The Underwoods

It is after Christmas and we are now into the second week of January 2018.  In Bob's last blog post of 2017, he wondered why does time always seem to pass so quickly?  For us - the Underwood family - we ask the same question.  2017 was a year that we were glad to be able to put behind us on a high note.  The day we received the "keys" for the Red House - now the Underwood home - was one year plus a day that Rachel was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  The start of 2017 was a little challenging to say the least!  However, we are blessed by our Heavenly Father for the amazing gift of life and healing that we have experienced, Rachel in particular.

We are also blessed with the beautiful gift of this home that we are now living in and thoroughly enjoying.  We are thankful for the community of Evergreen that we call home and for you, the greater community, for making all of this possible.  We thank you for your prayers and your love for us as a family.  There is no better place for us to be as a family than where we are right now.  It has always been a desire of our hearts to be in a the centre of God's will and we believe Camp Evergreen to be that place.  The added blessing to this is having a phenomenal church in Bergen to be part of.  Bergen Missionary Church has been an incredible support to us in 2017.

We're often asked how Rachel is doing.  To say she is doing well is an understatement.  She is doing fantastic!  We had a follow up appointment on December 18th and her levels are normal.  Praise The Lord!  Rachel returned to work in the middle of September to Mount Imagination Chldcare where she teaches preschool three days a week.

We want to thank all of you for your love, your generosity, and your faithfulness to the ministry here at Camp Evergreen that impacts so many people, including our family.  We have been blessed far more than we can ask or imagine.

We also want to thank all the people who made our home possible.  Craig and his guys from Kingsmith Homes, the Evergreen Board for having a strong vision, Ben for the amazing cabinetry, the tin roofers, Scott and Brian for framing the homes (even when the weather was downright cold!), Larry and Linda for painting, the flooring and tile installers - the list goes on.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

May you be richly bless more than you can ask or imagine in this year ahead.

With much love, joy, peace and hope,

Ken, Rachel, Kiah, Daniel and Levi Underwood

Can't Get Much Closer

Wow!  Unbelievable!  Blessed!  Thankful!  These are some of the words that come to my mind as I write this Reaching Higher blog near the end of 2017.  First off, where did 2017 go?  And if I'm asking that question - where did my first five and a half years go?!  It seems like just yesterday Bev and I made the trek from Cranbrook to Camp Evergreen during the summer of 2012.  Thanks very much Alberta and Camp Evergreen for welcoming and supporting us.  It has been a bit of a crazy ride at times, but we still feel like we're a good fit for each other.

It also seems like just yesterday (421 days ago to be exact) that we started the new homes.  If all goes according to plan Craig will be handing us the "keys" today (Friday) and we will be (very) blessed to be the first of many staff members living in the Green House - or should I now say the Kroeker house!  Words are somewhat inadequate to express the joy we will experience in the coming months and years.  I want to say a huge thanks to my Board of Directors, to Craig at Kingsmith homes, and to each one of you who have supported Reaching Higher.

What's the most important part for me?  That the ministry potential we have as a camp is just getting started.  Think for a moment of the support the new homes received.  It's crazy (in a positive sense) that we are building both homes for under half their retail value!  Think for a moment about the support that we received this summer.  99 volunteers gave either a week or several weeks to serve at camp.  (Most of these volunteers put in long, long days.)  Think for a moment about the financial support we've received over the last several years from our supporters.  We are on track to have another strong financial year.

Now is the time to push a little harder, to dig a little deeper and focus our energy on increasing the ministry here at Evergreen.  We need to continue to Reach Higher in 2018.

We've added a new family camp this winter and three new summer camps.  Camp Evergreen needs to be creative so that we can see more lives transformed by the power of Jesus.

I believe the most important thing we can do in 2018 is to take some significant steps forward with our new lodge.  Together we need to turn our current momentum into pledges.  One of the questions I hear the most is - are you still building a lodge?  The answer is YES!  As a camp we want to see more children have the opportunity to make a life changing decision to follow Jesus.

I'll end this blog with one last picture of Jordan - putting on a skirt!  :)

Thanks for your continued support!  May God richly bless you this Christmas season.

Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director