Baby Pushups

Kolby has been doing lots of baby pushups for the last week. We know this leads to....crawling. We are excited for him but we really enjoy leaving him in one place and coming back and finding him in the same spot we left him. Oh well, they all have to grow up someday. Praise God for his progress.

AWANA Yacht Races

Our AWANA program has the clubbers design a yacht and race it down an eaves trough full of water. Nathan was bubbling over with excitement.

Soccer

Nathan and Logan are both playing on the same soccer team this year. This is Nathan's 2nd year playing and Logan's first. Nathan is starting to really understand the game, while Logan is just trying to figure out which way to kick the ball.

First Day of Preschool

Logan started preschool yesterday. He is enjoying school immensely. Today he rode the bus for the first time ever and had a ball. He did say that it took too long to get home (he was really only on the bus for about 7 minutes).

Logan walking into his class.

waiting for the bus

First Taste of Solid Foods

Kolby enjoyed his first taste of rice cereal. Of course, he got more on the bib than in his belly, but it is a start.

First Day of First Grade

Nate started first grade yesterday. He is in a 1st/2nd grade split class. He thought the first day was nice and he really likes his teacher. Nate was especially excited about eating lunch at school and making new friends.

Labor Day Family Camp at Camp Barakel

We spent a very enjoyable weekend at Camp Barakel, camping, playing and listening to God's word preached. The kids had a great time. Nathan met up with Matthew a resident staff kid. They seemed to hit it off really well. Logan had a great time swimming and even hit the target at archery. He also had a birthday party while we were there. He turned 4 on tuesday the 2nd. Maggie enjoyed swinging most of all. We continue to be excited about serving the Lord at Camp Barakel, and are encouraged that are support level is now 55%.

Riding Thomas The Train

Grandpa and Grandma Alchin, and Grandma Thrush took Nathan, Logan, Maggie and the other cousins to Thomas the Train. They had a great time riding the train and navigating their way through the straw bale maze.

Soccer Camp

Nathan participated this week in our church's soccer camp. He had a great time learning new skills and meeting new friends. Teresa coached a group of 8, 9 and 10 year olds. Logan and Maggie came and played (mostly in the dirt) with the other little kids whose mom's were helping out. And Kolby stayed with Nana and enjoyed some nice one-on-one time.

Bob the Tomato?

We went to pick the tomatoes in our garden and to our delight we found one that resembled Bob the Tomato. God is definitely a great creator.

Weekend with College Friends

Kolby and Teresa traveled down to Detroit to visit with her college friends and to attend a wedding reception. Kolby slept in a laundry basket which was easier to take than a pack n play.

Our Journey

For several years, God has been placed on our hearts the desire to serve at Camp Barakel. We were accepted as full-time missionary resident staff at the end of January 2008. We are extremely excited to serve the Lord there. As missionary staff we are completely funded by supporters. We started to raise support at the end of March 2008 and have been extremely blessed by all the prayer and financial support we have received so far.

What is Camp Barakel?

Camp Barakel is a year round camp that exists to proclaim the glory of God. It is located in Fairview, MI (about 20 minutes north of Mio) on 350 acres of northern Michigan forest. Each summer the camp hosts week-long camps for kids 3rd through 12th grade. During the rest of the year, they hold weekend retreats for a variety of groups, including men, woman, father/son, mother/daughter, and church youth groups. If you want to learn more about Camp Barakel check out their web site at www.campbarakel.org.

What will Mike be doing?

Mike’s main ministry at Camp Barakel will be in the area of maintenance, including the upkeep of over 60 camp buildings. He will also serve as dishwasher, bus driver, landscaper and trash man.

What will Teresa be doing?

Teresa will continue her main job taking care of our children, as well as helping out with food preparation and cleaning. As she familiarizes herself more with camp she may find another area that she can serve in. Also as the children get bigger she will be able to help out more.

What will the kids be doing?

The kids will be attending Fairview schools when they reach school age. They will also be helping us in our ministry.

How can I support You?

We are always looking for people to pray for us. We believe prayer is essential in doing God’s will and making sure He is glorified in everything that we do. We are in need of financial support as well. If you are interested in supporting us financially or would just like to be added to our email list please email us at alchinbarakel@gmail.com.