On the Road Again

We are heading back on the road next week!  We have some needs that I would love prayer for:

1. Computer: If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know that our laptop doesn't work more than it does. I think it might have officially died.  It has not turned on since the last time I blogged( hence why I haven't blogged in so long). Please pray we find a good used one for really cheap or that God provides us with extra funds to buy a new one.  It is essential to have a new one as it has many essential programs and documents on it such as the Mountain Directory we'll desperately need as we head into the Rockies.
2. Wood:I forgot to budget for wood.  Oops.  We certainly can't afford $5 a bundle most places sell it for.  I like to cook over the fire as much as  I can because it allows me to cook multiple things over the fire where as inside the trailer I can only use one appliance at a time( otherwise we trip breaker).  So pray that we can find someone who has chopped wood that they would like to rid of.
3. Van Seats: My sister in law had a house fire on Halloween last year and she lost everything. Included in the loss were our 3rd and 4th row van seats that we were storing in her shed.  We contacted Ford to get the amount to replace the seats which was $5000.  Unfortunately insurance would only give us about $400.00.  We have been searching for replacement seats while we have been home these past 2 months to no avail.  We need them to be from a Ford E350 15 passenger van 1998-2008.  Other seats won't anchor into our van properly. Please be in prayer that we find them for the $400 we were allotted, 
4. Finances: When we accepted the sellers offer on our home, it was for less than we needed to sustain us on the road.  We prayed about it and felt led to accept the offer and trust that God would provide the difference via our tax return and donations.  We stayed on budget for the 1st part of our trip and had just enough from our equity to cover the expenses thus far ( we also just had $600 in van repairs). Now as we head out again for the 2nd leg we pray for the best tax return we have ever gotten and also for the Holy Spirit to move in people that they will want to partner with us on this ministry.  We have $1000 in our bank account as we head out next week.  Our monthly budget ranges from 2400-2900 depending on the area we are in.  It is a little nerve-racking but we are trusting God that the money will come through.  If just 100 people give a $100 we will be all set!  Of course donations of any amount are appreciated since they all add up!  We are also open to gift cards to places like gas stations,chain grocery stores, and CVS. 
5. Wisdom:Always pray for tons of wisdom and discernment for us in knowing what God wants us to do.  We aren't sure exactly what the next 8 months will look like.  Our first part of the trip we moved around about every week.  This time around we aren't sure what God wants us to do.
6. Our Family:Prayers for all of us and the extended family as we face the range of emotions of leaving again.  As it stand now we will be out for twice as long as the 1st time.  That is tough.
7. Trip Back: Please pray we don't have another fiasco like the one we had coming here! We decided to get a couple hotel rooms at the midpoint which would be about 7 hours away.  I hate to spend money on it but with little ones we just can't make a 13 hour trip all at once. Pray that Little Miss and Baby Girl do great(meaning no screaming, crying, throwing things, etc). 

Other happenings are that we are being commissioned by our church as an official ministry!  We are considered a short terms mission trip. We are praying that the backing of the church will lend more validity to what we are doing and help raise prayer and support for our ministry.  We will be sending out letters and we also have a gofundme page along with using the paypal button to the right of this post to raise funds for our missions trip. 

We have also started a facebook page specifically for the ministry which we have officially dubbed 

Camping for Christ Ministries

These are the photos we had done up to hand out to people here at home and those we meet on the road.  Everyone at campgrounds are always asking if we have a business card and I end up just having to scrawl my blog on a piece of paper to give them. 

Thanks to the Mata family (who do missionary work in Mexico) for giving us this idea, Gary Welling who did our photography and Gran who put all the graphic designs on the picture!!

 It will be easier for us to use the facebook page to make quick, frequent updates and post a few pictures on there via the Hubby's phone and then blog more in depth when I get the chance(and a working computer).  So feel free to go like it and follow it!  

www.facebook.com/campingforchristministries

We are so excited to see what God has in store for this next part of our journey!  Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers and support. We are so humbled.

Many Blessings

The Mama

How the Ministry is Going

I wanted to talk about the ministry side of our trip.   Hubby and Sissy are still doing Sunday worship when the opportunity presents itself.

When we arrive at a campground we ask if they have any church services.  Even if they do we ask if they have any worship music with it(often they don't). Then Hubby tells them(manager,front desk,etc) about our trip and the worship music we provide and ask if they could play.

We have had only one place in Massachusetts(Traveler's Woods) were they did not provide a church service and did not want us to do worship music either for whatever reason.

Other places are usually open to it.  If there is already a church service then often the management have to talk with the pastor to see if they would like worship to along with their service.

Most places have no services at all.  The difficult part is always the same: getting the word out.

Generally, RV Parks don't want us going door to door handing out any fliers or anything.  Sometimes we can post an announcement in the office or in the bathrooms. We try to use word of mouth as much as possible but that can be tough.

We figure at the very least campers can hear the worship music through out the campground(via our sound system) even if there aren't a lot of people in attendance.  Some filter in too once they hear it.

It's been about a month since Hubby and Sissy have played though.  This is due to different variables-we are traveling on a Sunday, we are staying at a boondockers house/property, etc.

Now that we are in Florida it seems the majority of RV parks have Sunday Services in place since there are so many long term residence(Snow Birds).

We encountered 1 campground in Pennsylvania(Tohickon Campground) where they already had a regular pastor that came each week.  That ministry is called Church in the Barn.

We enjoyed meeting Pastor Vic and some of the others who attended that Sunday. Vic and his wife came out to visit us at our campsite one evening also.

He brought us apples,donuts and a wonderful sign:

(I have no idea what was going on with my hair that day)

Vic nicknamed our campground ministry: 

One the Road Ministries 

and put some wonderful scripture on our sign.

If you could take a minute to pray blessings over Church in the Barn and Vic and his family that would be wonderful.  If you want to further support Church in the Barn (Quakertown PA)  you can find them on facebook and like them. 

Pastor Vic asked an interesting question while we were visiting-

'How much of your trip is ministry compared to pleasure?'

He was looking for a percentage but the question nagged at me.  Not that he said anything wrong.  It just got me to thinking. 

Are we as Christians ever 'off the clock'?  Do we have a time slot in our week for our pleasures vs what we are called to do in spreading the hope of Jesus Christ?

I realized that there is no difference.  The ministry is never ending.  In everything we say and do and with everyone we meet on our trip and in life we should be continuing our ministry.

I recalled our pastor,Jim, back home giving a message about this and at the time I nodded my head in agreement but the significance didn't fully hit me till that question was posed to me.

And I recall  Pastor Jim saying how no matter where we are, that is our mission field.

That may be at your job, in the grocery store, or traveling around the country. God has put you exactly where he wants you and where he can best use you.

So how much time do we spend doing our ministry?  We strive for 100% but it runs parallel to our pleasures and fun. There is no division.  The lines are blurred. They are one in the same.

It is soooo easy to get caught up in our everyday life, isn't it? We miss seeing those around us.  Everyone is going through something and might need someone to talk to, someone to pray with them, someone to tell them there is hope. We just have to open our eyes and pay attention!

So maybe we won't impact anyone at our worship services but that person we chatted with at Universal might be the reason God sent us on this crazy adventure. 

We will still provide worship to those campgrounds that welcome it but we can't get in the mindset that that is the only time of the week that we are 'on the clock' as Christ followers. 

Many Blessings,

The Mama