60 years of camping on Shear Lake …

… and the ministry continues on. Shear Lake has now been camp’s home for 60 years. On August 1951 Barakel founder, Johnnie Johnson, saw the property and prayed God would provide it as a future home for Camp Barakel. On February 4,1952 the Lord had provided the $20,000 needed to purchase the property.

Barakel has been the home and ministry for our family since 1989.

This past year’s highlights include …
• Dave has fully recovered from his heart procedure in December 2010 and is pedaling on.
• Phyllis served her first summer as Women’s Head Counselor. She’s continuing the role in 2012.
• Lydia finished her first year at Cedarville and now is continuing as a second year nursing student.
• Daniel finished his sophomore year and now as a junior has a job at a local grocery store.
• Over 7,000 campers joined us for camp events in 2011.
• Over 2,000 volunteer worker positions were filled at camp in 2011.

Upcoming opportunities for the next few months …
• Dec. 16 We will host the annual Tech & Engineer Reunion in Perry, MI.
• Dec. 17 We will host the annual Barakel Bash in St Johns, MI.
• Dec. 19 We will celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary.
• Dec. 23 – 30 We will travel visiting family in Indiana and Ohio.
• Jan. 1 The signup begins for the summer teenage Tech & Engineer program.
• Jan. 6–Mar 4 We will host nine winter retreat weekends.
• Jan., Feb. We will visit four college campuses talking with students about Barakel.
• Feb., Mar. We will attend two conferences. Dave has a teaching session at one of them.
• Mar., Apr. We will spring clean camp and other preparation for spring and summer camps.
• May We will host two Co-Labor Challenges and spring retreats.
• June Summer camp begins.

Thank you for helping us proclaim the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus in this camp setting.

Gratefully serving at Camp Barakel,
Dave, Phyllis, Lydia, Daniel