The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith. ~Billy Graham
God’s Timing and Provision in Southern California
We hosted our first camp in 2017. This was after one of the two congregations financially supporting the ministry for more than eight years—and the other congregation that was involved, had a six-year sabbatical from hosting camp. So what took so long? God’s timing and God’s provision.
Our attempts to find a champion for more than eight years was attributed to the fact that those who could potentially be involved with RFK, were busy with other ministries that they served. But in 2015, God closed the door of one ongoing international short-term mission trip ministry and opened the door to an ongoing and local, short-term ministry.
He then began to surround and populate the ministry team with people who had broken hearts for the lost and abandoned. He provided a matching donation employee fund that gave more than 20% via a “coincidental” job change. He introduced the director to a prior camper who became a counselor. She has since given her testimony on behalf of RFKC on national radio and at a LIFT conference. He has further bonded two congregations to come together and co-host the camp. He provided for one couple to foster two campers who were in a group home, one of which has been baptized as a direct result. He provided for two more campers to join the middle school ministry on Sundays after school and for a week during the summer. And while doing so, provided their grandmother with a home church that surrounded her with care during a surgery. Most important, He opened the eyes of the team, the congregations, and the friends and families. Even employers in the community were able to see God do amazing work and perform miracles, which occurred one after the other, ultimately resulting in the success of the camp.
This larger community included the campground staff comprised of folks who attend a rehabilitation program. We were blessed to see God open their eyes to the ministry that they were providing to these children and the RFKC team via their cleaning of the bathrooms, keeping the grounds ,and serving the meals.
Each time we hit (one of our many) roadblocks, it was a reminder to pray and to ask for corporate prayer. As we did, we were overwhelmingly blessed to see the Lord resolve the issue in a powerful way. It reminded us that this is His camp, occurring in His timing, and through His provision. But it not only did this for us, it also allowed the people who were not directly involved, to witness the miracle solutions.
John 14:29 Jesus says “I have told you now before it happens so that when it happens you will believe.”
Many if not most other places where a miracle is recorded, the scripture records someone or a group believing and committing their lives to the Lord.
Our prayer …
Lord, please open our eyes to look for the miracles that You provide to solve the challenges that occur as we serve these children and their families. Thank you for drawing us to prayer instead of worry when we face these difficulties. Help us to share these miracles so that our belief will grow and so that others will grow in their belief that you are the Lord and Savior that we can trust, have faith, and serve.
Amen
Our congregation supported RFKC for approximately eight years before God finally called us directly to start a camp in the spring of 2015. Due to the timing, it was 2016 before we could do the training and 2017 before we could host our first camp. The call to do the camp was a direct revelation during a mission’s budget meeting where He stopped me in mid word of my annual speech about us needing to find a champion to start a camp.
Jim Duggan, Director RFK camp Mission Viejo, CA
