Hey Warrior Nation!
Guess what? Today Warrior Camp turns 11!
As a fun way to celebrate Warrior Camp's Birthday, and to say thank you for all your prayer, encouragement and support, we're going to do something special this year. Instead of you giving WC a gift for its Birthday, we're gonna mix it up and ... I'm going to give one of you a gift! (Yep, it's your lucky day ;) And in the interest of financial integrity and good stewardship, Derek is covering 100% of the gift cost, not Warrior Camp, so there's that too). So, here's the deal: Like the related post on social media, comment below, or interact via email, and I'll gladly enter you into the 2018 Warrior Camp Birthday Prize Drawing! It's that easy. Looking forward to it and good luck!
And in honor of WC's Special 11th Birthday, I wanted to share some exciting Warrior Camp Ministry Highlights from this year, including Pictures and Video. You can check it all out below. I hope you like it and are encouraged, and thank you for all your prayer, encouragement, and support. God bless!
___
9.8.18
WARRIOR CAMP TURNS 11! > Special Birthday Update + 2018 Ministry Highlights
New 2018 Warrior Camp Video: Click here to watch or check it out below. (Video by Graham M.)
MARCH, 2018: Warrior Camp becomes an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. (Donations to Warrior Camp are now tax deductible, and can be made securely via our website @ https://warrior.camp/donate/ )
MAY 23, 2018: The 1st Annual Warrior Camp Graduation Bash and Ceremony is hosted in partnership with Nampa Christian Elementary School (NCES). The NCES Leadership wanted to do something special for their graduating class of 5th Graders, and chose to partner with WC to make that happen. Approximately 30 Students graduating from from 5th to 6th Grade gathered for signature WC Games including a 1 vs. 1 Tournament, Archery Tag, a Mega Slip N Slide under raining spray from a Local Fire Truck, and an epic food fight consisting of 30 Gallons of Green Mashed Potatoes! A special Ceremony followed the Games, and involved worship music, as well as a powerful message of Godly encouragement and wisdom from members of the WC team in two BreakOut Sessions; one for boys and one for girls. Many friends and family attended the Ceremony in support of their graduating students. Biblical identity and Godly wisdom and encouragement are so relevant, crucial, game-changing, and close to God's heart. In that spirit, our speakers spoke into the lives of boys and girls. Each girl was also given her own special necklace with Christian symbolism to commemorate her graduation. Each boy was knighted with a Sword by his Father or teacher, and given a military style Dog Tag stamped with the maxim ‘Warrior Camp. Mediocre is Lame. Heroic is Legendary. Psalm 18’. A final prayer concluded the Ceremony, and I later heard from a teacher’s wife that I have no idea how much parents were blown away and positive in their response. There’s already talk about making this an annual event and doing it again next year! You can check out the pictures on Facebook by clicking here.
JUNE, 2018: WarGear LLC is born. WarGear is Warrior Camp's new little brother, and will assume and expand development and retail operations for innovative, signature Warrior Camp recreational combat equipment and gaming gear which a broader market of consumers want for their own fun. WarGear will serve as a business and fundraising partner to Warrior Camp, and can be reached at norglaev@gmail.com Exciting stuff, including the latest LIL MONSTER Nerf BlowGuns, is on the horizon for Christmas and beyond!
JULY, 2018: Warrior-Camp-In-A-Box 2018. This July marked the 4th year in a row of our ‘Warrior-Camp-In-A-Box’ (WCIAB) partnership with our friends at a Christian Summer Camp near Dale, Indiana. The Camp Director ordered a record 155 of Warrior Camp's Next Gen Gaming Sword Kits, including Battle-Horn capability and Glow-In-The-Dark Effects, for their Church's much anticipated Summer 2018 Elementary Kids Camp. The Director wants to partner together again next year, and shared some encouraging feedback about a great Camp experience, including what God is up to in kid’s lives and how kids are encountering Him at Camp. It’s exciting being apart of what God is doing in Indiana!
AUGUST 18, 2018: Warrior Camp 2018 returns to Nampa, Idaho! We saw some familiar and new Camper faces at this Warrior Camp, and unleashed Warrior Camp's brand new Next Generation Bow and Arrow. I'm also grateful and excited to welcome some new faces who are joining an expanded and gifted WC Leadership Team. Boys and Dads assembled at Warrior Camp for a Weapon Workshop, Rallies, New Activities, Team vs. Team Games, and a new and huge Slip N Slide with a Splash Down Zone filled with Suds and Slime Chunks! Rallies (i.e. Chapels) encouraged boys with the story of an unlikely hero named Gideon in the book of Judges, a testimony from a martial arts expert about how he repented of his youthful rebellion and came to Christ, and a final Rally unpacking how Jesus is not weak sauce, but full of Godly masculine strength. The speaker invited Campers to accept Christ, rededicate their life to Him, or respond to what God is leading them to do. Many Campers responded and came forward...truly awesome to witness this! A special brick ceremony concluded the Rallies, in which Campers had the opportunity to write something about God they want to celebrate on 2 bricks, one of which went home with them under their bed, and the other of which is stacked up in the kid’s ministry area of the host church. It’s amazing to see the testimonies and celebrations of who God is, in kids' own words, manifest in a pile of bricks stacked up for His glory! You can check out the pictures and video below.
Other new Warrior Camp ministry opportunities are taking shape. More to come on social media, etc…!
___
Thank you again so much for your support, prayer, and for your encouragement as Warrior Camp turns 11 today! It's truly humbling and exciting being apart of what God has done and what He has planned next for Warrior Camp. Can't wait!
God bless you Warrior Nation, and I love ya like crazy,
Derek
Joshua 1:9
___