Kingston VBS '25, pt 1

For the past three years, I have traveled each summer to Kingston, ON, to hold VBS for my friends, Andrew and Suzie Manley.  Each trip has been a unique experience, and each time, I have left with interesting stories to tell.  This year's experience was far beyond unique and interesting:  it was possibly the most impactful experience of my life.

The story begins in early June.  I wanted to organize a group of young people to join me for the trip because having extra hands is a tremendous blessing for VBSes, and because I love involving young people in outreach.  It's so fun to watch them learn to do new things!  The previous year, I had brought along Janna, a young lady from Indiana.  So I reached out to her and made plans to pick her up along my route.

Although I had prayed and asked around, I could not find anyone else to go who was both willing and had a passport.  James (from my church here) wanted to go, but he and his parents weren't convinced it was the Lord's will.  They eventually decided to put out two fleeces:  James could go if (1) his passport came in time, and (2) I could find at least one other young person to travel with us to where we would meet up with Janna.

Sunday, June 22, I was enjoying an evening at the Albertsons house.  They were anticipating leaving for Spring Creek Youth Camp the next afternoon.  The younger kids had begged me to go, but I had told them repeatedly that I couldn't.  James asked me if I had found anyone else to go on the trip.  I remember telling him that I had asked every young person I could think of, and that I had given up the idea of taking a team.  "Have you asked the Grillos?" he inquired, referring to missionaries a couple of hours away.  

"No, I haven't," I replied.  "I don't know their family at all.  I won't be approaching adults who don't know me to ask if their kids can leave the country with me."

"If you came to camp with us tomorrow, you could meet them!" A younger sibling piped up.

"Nice try," I replied, "But I have to do WalMart deliveries so that I can afford the gas to go at all!"

Monday morning, I was settling in to have my devotions when Joy Albertson (Mom) called me.  "Hey, so I just found out that we really need another female cabin leader at Spring Creek.  Would you possibly be willing to go after all?"

Of course I wasn't going.  I knew that already. But I promised to pray about it in my devotions time, and I hung up the phone.  The biggest obstacle to my going was that I needed to be working in order to leave for Canada in just over two weeks.  I sat down with a paper and started to write a list of the expenses I had, and the bills I had to pay before I could leave.  Maybe if I worked really hard after camp was over, I could make enough in just the one week.  There was gas.  My car payment.  Phone payment.  Meals for the road.  New tires.  Possibly new brakes.  And a dozen more things.  When I added the numbers up, it became apparent to me that not only had I never made that amount in one week, I had never made that amount of money in two weeks.  It was nigh impossible for me to meet my goal.  I circled the number.  Lord, I got it.  I need to be faithful to the commitment I made first.  I need to work this week so I can make this trip happen!  

And then He asked me a question: "Is that amount worth more than one soul?"

So I packed my bags.

That week at youth camp I met the Grillo family.  I bonded with them immediately, especially the older two girls, Claira and Maria.  Towards the end of the week, I was able to talk to their mother about the possibility of having the girls join me for the trip.  She told me they would pray about it.

When we got back to Mitchell Saturday evening, James' passport had arrived in the mail.  It had been only two weeks since he had applied.

I started delivering orders first thing Monday the 30th, praying and trusting the Lord to supply my need.  Typically, my experience has been that deliveries aren't consistent, but that week was nonstop.  I left the house early, and I delivered groceries until 9 or 10pm every night.  A rare incentive popped up that week also:  if I could complete a certain number of deliveries, I would receive a $400 bonus.   By Friday, July 4th, I had made (to the dollar!) the amount I had written on that piece of paper the week before.  Praise God for supplying the need!

Also, that Thursday while I shopped, I got news from Claira and Maria that they were excited to go with me to Canada!  meant that James could go too!  What an awesome answer to prayer it was to have a team assembled to go with me. 

Things were falling into place.  Then on Saturday, things started to go downhill...