Merry Christmas From Camp Qwanoes!

Hello Everyone!  We have had a very busy couple of weeks in the Kaléo Program.  Today is the last day of the season for our students, and as I post this many of them are already on their way home for the Christmas Holidays!  Although most of you will finally be hearing the stories from students in person, I thought I would take some time to share with you what we have been doing.

Staff and Students joined together for a banquet

This time each year at Camp Qwanoes, staff and students come together to enjoy a Christmas meal made by our kitchen staff.  This was a great way to kick off a week of Christmas celebration!  It was also a great chance for staff and students to have a fun meal together before we parted ways for Christmas break.

We held a talent show

Every year the Kaléo Program hosts its annual talent show night for staff and students.  Many students signed up for the show this year and we were able to experience a wide variety of unique talents from staff and students.  This included singing, skits, magic tricks and even a martial arts performance from student Andrew Jansen.  Overall, we were impressed by our students as it was a great way to change gears after a week of class.

Mid-week we put up a Christmas tree!

An annual tradition of the Kaléo program is to cut and decorate a Christmas tree for the lobby of Pacific Woods Lodge here at Qwanoes.  So we piled into the vans and headed to a local Christmas tree farm, were we cut down a tree and brought it home to set up.  Later that afternoon, we took the time to craft homemade decorations for our tree!

We exchanged gifts!

Another tradition at Camp Qwanoes is our mug exchange!  Students are asked to shop for a coffee mug that best expresses themselves.  Students and leaders then partake in a “Yankee Swap” or “White Elephant” style gift exchange.  At the end, whoever’s mug you end up with, you commit to praying for that person every time you drink out of it.  This is one of our favourite events of the Program and we had a blast exchanging gifts this year!

We ended the week with Girls/Guys night!

Saturday night we split up the genders and hit the town!  The girls headed out to Victoria for dinner and ice skating, while the guys headed to Victoria for dinner and a Hockey game!  While there were many other activities done throughout the day, it is fair to say that both groups had a blast enjoying one of the last days together before Christmas holidays.

Please be in Prayer…

Please be in prayer for our students as they travel home for Christmas break.  We were so pleased to have them here at Camp Qwanoes and are excited to see them again in the New Year!

Merry Christmas from myself and all the Staff here at Camp Qwanoes!

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Old Testament Class, Ladysmith Light Up and Caving

Last week students learned about the Old Testament

Last week Don Taylor came in from Briercrest to teach our students about the history and significance of the Old Testament.  Again, this was another exciting class for our students as there were many new things to learn.  

One of the major assignments associated with this class was the Old Testament Video that they had to produce.  This was a collective project that included the entire student body.  Alex MacKay, Dale Thielmann and Clint Kjar were assigned as the producers and directors of the video, while the rest of the students carried out tasks such as props, costume design and acting.  Overall, the video was a great success and we were proud to see the hard work that our students put into this assignment.

As an annual Camp Qwanoes tradition, staff and students gathered into the lounge at the end of the week to watch the video together.  We had a great time admiring the hard work of our students and pleased to see the end result.  Here is a link to the video so that you can enjoy it too!…

This week we attended the annual Ladysmith Light Up!

Every year the town of Ladysmith puts together an event that draws people from all over Vancouver Island.  Each Christmas season the town of Ladysmith, as well as its businesses, decorate main street with countless Christmas lights and decorations.  Santa Clause is then invited to flip the switch, lighting up the entire street with an array of lights!  This is then followed by a Christmas parade and concluded with fireworks!

As staff and students, we all bundled up in our winter clothing and headed into Ladysmith to partake in this festive event.  This was a great way for the students to take a break from their hard work and studies to simply enjoy a fun, festive event in preparation for Christmas!

We also went caving!

To end the week, we headed north to go caving!  Horne Lake Provincial Park is a locally-famous spot for caving and spelunking.  Other than most of our adventures which have consisted of a vast outdoor space, this was a chance to challenge ourselves with the small, dark and confined space of a cave.  For some of us (including myself) this is an experience that can be more mentally challenging than physical.  Regardless, we were happy to see all of our students partaking in this adventure with enthusiasm and excitement!

Please be in prayer

As this year draws to an end and Christmas break is on the horizon, our students still have one more class to go.  Please be in prayer for them as they read and prepare for their class on Monday.  Please also be praying for Qwanoes’ Mens Retreat that is taking place this weekend and that God will continue to do his work in the men that are enjoying camp and having a chance to relax.  Thank you so much for your continued prayer and support.  Merry Christmas from everyone here at Qwanoes!

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Week of Prayer and Sr High Retreat

Last week we entered into our Week of Prayer

Another annual tradition that we hold here at the Kaléo Program is our Week of Prayer.  This is a chance for our students to slow down and take the opportunity to spend time with God in a different way than they might usually experience.  For the week, Qwanoes dedicates a room in Pacific Woods lodge specifically for prayer.  At the beginning of the week, students sign up for hour-long blocks throughout the Week of Prayer.  The idea is that for the entire week, there will always be someone engaging in conversation with God.

The prayer room itself is also meant to be a place of creativity and inspiration.  At the beginning of the week, the room is a blank canvas left with paper, sticky notes, window markers and tape.  Students are encouraged to use what ever they feel necessary to express how God is working through their lives and prayer.  By the end of the week we were excited to see how beautifully decorated the room was, expressing the unique creativity of our students.

We have heard a lot of great feedback from students about their time in the prayer room.  Although there are many great stories to share, here are a few examples from our students…

“It seemed that whenever I saw a prayer request posted on the wall, someone had always responded to it right away.  It was neat to see the support system here.”

-Colson Schulz

“I entered the week with expectations of God breaking me down.  That didn’t happen.  Instead through the silence God taught me a sense of fear and reverence of him.”

-Shinwon Yoon

“I was surprised to see the amount of progress through only a day in the prayer room.  There were so many prayer requests.  To see the anonymous struggles and pain of other students showed a whole different side of our community.  But it was equally amazing to see the love and response to those prayer requests too.”

-Rebekah Sheppard

We ended the week with Sr High Retreat

Last weekend camp was flooded again with another wave of campers, but this time they were older.  Campers aged 15-18 came to camp to enjoy our annual Fall Jr High Retreat.  Though only a couple of our students were serving as counsellors, many of them were serving in other areas such as programming, maintenance, worship, kitchen and dishes.  We were so impressed to see our students jump into the retreat with such excitement and enthusiasm!

Please be in prayer

This week our students are back in the classroom studying the Old Testament with Prof. Don Taylor.  Please be in prayer for them as they are in class this week, that they will be able to retain and focus on everything that they are learning.  Please also be in prayer for the staff team as they enter into their own week of prayer starting November 22.  Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers for our students and program!

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Tofino Surf Trip and Jr High Retreat

 Last week we went surfing in Tofino

After a long week of studying and writing assignments, we decided that it was time to pack our bags and head for the most western coast of British Columbia.  Tofino’s beaches are world famous for locals and tourists to come and learn how to surf.  This three day trip was much needed for our students and a fun way to switch gears after Gospels class.

We took a few stops along the way

Although Tofino was the destination, we decided to stop at a few scenic spots along the way to experience the true heart of BC.  One of theses stops was Cathedral Grove, a beautiful forest hike amongst some of Canada’s largest and most spectacular trees.  With some trees measuring as tall as 250ft in height and 29ft in circumference, this was truly an amazing experience to see yet another amazing aspect of God’s amazing creation.

We hit the water with style

It was finally time for us to go surfing!  So we packed into the vans and drove to Cox bay, where our surf instructors Estuardo and Antonio were waiting for us.  Once we arrived we cinched on our wetsuits, grabbed our surfboards and headed to the beach to hang-ten on the water!

Although our first day of surfing was rather cloudy, our second day on the water was sunny and beautiful, which helped a bit while jumping into the cold 12 degree water.  It was also quite entertaining to watch as we all shrieked while putting on our cold damp wetsuits early in the morning!

After two long, and very tiring, days of paddling and fighting waves, we were excited to see everyone stand on their boards and ride the waves of Tofino, most for their first time ever.  This was by far one of our most memorable experiences so far in the Kaléo Program.  Though challenging, this trip was just another example of how God’s creation can be experienced in so many unique ways.

Camp Qwanoes and the Kaléo Program would like to thank our instructors Estuardo and Antonio, as well as Tofino Surf Adventures for a memorable experience on the water this year!  We would also like to thank Christ Community Church for opening up their doors and giving us a cozy home for the week.

We ended the week with Jr High Retreat

To end off the amazing week we had in Tofino, Camp Qwanoes was flooded once again with a wave of campers.  This time around we hosted Jr High campers aged 12-14.  Many of our students were involved in serving during the retreat in roles such as counselling, activity support, maintenance, and the kitchen.  As always it was a very successful weekend and we were sad to see the campers go after only a few short days.

Please be in prayer

Please be in prayer this week for our students as they are entering into one of their busiest times of the program.  Currently they are immersed in reading assignments, papers, group projects and serving in retreats.  As this is a full schedule, they are beginning to feel the weight of the program and need prayer for energy and focus.  Additionally we would like to ask that you would be praying for the many campers that have been, and will be involved in our retreats this season.  Again we thank you for your support and prayers for our students!

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Camp Qwanoes, Kaléo Program Intern

Gospels Week and Harvest Season

Last week, we had Wes Olmstead join us from Briercrest

Our students began their study of Gospels with Dr. Wes Olmstead.  Wes’ experience with the Gospels is quite substantial and we were very glad to have him here to share his take and approach to the four books, with a primary focus on the Book of Matthew.

This class is one of the heavier classes the students will be taking through the Kaléo Program.  While the classes were long and full of information, they have without a doubt been learning a lot about the Gospels and how it applies to their faith.  This class has made a large impact on our students and we are amazed to see the unique ways in which it has challenged them.

As a part of their class, students were also asked to carry out a group presentation based on assigned texts from the Book of Matthew.  Groups were each tasked with a five minute presentation, discussing commentaries and reflecting on the text.  We were impressed to see students take to this assignment with such enthusiasm and hard work!

We came together with staff to watch The Passion of the Christ

Later in the week, Qwanoes staff and students came together to watch The Passion of the Christ.  This is an annual event here at Qwanoes in which we take the time to admire and remember the loving sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and not simply limiting it to Easter.  Afterwards we had a time of discussion, reflection and prayer about the parts of the story that impacted us the most.

We celebrated October 31st with a Harvest Party!

Another annual tradition of the Kaléo program is to throw a Harvest Party for our students.  After a long week of classes, this was a great opportunity for them to unwind and relax.  Everyone took the time to dress up in fun costumes and share in treats, games and dancing!

Please pray for our students

We still have two more classes until winter break, which means our students are still working diligently at their studies to prepare for assignments and exams.  Please be in prayer for them that they can keep focussed and continue to take in everything that they are learning and reading.  Additionally, we still have a few more retreats left this season and our students will be heavily involved in camp ministry here at Qwanoes.  Please pray for strength and energy for them throughout these retreats.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

In him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Retreat Season Begins and Love Crofton

Hello again, and greetings from Camp Qwanoes!

As the leaves begin to change colour and the air becomes colder, camp has begun to shift into a new season of ministry.  For the next few weeks we will be entering into a series of retreats run by Camp Qwanoes, similar to our summer program for campers.

Campers are back!

After spending a few weeks at camp in a rather quiet and peaceful environment, it quickly changed last night as junior campers aged 7-11 flooded into the property with excitement for the 2015 Fall Juniors Retreat!  This is also an exciting event for our students as they have the opportunity to put to practice what they have been learning so far in the Kaléo Program.

Students have taken on various roles throughout the retreat, but most of them have been serving as councillors for the campers.  Each cabin holds about 6-8 campers, most with one counselor, some with two.  For some, this is a brand new experience and are enjoying taking on the role of leading discussions, participating in games, and enjoying meals with the kids.

This week we served Crofton through several types of service projects.

Love Crofton is an annual event of Camp Qwanoes in partnership with Warmland Community Church in Crofton.  After advertising and preparing last week, we received many calls for service around our community.  Students took the opportunity to show Gods love through many tasks such as mowing lawns, raking leaves, washing windows, and many other kinds of yard work.

We were proud to see our students caring for their new community with such joy and excitement!  Though some jobs proved to be more work than others, our students learned a lot about our community and, in some cases, had the opportunity to pray for those who needed prayer and support in Crofton.

As leaders, this was also a very exciting event for us as we were able to step back and let the students take the lead.  Though this was a Camp Qwanoes event, our students were the ones who organized and carried out the tasks for Love Crofton.  We were thrilled to see how much they have been growing so far in the Kaléo Program.

Students have also been hard at work for class next week.

In preparation for Gospels class next week, students have been studying diligently to prepare for their upcoming course.  Wes Olmstead, Dean of Academics at Briercrest, has a passion for teaching on the New Testament and we are excited to have him join us next week.  

Please be in prayer for our students as this will be one of their heavier courses this year and that they will be able to retain all of the information that they will learn.  Also be in prayer for the people and families of Crofton who were served this week and that God’s love would resonate in their lives.

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Happy Thanksgiving! What An Amazing Week!

Wow, what a beautiful couple of weeks that God has been blessing us with here on the west coast of Canada!  

Although we have had a few days of rain, the sun has been out quite frequently as we entered into the fall season.  This has allowed us to enjoy God’s beautiful creation here at camp, as well as other places on the island.  

Aside from the beautiful weather, our students have also been working very hard in their studies.  

Last week, we were privileged to have Sid Koop come and join us and teach us about camp and youth ministry.  Sid has a long standing relationship with Qwanoes being involved in areas such as staff training, speaking at camps, and other Qwanoes-related events.  

We were very glad to have him here at Qwanoes to teach our students about working and serving in youth and camp ministries.  We even had an end of the week Nerf-Gun war after students decided to ambush Sid at the end of the class!

We also had our annual Thanksgiving dinner celebration this last weekend. 

It was great to have staff and their families join us for a delicious turkey dinner while taking the time to thank God for this year and how he has blessed us.  

Also a very big thank you to Coleen and her kitchen staff for taking the time to prepare such an amazing and delicious dinner for us to enjoy!

Our adventure this week took us Wild Play Element Parks, not to far from camp just outside of Nanaimo.  

Wild Play is an arial adventure challenge course filled with zip lines and rope challenges situated high above the ground in the trees.  

Students took advantage of various different features of the course that challenged their fears and excited their taste for adventure!  At the end of the day, the staff even decided to give one of our students, Kenzie Schroeder, a free bungie jump as it happened to be her nineteenth birthday!  

We were very proud to watch as Kenzie bravely dove off the bridge for her first ever bungie jump!  We would like to thank Wild Play and their staff for a great day and for giving Kenzie a birthday that she will never forget!

This week was also the beginning of preparations for Love Crofton.  

This is an event in which Camp Qwanoes and Warmland Community Church team together to bless the community of Crofton and show God’s love through acts of community service.  

This week, Students took to the neighbourhoods and personally delivered flyers to hundreds of houses throughout the community promoting this free service.  

Next week, students will have the opportunity to bless people and their homes with services such as raking leaves, trimming hedges, mowing lawns, cleaning gutters, changing oil, and many more.  Our hopes for this event are that the people of Crofton will have the chance to experience God’s love through serving them and bringing the presence of the local church to their homes.  

This is also an opportunity for the community of Crofton to become familiar with Camp Qwanoes and the ministry that we love to do.  Please join us is prayer for next week as we prepare to serve them and that God would begin to prepare the hearts of those who need God in our community.

Please also be in prayer as our students are working diligently to prepare for their upcoming class on the Gospels.  

They are spending many hours reading and writing and we love to see that God is already teaching them so much, even in preparation for class.  

Thank you again for supporting and loving them through your thoughts and prayers!

In Him,
Dustin Smith, Kaléo Program Intern, Camp Qwanoes

Academics Begin And Sailing In The Gulf Islands • Kaléo Program

This past week, the Kaléo Program ventured out into one of British Columbia’s most beautiful areas—the Gulf Islands.  

After an intense first week of classes, we decided to switch gears and head out on our next adventure aboard the Pacific Grace, one of two Tall Ships that are a part of the Sail and Life Training Society (S.A.L.T.S.).  

After loading our luggage, we left the Victoria harbour and said goodbye to sleeping on dry land for five days.

After only a few hours into the trip, we were blessed to encounter several orca whales swimming past our ship and even a family of seven orcas surfacing, slapping their tails, and jumping!  

Although there were lots of different wildlife creatures to be seen throughout the Gulf Islands, this was easily one of our favourite moments to be had during our trip.

Our job aboard this ship was similar to that of any other Tall Ship sailors of their day.  We were the crew!  

Jobs varied such as scrubbing the deck and polishing brass early in the morning, washing dishes in the galley, keeping watch while sailing, staying up late for anchor watch, hoisting the main sails, and even steering and navigating the ship itself!  

This was a truly amazing experience as we got to see how ships functioned long before motorized vessels came into play.  

While our ship was still motorized so that we could reach our destination in low wind,  we were still able to exploit the inner workings of how Tall Ships function.

Though our jobs and duties aboard the ship were a large part of the experience, it didn't go without having a little bit of fun in between.  Students could be found either climbing to the top of the mast, or hanging off the front of the boat in the “whiskers” net.  

We also spent a couple afternoons paddling ashore in the ships Dory’s (no, not the loveable Disney character), which could be best described as one of the tippiest paddle boats ever invented.  

These small jam-packed boats were our chariots to some of the most beautiful beaches and hikes that this wonderful province has to offer.

Amongst all the different activities of the S.A.L.T.S. Program, we also closed every day with a time of worship, prayer, and sharing.  

This gave each leader and student the opportunity to share the parts of their testimony that tells of how God called them into His discipleship.  We continued to individually pray for each other and thank God for his provision and guidance towards fellow students.

After a long, but adventurous five day voyage, the Pacific Grace had to begin making its way back to the Victoria Harbour to bring the Kaléo program back home.  

But, of course, there was still one last adventure in store—the ships rope swing!  Though it was a cold brisk morning, that didn't stop our students from taking the challenge of swinging off the boat into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.  

We then ate, drew the anchor, and headed back to Victoria.

On behalf of Camp Qwanoes’ Kaléo Program, we would like to thank S.A.L.T.S. and its crew Tony (Skipper), Beth, Sam, Elske, and David for once again giving us another memorable experience aboard the Pacific Grace.  

For more information, you can visit their website at www.salts.ca

You can also be in prayer for our students as they enter into their second class this week! 

We are pleased to welcome Sid Koop to Qwanoes as he will be teaching on Camp and Youth Ministry.  

Sid has had a long standing relationship with Qwanoes and we are very blessed to have him join our program this week.  

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers.  Our students have been evidently growing in their faith so far in the Kaléo Program and we are excited to see what God has panned for them in the weeks to follow!

In Him,

Dustin Smith

Kaléo Program Intern

Camp Qwanoes