Rachel and I met at the kitchen around 9:30 am to prepare lunch.  The menu included hashbrown casserole, ham and veggie sticks.  We divided up the tasks and got to work.  The kitchen is wonderfully equipped with convection oven, 2 natural gas ovens and 6 burners, a grill and walk-in cooler and freezer.  We also had access to a large Hobart mixer and a smaller Kitchen Aid machine.  The newly installed dishwasher in the dish pit was Walter's machine of choice!  It was a delight to cook in such an equipped and efficient kitchen.

Lunch was ready at noon, when the trainees were to arrive.  We fed about 30 of us in total and all went well.  (I had an entire pan of hashbrown casserole leftover but Eric assured me he would help consume any leftovers for breakfast!)  Meal #1 was a success and we began preparing for supper right away.

I went to Caylea's yard site, where she had a patch of rhubarb ready for the picking.  I harvested several long and tasty-looking stalks to make into Rhubarb/apple crisp.  While I baked, Rachel prepared a salad and got things ready for perogies and farmers' sausage for supper.  I loved working with my niece and her obvious skills and experience in the kitchen were a delight! I learned a lot from her.

That evening, we visited, relaxed and got the ground beef out for tomorrow's menu.  Quick story of God's provision for the camp:  Caylea received a call one day this spring from an abattoire about an hour away in the small town of Leoville.  "How would you like your beef cut and wrapped?"  came the voice over the phone.  Caylea had a small panic and many questions.  But calmly she said she didn't have any meat at their slaughter/butcher shop.  The man insisted:  someone has anonymously given a beef for the camp.  The cut and wrap fees are also covered by the donor. " How would you like the meat cut and in what sizes would you like it wrapped?" Caylea conferred with the former kitchen manager and then asked for ground beef.  The butcher offered to cut some steaks as well, since the donor thought it would be nice for the staff to celebrate at the end of camp with a nice barbecue meal!  

So back in May, I accompanied Caylea with the camp van to pick up the meat.  We drove one hour on gravel roads to the abattoire, had a wonderful chat with the Mennonite fellow who owned the business and shared the ministry of BRBC.  He was tinkled pink to be part of the secret/ anonymous donation of meat for such a worthy cause.  He carried the boxes to the van and we thanked him profusely.  What a blessing!

Back to staff training...I woke up and had my coffee and devotions.  Rachel and I set out cold cereal and bagels for the staff to help themselves to before their morning session of training. Walter was teaching on spiritual warfare, the armour of God and prayer.  There were also sessions on leading children to the Lord, how to share your testimony of faith and other items of rules, regulations and child protection policies for camp ministry taught by various other presenters.

One young presenter was a former volunteer at the camp.  She is now married, expecting their first child and looking for ministry opportunities in their future.  That morning, she came to me and the camp nurse to say she was bleeding.  We immediately made arrangements for the nurse to step in and cook, while I took the young woman to the hospital.  I drove her vehicle to Shellbrook, the closest hospital about 1 hour away. We waited for bloodwork and tests, to find out that she would have to go to Prince Albert - another 30 minutes away - for an ultrasound and consult with an ob/gyn.  It was a long day, full of emotion, silent prayer and small talk to fill in the time.

Her husband met us in P.A. and Walter brought her things from the camp to the hospital.  What we thought might be some tests and the assurance that all was well, or maybe that she needed bed rest, turned into a day of waiting, worrying and eventually the sad news that they lost the baby.

Nothing prepares you for that.

The young woman and her husband carried on to their home and Walter and I drove back to the camp.  All my concerns about cooking, menus and staff training faded in the light of such loss and feelings of helplessness.  I'm so glad we have the Lord as our strength, our comfort, our hope. I'm so glad this woman has her heart in the Lord's hands.

Rachel and Juliana made delicious food for the trainees - soup & bannock for lunch and then  porcupine meatballs, mashed potatoes and cooked veggies for the evening meal.  Rachel made her famous brownies and they were well-received by all!

The next morning, the young folks finished their training and were sent home.  Some would return for Teen Week as campers in a couple of days.  Some had joined the training via Zoom and were flying in on Sunday (in two days) to serve as cabin leaders.  Others would return to camp in two weeks as LIT's (leaders in training) to serve in practical ways and prepare as future/potential cabin leaders.

I'm glad we had the weekend to recuperate, watch a Roughrider football game and join the Big River Evangelical Free Church for fellowship before the REAL camp ministry began!