing their faces!

Over the next few days, we will be tearing down everything at Training Camp and packing it away for another year.  We will return this piece of land to a simple hayfield in the middle of rural Illinois.  But, we will never be the same, we are changed by God walking among us and working in our hearts.

I will transition these updates from daily updates to Missions Team updates.  I will be receiving news, prayer requests and information from the teams overseas and will send them to you!   I will send out just a quick update when a team lands safely and more detailed updates as we begin ministry around the world.

Thanks for praying.