Dear Friends and Family,
For the first time since COVID struck, Youth Haven Bible Camp has returned to having Spring retreats for third through sixth graders! We have had two of them already and are scheduled to have a third! They have been rather comical retreats because both of our Spring retreats so far have featured snow! In fact, as Ronni and I were working the paddle boats, it started snowing so hard at one time that we had to start calling kids in. After we unloaded about two boats, the sun came out and the snow stopped and we were able to let the kids continue paddling away! While it may have been cold outside, the campers were able to hear the warmth of the Gospel message in chapel, devotions, and camper-counselor time. There were 103 campers at the first retreat and 5 of them accepted the Lord! When the second retreat arrived, we had 76 campers. Camp was running low on counselors for the weekend, so Ronni and I were asked to fill in. Ronni gained a new friend in a precious little girl that I referred to as, “Little Ronni,” and 3 boys in my cabin accepted the Lord! In between the weekend retreats, camp hosted the Spring dental clinic. 115 people received free dental care and 2 folks called upon the Lord for salvation. We would appreciate your prayers for the third retreat at the end of April!
Ronni and I both greatly enjoy working with the Jr. Staff at camp. We treasure these relationships and the chance to be involved with discipleship. We try to stay in contact with various ones throughout the year, as possible. It was great to have some of “the band” back working together to serve the Lord through music during the chapel services. Another great delight was having Riley Hall as my Jr. Counselor in the cabin during the second retreat. Riley is the grandson of our fellow missionaries, Steve and Diana Smith and is a member of the youth group of Idamay Bible Church that Ronni and I serve on Wednesday nights. He did a fantastic job and it was a joy to serve together!
On Sundays, we continue to serve at New Prospect Baptist Church, where I am the Associate Pastor. I continue to have the privilege of speaking duties at this time as well as leading the music. Ronni plays piano and our friend, Eric Lawson, plays bass. We are so thankful for the wonderful deacons and sweet folks at New Prospect!
Last August, our dear friend and KMM board member, Pastor Scott Land, asked when the next music project would be. We told him that we had several folks ask about that lately and it felt like maybe the Lord was saying it was time. “It’s time, it’s time!” he said. The project we hope to do is a musical Bible study of different titles of Jesus. The Lord seems to have continually confirmed that we are headed in the right direction with this. When our dear friend, Jim Rink, knew he was facing death, he requested that folks give in his honor to a music fund for us at his church. We were so deeply moved by that. We are so honored to be able to use those funds to help us in some of the recording process in the Lord’s timing. Throughout this time, we have also been keenly aware that we are in a battle and feel the need to ask our ministry partners to pray for us. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for the Lord’s continued provision and protection. We are trying to be frugal and wise in the planning of the project. Please pray for us as we seek to arrange the songs, save funds, assemble the band, record, and send the songs and, Lord willing, the book written to go with it, out into the world. This is our biggest project to date, and we are very aware of our need for the Lord to do what only He can do! As always, thank you for partnering with us in ministry! It is such a joy to be on this journey together! We pray for and appreciate you so much!
In Christ,
Sam and Ronni Judd
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