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"21" February 2012 CCI-Worldwide Prayer Emphasis

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Christian Camping International (CCI) is an alliance of 20 Associations and Networks around the world.

CCI supports Christian camps and camping leaders in 60 countries.

Christian camping is known to exists in an additional 40 countries without the support of local Associations.

Believing that Christian camping is a powerful method to impact people for God’s glory, CCI desires to see Christian camping grow around the world.

On the 21st of each month, CCI encourages people to pause and ask God to raise up the 21st Association of camps and camping leaders.

While scanning a world map, musing about where God might open another door of opportunity for Christian camping, my eyes fell on the Caribbean. Cuba, the largest island-country in the area, is home to over 11 million people.

Cuba and the United States have been at odds for over 50 years. Cultural, linguistic, economic, legal and military differences have separated these two countries since 1961. Even though there are only 90 miles (150 kilometers) of ocean between the USA and Cuba, the separation seems much greater.

Several years ago, friends in Latin America mentioned that they were aware of Christian camping in Cuba; and last month a friend in Europe told me about two camping ministries operating in Cuba. Attempts to limit or eradicate Christianity tend to be counter-productive. That seems to be the case in Cuba. Numerous reports indicate that Christianity is doing quite well despite obstacles and challenges.

Please pray for Cuba. Ask God to grow His church in that country. And pray that CCI leaders from around the world might have opportunites to reach out and support the Christian camping leaders in Cuba.

"21" January 2012 CCI-Worldwide Prayer Emphasis

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Christian Camping International (CCI) is an alliance of 20 Associations and Networks around the world.

CCI supports Christian camps and camping leaders in 60 countries.

Christian camping is known to exists in an additional 40 countries without the support of local Associations.

Believing that Christian camping is a powerful method to impact people for God’s glory, CCI desires to see Christian camping grow around the world.

On the 21st of each month, CCI encourages people to pause and ask God to raise up the 21st Association of camps and camping leaders.

Few Associations are as outreach oriented as CCI-Spain. At their last meeting, this small but strategic Association, discussed support for camping ministries in Turkey, Croatia, North Africa, and Portugal. Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain and has been on CCI-Spain’s radar for several years.

Portugal is a country of about 11 million people, a quarter of whom live in Lisbon the capitol. The country is known for its rugged coastline, beautiful beaches, ancient castles, agricultural plains, and rolling mountains.

Although 85% of the population considers themselves Christian, very few are active in their faith. Portugal is reported to be a primary access point for drugs entering Western Europe from Latin America, North Africa and Asia. Unemployment is high and their economy is facing serious challenges.

This year, two Christian camping leaders from Portugal attended CCI-Spain’s national training conference held near Santiago de Compostela. This is our first real contact with these dear servants who we hope will someday become part of the CCI-Worldwide family. We can learn much for them; and we can provide encourage, training, and support for them as well. We believe that by working together, we can accomplish more for the cause of Christ; sharing, supporting, learning, and praying with one another.

We look forward to continuing this dialogue about the value and benefits of working together for mutual support and encouragement. Please pray that through this initial interaction a foothold would be established to help grow Christian camping in Portugal.

"21" December 2011 CCI-Worldwide Prayer Emphasis

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Christian Camping International (CCI) is an alliance of 20 Associations and Networks around the world.

CCI supports Christian camps and camping leaders in 60 countries.

Christian camping is known to exists in an additional 40 countries without the support of local Associations.

Believing that Christian camping is a powerful method to impact people for God’s glory, CCI desires to see Christian camping grow around the world.

On the 21st of each month, CCI encourages people to pause and ask God to raise up the 21st Association of camps and camping leaders.

One area of the world that seems ripe for the establishment of Christian camping is West Africa. Throughout the region we see the growth of Christianity, the relational warmth of the people, and the desire to learn from God’s Word. These are all central elements for camping ministries, but traction has been difficult to establish in West Africa.

I have been dreaming and praying about the prospect of a CCI Association developing in this part of the world, but things have never jelled. The successful start and encouraging progress of our new Association in East Africa does nothing but stoke my enthusiasm for a new work in West Africa.

I recently received a report of camping leaders from El Salvador who have taken what they have learned from training provided by CCI-Latin America to Niger in West Africa. There they have shared their training with Nigerian Christians who will put it into practice. This work could be multiplied to reach hundreds and thousands of young people in West Africa with the Gospel.

Training, encouraging, and networking Christian camping leaders is essential as this style of ministry begins to find root. CCI can provide the basic information needed by people willing to make the sacrifices to plan, organize, staff, fund, and manage effective camp programs. This is the critical first step in the development of this strategic ministry.

Please pray for this part of the world and ask God to raise up Christian camping ministries to help fulfill the Great Commission in West Africa.

"21" November 2011 CCI-Wordwide Prayer Emphasis

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Christian Camping International (CCI) is an alliance of 20 Associations and Networks around the world. CCI supports Christian camps and camping leaders in 60 countries.

Christian camping is known to exists in an additional 40 countries

without the support of local Associations.

Believing that Christian camping is a powerful method to impact people for God’s glory, CCI desires to see Christian camping grow around the world.

On the 21st of each month, CCI encourages people to pause and ask God to raise up the 21st Association of camps and camping leaders.

In the past month I have interacted with or received reports concerning Christian camp ministries in Trinidad, Malaysia, Luxemburg, Sweden, Indonesia, India, France, The Czech Republic, Turkey, Portugal, Croatia, and Haiti. That is just 12 countries in which Christian camping is underway but with no unifying body.

Leaders in these countries are unable to engage in fellowship, encouragement, prayer support, and that sense of Christian community with others who serve the Lord through Christian camping.

These Christian camping leaders miss opportunities to learn from each other, to share best practices and to benefit from the experiences of their co-laborers. They have to re-invent the wheel to make progress, missing out on the wisdom of those working alongside of them.

The people serving in these isolated camp ministries miss out on the strength of unified efforts. Whether buying groups, coordinated marketing efforts, legal counsel, legislative lobbying, or shared resources, Christian camps operating in a vacuum face the major challenges by themselves rather than with locked arms.

We are grateful for the Christian camping ministries that God has raised up in all of these countries. In many cases the leaders receive support and connect with CCI-Associations in neighboring countries. Our hope and prayer is that new Associations would form and that the work would expand because of the support, training and unity provided by joining forces.

Please pray for each of these countries and others where God is at work and greater things are possible!

"21" October 2011 CCI-Worldwide Prayer Emphasis

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Christian Camping International (CCI) is an alliance of 20 Associations and Networks around the world. CCI supports Christian camps and camping leaders in 60 countries.

Christian camping is known to exists in an additional 40 countries

without the support of local Associations.

Believing that Christian camping is a powerful method to impact people for God’s glory, CCI desires to see Christian camping grow around the world.

On the 21st of each month, CCI encourages people to pause and ask God to raise up the 21st Association of camps and camping leaders.

Romans 12:15 tells us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” So this month, we will rejoice with our friends in Albania who have become the 20^th member of the CCI-Worldwide Alliance.

Albania is joining the CCI-Worldwide Alliance as our first Network Affiliate. This classification of membership allows emerging groups of Christian camping leaders to join the CCI family without some of the responsibilities of a full-blown Association.

Leaders of CCI-Albania have affirmed the CCI-Statement of Faith and the CCI-Mission Statement. They provide networking between several ministries that use Christian camping as a ministry tool. They also provide training events to help strengthen and support the leaders, staff and volunteers who work in Christian camps throughout the country.

Network Affiliates do not have the right to vote nor do they have the responsibility to pay membership dues. But they are full members of the Alliance. CCI-Albania is the first of this new and unique membership classification.

Last year CCI-East Africa joined the Alliance. This year it is Albania. Please pray that God would continue to move in the hearts and minds of Christian camping leaders around the world to see the value of locking arms and joining the family of Associations that serve the Lord through the unique ministry of Christian camping.

Romans 12:15 concludes with the command, “Weep with those who weep.” In the past few weeks, three Christian camping leaders have passed away: Glen Jolly, Kevin Pool (both Australia), and Michael Depuhl (Germany). We all stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Please pray for the families and friends of these three leaders during their time of loss.

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