"OPEN WIDE YOUR MOUTH AND I WILL FILL IT." -Psalm 81:10

About a week ago, I was lying in bed praying, and this verse came to me loud and clear out of nowhere. "Okay, Lord, I thought, I'll open wide!"

This E-News is dedicated to the many ways God has been filling our "open mouths"...

15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BANQUET

On Saturday, March 19th, we were blessed with a wonderful celebration of the 15 years God has given us so far at Jonah Ministries! It was a fun evening with great food, inspiring testimonies, and generous giving. Our fund-raising focus was (and is) the complete remodel of the Bus Barn. Our goal is to raise another $60,000, so that we can finish it quickly and with all the furnishings, down to new games, cabinets, bathroom, etc. So far, generous people have given more than $24,000!!! We're almost half-way there! Praise the Lord!

DINING HALL COUNTERS & CABINETS

As I wrote this a week ago, we were on our way to Bend to pick up the new cabinets for our Dining Hall! About four years ago, Todd Hakala of Brian's Cabinets in Bend promised us a donation of cabinets. It took us this many years to get to the point of being ready. In those years, the bottom dropped out of the economy in Bend. Todd had to greatly downsize his business, but has held true to his promise. They are now fully installed and beautiful!

EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS

About the time one of our crew needs to make a change, God brings someone else in to take their place. Here's what the next season at Jonah looks like:

Bookkeeper - Steve Allaway
Retreat Cook & Kitchen Manager - Russ Cole, Jr.
Summer Cook - Becky "Shamrock" Vestal
Kitchen Assistant - Julianne Engelmann
Interns & Summer Program Team - Sammi "Flutterby" Vestal & Ellie "Ish" Vawser
Publications & Website - Dorina Colburn (& Molly "Lollipop" McKinney)
Jeff's Assistant & Techie - Aaron "Turbo" Dorsch
Camp Manager - Jeff "Dr. Hazzard" Duke
Camp Coordinator - Beki "Sunnybrook" Duke (Volunteer)
Camp Grandma & Breakfast Cook - Bernice "Grandma" Duke (Volunteer)

We love this crew of people and thank God for the team that He has obviously put together to run His camp!

CAMP DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES

Since we're crazy enough to run a totally different theme camp each week of the summer, it takes a LOT of committed, creative people to plan and direct each camp. We've been developing a committee and a director for each week. The ideas and plans that are flying back and forth in person and via phone, email, Facebook, etc. are amazing. I can't wait for this summer! I truly believe it will be the best yet. Let us know if you'd like to be involved in one of our summer camps!

Here are the amazing 2011 Coordinators for each camp:

G.I.R.L.'s Camp: Alicia Moss, Sherri Wilson, Leslie Sullivan, Catie Herman, Laurie Bell
Man Camp: Jason Moss, Sherri Wilson, Patrick Vestal
Kids' Missions Camp: Sammi Vestal, Doug Hazen, Berina Woods
Primary/Grandparent Camp: Sherri Wilson
Ultimate Kids' Camp: Lisa English
Adventure Camps: Ellie Vawser, Jeff Duke
NW Summer Camp: Andy Grenier, Pete Steele

For more camp information and to get registered, click here!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ATTORNEY

The board of directors... here is a group of people who give and give and give. They give so generously of their time, talent and treasure! This is a group of praying, committed people who strongly believe in the ministry of Camp Jonah!

Mark Zoller, Board Chairman
Marnie Robison, Secretary
Keith Robison
Bill Caddy
Doug & Ruth Hazen
Dev & Laurie Bell
Jeff, Beki, & Bernice Duke

It's these people who have donated time to hand-write letters to banquet attendees, to research and write grants, to engineer the Bus Barn project and a site plan for Jonah, to coordinate many mailings, to organize all the registration for our celebration banquet, to help plan, set up, clean up and more for the banquet. These people pray, fundraise, encourage, spoil and support Camp Jonah in too many ways to mention. We're extremely grateful for them! And then there's Don Willner, who has been our generous pro bono attorney for the past 15 years!

FAMILY

As our kids get older and so do our grandchildren, Jeff and I are realizing that not only are they a gift, they are a responsibility that God has given to us. We want to be as faithful to our family as we are to our camp jobs. We're so grateful for the Christian heritage on both sides, and we're also appreciative of the Cousin Camp tradition began by Grandma Duke that our kids were a part of-and which instigated the dream of Jonah Ministries. This past month, we began Cousin Camp, Next Generation with our own Grandkids. Here is a photo from a proud, bragging grandma that they call "Mimi." We have 7 grandchildren, with number 8 due in August!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO BE BLESSED

SCRAPBOOKING GETAWAY

Ladies, it's time to get signed up for our spring Scrapbooking Getaway on May 19-22! Early Birds can come on Thursday, the rest will arrive Friday evening. Bring your boxes of photos and your creativity and your friends. If you're not a scrapbooker, any craft will do! These weekends are full of great food, new friends, spiritual encouragement, accomplishment, rest if you choose, a bit of adventure if that's your style, late-night espresso runs, and so much more. Call 509-395-2900 or more information, or go to our website to register!

TRUE NORTH FAMILY WEEKEND

This could be the most important weekend of your family's life. You will take time to discover your family's purpose and how to fulfill it. Our goal by the end of the weekend is that your family will write a family mission statement that can help you and your children fulfill your God-given destiny and make an impact in the world far beyond your lifetime here on earth. We are praying that God will use this weekend in your life to draw you closer to Him and His will for your life. You will also be able to just "play" and have fun as a family and make new memories. Please call (509-395-2900) or email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for more information on this weekend that promises to give direction to your family!

MOUNT ADAMS COUNTRY BIKE TOUR

You are invited to the annual Mt Adams Country Bike Tour on June 25, 2011. For more information, email " This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ".

PRAYER & PRAISE

Thank you, Pray-ers! We love and appreciate and count on your prayer support.

PRAISE:

1. Thank you, Bell Brothers, for all your diligent work on engineering our site plan and Bus Barn Phase II plans and permits!
2. Thank you, Harlan and Jeff, for spending your whole weekend installing our brand-new, beautiful, custom-made, cabinets in the Dining Hall!
3. Thank you, Grace Community Church in Gresham for hosting our 15th Anniversary Banquet at your church! What a beautiful facility and heart for ministry!
4. Thank you, Robert & Verna & Family, for visiting our site to see how your ministry might partner with ours!
5. Thank you, friends, for your generous gifts and pledges at our celebration dinner toward our Bus Barn, Phase II project!
6. April 5th began our Bus Barn renovation! Demolition in progress! See the photos on the Jonah Ministries facebook page!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please pray for our selection of 2011 Summer Staffies. Pray for God's pick of staffies.
2. Please pray for "bulging" camps this summer. Again, pray for God's pick of campers.
3. Please pray for our Bus Barn Renovation and Remodel project. Pray for: permits, plans, donations of supplies and labor, volunteers. Pray for God's favor, protection, and glory.
4. As always, please pray for: wisdom, spiritual insight, balance, finances (general fund, dining hall, bus barn, propane, etc.). Please pray that we would never seek after anything other than the approval of God.