TOTALLY BLESSED
By Pat Kozak

The memories I have over the last 20 years of my involvement with Joy Fellowship? There are so many… and it would take another 20 years to write them all down! So I’ll reminisce on a few.

Number one, it’s the people, our folk, that make a difference: everyone of them are so special. God has created every one so different and unique and after He made each one He threw away the mold. Praise the Lord. Each one is a gift from God and we have all been blessed to spend some time together in our short journey of life here on the earth. But the good news is we will all see each other again, where we will spend eternity in the presence of Jesus, so every time we get together it’s a celebration preparing us for a much better home and in such better bodies.

I can hardly wait to see Lezlee jump and dance and run as well as Peggy Clark, HallieAnn Riby, Kay Ko, Ann Cowper, Graham Penman (among others). I can hardly wait to see Gordie Hilderman lead a choir of angels singing Ho, Ho, Ho Hosanna with Donald conducting. I can hardly wait to see Richard Bublitz describe the vivid colours of the Heavenly City. Oh what a day that will be.

I will always cherish the wonderful memories I experienced in of one of my early camps at Squamish. I’ll never forget walking back to the dorm listening to Stephen Ross praying, talking to Jesus, his “Best Buddy” (that’s how he described Jesus). He was asking Jesus to give his buddy Graham a good night’s sleep that night: that was very special and touched my heart.

That year there was a mud-slide which prevented us from returning home on Sunday afternoon and kept us in Squamish another 4 days. And being one of the camp nurses, I had visions of having to phone all the doctors in Vancouver to OK prescriptions for the folks who were on medications and had only enough supply with them for the weekend. We decided we would phone the Doctor on call for that week at Squamish Hospital and he was so kind to OK all the prescriptions to be filled by the Pharmacist. We had them all filled by 5 p.m. and ready to administer by 5:30 p.m. We were so thankful to God for His faithfulness and goodness to us all. I believe that was the weekend we had the group from YWAM. I remember them singing “Squamish, Squamish, Ooh, Baby let your people go” (our own variation on the song, “Pharaoh, Pharaoh, Let Your People Go”). Praise the Lord we got home safely by Thursday. We were called to get up at 6 a.m. that morning to be ready to leave after breakfast. It was pouring with rain and God even gave us a police escort to the boat we had to catch to Horseshoe Bay. The coach was waiting for us there to take us the remainder of our journey back to the church. Isn’t God good??!

I remember the first time Susan Woods came to Camp Squamish. I happened to be helping HallieAnn in the bathroom, Susan came in and asked if she could help. I asked her if she could get HallieAnn’s toothbrush and help brush her teeth (HallieAnn doesn’t have any teeth and loves to play this trick on new helpers. They go diligently to “find” the toothbrush and all the while HallieAnn is giggling) Finally HallieAnn started laughing so hard her whole chair was rocking. I can still see her laughing! Sorry Sue… Please forgive us!!

Our folks really know how to worship Jesus, not only do they know how to worship Him in song and praise but also with their giving. On our last day at camp we finish up with a communion service and a collection for God’s continued work. When asked what they would like to give to Jesus, they always want to give their very best and they are all joyful givers. We can never out-give God, can we?

I always look forward to camp and thank God for His provision, His faithfulness and His protecting Hand upon us. He always provides enough helpers, I come home from camp being totally Blessed each time.