Shorebreak Report

God did great things in a lot of student's lives over Shorebreak and mine too. It was really neat to get a lot of time with our speaker and have him challenge me on some of my thinking.

In my room I had one student that I didn't know before the retreat and the first day some of the other staff told me they were uncomfortable with his interaction with their girls. On the the third night we was missing from the room I was a little nervous that he was hanging out with one of the girls he had been puruing during the week. After checking to make sure all the girls were in their rooms I went around to the guys rooms and found out that one of my student leaders that I have been discipling was missing too.

When they turned up again I found out the the first student had given his life to Christ. It was cool to hear later in the week how much people had noticed a change in him.

Please continue to pray for God to be at work in student's lives. We brought 119 students from Kadena and there were almost 200 altogether. Many students made first time decisions for Christ, some have made huge life changes as a result of making Christ Lord of their life and there has been some fallout in families and friendships. Pray that they would continue to follow God's leading in their lives.

Grandpa joins the party.

I found out when we got back from shorebreak that Grandpa had passed away. I was telling Jen a couple of days later that it seemed like my soul was somehow not sitting right within me. I don't know if it was just because I couldn't get back to the states or that I felt too weary after Shorebreak to grieve properly, but I was thinking, "If I could just hug my mom and cry with her that somehow that would set my soul straight." I can't wait to see Grandpa when I get to Heaven some day.

Thought’s of John Caldwell (Buddy’s Grandpa)found in a notebook

I was born and raised on a farm. We had no car or telephone at that time. It was primarily in the horse and buggy days. The nearest doctor was four miles away. I got the croup when I was 7 years old. As far as I know they didn’t have vaporizers then but my parents had me breathe steam and Vicks vapors. I was so bad that I had to struggle for each breath. I breathed the vapors as long as I could and told my parents to take them away for deep down in my being I thought I was going to die.

Several minutes after the steam and Vicks vapors were taken away my breathing became normal and the croup entirely went away.

Did help come my way?

Yes. My parents helped me and were greatly concerned for me. God cared for me and His healing power made me well.

I didn’t pray but my parents were probably praying for me. The prayer of faith shall save the sick. James 5: 15

Grandpa’s life motto:

Do all the good you can
By all the means you can
In all the ways you can
In all the places you can
At all the times you can
To all the people you can
As long as ever you can

Shorebreak is Here!

Last night was our kickoff for Shorebreak '06. We have over 250 people attending this year so it is going to be a huge event. Today we will load up the busses and head down to the ferry for our trip to the Kerama islands where we will be having the camp.

Please pray for the logstics of the camp. It is a japanese youth government facility and the staff has been much less cooperative than usual this year.

Also please pray for God to be at work in a huge way in the lives of students on the retreat.

Thanks for praying,

Buddy

Heaven is getting sweeter

Palmer passed away this week. It hit me hard. Many of you know that he came and spoke at our spring break retreat last year. I needed to go out for a day to the island where it is being held so I borrowed a motorcycle from a friend and spent an extra night there just grieving, thinking, re-living old memories with Mark, and praying for God to be at work this year.

It was fun to ride on curvy roads 500 feet above the ocean. I thought God had healed much of the pain in my heart until I got on my computer this afternoon and read an email from Amy.

-Hello Buddy and Jen,
-
-I'm not sure if you have heard, but Mark passed away on Monday. He fought so -well. This morning I woke up thinking of our trip in Japan. Thank you so much for -honoring Mark like that and having us come. They are great memories.
-
-Mark loved you very much.
-
-Thanks again.
-
-Amy

It was neat to hear of his impact on some of the students almost a year later as they have relayed it to me this week. He has impacted my idea of Christian community more than anyone else, through his life, teaching and books that he recommended.

Heaven is getting sweeter for me. In addition to my grandpa who died 20 years ago I am now looking forward to seeing Jen Palmer, my mother in law, Arisa Adam's, Mark Palmer and probably soon, my other grandpa.

Please pray for Amy and Micah.