We're still not done!
Even before we were planning on moving into Phase IV, God had better plans!
We thought we were done building for now, but no...God had other plans right away!
Phase IV was supposed to have started in 2005, and involved the purchase of additional land!
We had been praying that God would move in the hearts of the owners to sell us the land behind and beside our current property for parking and an outdoor chapel, along with a few minor projects like the children's play area.
But when the owner came to us...
...asking us to buy the land, we could not pass up the opportunity to negotiate for a price that we could afford. And so without any money once again, we negotiated a reasonable deal that was fair to both parties.
This is the "before" shot of where the chapel would go
Already this year, with other churches clamoring to use the campground, we have seen the immediate need for additional meeting space. The Hub and the upstairs of both boys' and girls' cabins can be used as meeting rooms, but the cabins will only hold between 20 and 40 children. And so we were praying that God would provide the finances to begin the construction of the outdoor chapel in March of 2005.
...and the "after" shot from the same angle
...resulted in a beautiful structure that is as functional as it is attractive.
The kids needed a safe playground...
And this took only a week to build. The funds for a play area had been donated by our missionary friends, and we were happy to begin construction...literally as soon as the paperwork had cleared and even before the title was in our hands.
But the outdoor chapel is where the action is now!
...used for the first time this summer, it has been a blessed addition to our buildings as the temperature in the building is probably 15 degrees cooler than in the hub during the daytime.
And the kids....
Naturally, they love everything about the campground, and the number of people who use these facilities for evangelism, fellowship, and learning is growing each year. God is GOOD!