News
Update: June 25 2008
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES
God is providing so many great opportunities for Quest!
This Saturday we are involved in an event called GOSPELFEST, which is a joint effort of all the evangelical churches of Jaraguá do Sul. The focus is to bring all the churches together for the common goal of worshiping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, forgetting denominational differences and celebrating our salvation. Together with local praise and worship bands, DRIME will be presenting with the main drawing card being Chris Duran. We look forward to what God will do in the city of Jaraguá do Sul through His servants.
Next week Dwayne, Shannon, Patsy, and Scott are in Curitiba at a fund raising dinner for Quest put on by the treasurer of our board. God has chosen the people to be at this dinner and we anticipate His work there.
The month of July has a number of events which include; one youth group evening, Quest's own training camp and a retreat with the Young Adults of another local church. We are especially looking forward to our own camp where we are able to see future staff come together to learn and see the importance of Christian camping ministry. Join with us in praying that God will give us the number of people that He wants.
Our office in Jaraguá has also been bustling with many visits and contacts. These open doors have led the way to a continually growing base of support and ministry opportunities.
PAST NEWS:
Update: April 24th, 2008
The month of March came and went very fast and Quest has a lot of news to share. The first being, on March 14th Quest officially became a charitable organization in Brasil. On this date, we received a call from our accountant saying that our charitable status application was approved. This opens many new doors for Quest and it showed up just how faithfully God going before us and preparing the way.
Many of you may be wondering what happened with our deadline of the 15th of March and the property that we are looking at. As the deadline approached our team remained calm and continued to have faith that God was in control. Our main concern was that we were planning on going on holidays on March 15th and we wanted to meet with the owner before we left. Our plan was to meet with the owner and the real estate agent to tell them that we had not been able to raise all the money. However, the owner told us that we could leave for our holidays and we would meet when we got back. So we left for holidays and enjoyed a great week at the beach and 5 days in Gramado.
Our holidays gave each of us some much needed time to relax and renew our energies to continue on this eventful journey. Upon our return, our team immediately jumped into 3 days of strategic planning. This gave our team confirmation in the direction that we are heading, assigned many new jobs and responsibilities and refocused our priorities as a team. Needless to say we have a lot of work to do and we are thankful that we were intentional about evaluating the path we are on.
Upon our return to the office we had planned to have a meeting about the property. Already the owner of the had been very gracious by giving us so much extra time. So, when the time came for us to meet with the owner we felt like we had hit a dead end: we were still very interested in the property but did not have the funds to move forward with purchasing it. Therefore, we felt the only option we had was to let it go. When we communicated this with the landowner, his repsonse was an answer to prayer. The owner said that he really wants to sell us the property (because our vision involves preserving the land and natural environment) and he is willing to give us more time to come up with the funds.We let the land go and God gave it back to us in terms of giving us more time. God is deffinitely not closing the door and we completely trust that if God wants Quest to have this land He will provide. All in His perfect time. Please contiue to pray to this end. God has BIG plans for Quest!!!
Overall, it was a very exciting month for Quest. We are moving ahead with great momentum and an awesome God as our guide
Update: February 22nd, 2008
1.MEUC Training & Camp
Quest was privileged to be asked to serve a local church denomination by providing the training for their staff as well as the programming and teaching during their annual retreat. The MEUC church of Santa Catarina runs this retreat every year for their adolescents. There were 130 campers and 23 staff members.
We praise God for the many great contacts we were able to make through this opportunity.
2.PV SUL Beach Camp
A second opportunity God gave to us was to serve 1 of the other 2 Christian Camps in Santa Catarina. Scott, Dwayne and Nathan served as the speakers for the Word of Life-South Beach Camp. This was a more rustic experience, living in tents and eating outside.
We praise God for the wonderful relationships we, as Quest, have with other ministries and the opportunities we have to work together in building the kingdom.
3.Quest's 1st Staff Training Camp
Quest started a new chapter as we ran our first ever camp from Feb 13-17. This camp was designed to be a training of potential future staff for our camp seasons. God brought us 13 wonderful campers who are ready for God to take them where he desires. The campers were ages 17+ and are all involved in their respective churches. It was incredible to see how God moved throughout this camp.
The first focus of this camp was to help the campers understand the difference between a retreat and a camp. The whole "camp" idea is brand new for pretty much all of Brazil. Second, it was to teach our philosophy of cooperation as opposed to competition. This, too, as it is in North America, is also a very new concept, yet it is what the whole gospel is geared at teaching the church. We are to be united as one body with Christ as the head.
We started the week with an evening of getting to know each other. Through playing a number of icebreakers and sharing the history of Quest we got to know the campers and they got to know us. God had definitely prepared the group for this week and they all gelled very well, very quickly.
We ran the camp using the schedule structure of a regular camp but filling each of the time slots with different events. Because this was a training on what it is like to be a staffer, all of the campers were a part of our morning staff meetings. We used our chapel times, morning and evening, to work through some of the chapters of The Christian Camp Counsellor by Jim Badke.
The regular skills and activities times were filled with teaching the philosophies of cooperation, physical and emotional safety and experiential/adventure learning. Evangelism and testimonies were written and practiced as well. We also spent time doing a personality activity which teaches us about why we are the way we are and how we can better relate with others.
The week closed off with a prayer walk, a time of sharing and communion. It was amazing to hear how God had used this week in the lives of each of the campers, our future staffers.
We look forward to see how God continues to grow this group of potential staffers over the next year. We are already planning to run this exact same training in July during the University break for those who could not attend this one. One camper has already let us know he will be there.
Check out the Pictures of the camp.
4.Documentation Process
The documentation process for becoming a recognized Brazilian non-profit organization is nearing completion. All the documents are at the public notary's office waiting for their official stamp of acceptance. Once this is given, Quest will become recognized as an official Brazilian non-profit organization. This gives us credibility with businesses, schools and other organizations we desire to serve. It also gives us the ability to create business accounts and open a Quest bank account.
Praise God for his leading and faithfulness in guiding this process through the correct legal channels and for providing the needed assistance along the way. For example, the lawyer who helped us did so for free, as a contribution towards the ministry of Quest.
5.Property
As we get closer to March 15th, the date we have set as the dead line for the down payment on the property, we wait in higher expectation to see what and how God will provide for the property. We know that everything will be done in his time and in his way and there is nothing we can do to rush him.
Please pray with us that in whatever way God provides for the property that he would get all the glory for it. He is the only reason and way that Quest has gotten to the point it is at and it will only be because of him that it will move forward from here.
Check out pictures of the property by visiting the Quest blog
6.Meet Nathan Dunning
I am a camp Kid. I have grown up at camp, spent most of my youth at camp, and worked at camp almost every summer since I've been able to. From a young age I have always felt I was going to go into camping ministry. In 2006 I felt Gods call in a very real and powerful way. I felt him calling me to join Quest for a period of time. Long term or short term? I'm still not sure. But I am here for now and am having the experience of a life time.
I get more and more excited as I see quest continue to take steps forward and to develop as a camp. I also stand in awe at all the opportunities and blessings that God has given Quest. I'm happy that God has called me to be a part of this. I think he called me here so he can develop me into a more mature and better person. Being here has been quite a challenge. I am in a new country with a new language and new friends. I think that through these challenges he is giving me are helping me to become that better more mature person.
I just recently passed the halfway mark of my time here in Brazil. As I look back at the first 3 months I see how fast they went by and I see all the things that I have been able to do. I know these next 3 months are going to go by just as fast and are probably going to be just as packed as the first. I hope that I will learn many more things and have many more experiences. So that when I go back to Canada I will be able to tell people the stories of how God blessed me and quest and of how God is moving in Brazil.
Update: January 30th, 2008
It has been a little while since we have updated the news, and a lot of things have been happening. In our last news we mentioned that we had invited some people to be part our board and since then all the 7 people that we invited accepted. We are so excited to have each one as part of our board. We have 3 pastors, a lawyer, a mother, a doctor and a banker. This gives us a wide variety of professions and personalities to assist us in the decisions that need to be made and a huge source of knowledge to draw from.
We had our first official board on the 15 of December where we were able to elect our board executive as well as approve our constitution. We now need to take these documents to the right government departments and await our registration. We are almost completely official as a non-profit organization.
Our time until Christmas is busy planning for the responsibilities that we have over the summer in running one camp for another mission organization, and speaking at one other. Mostly though, we are preparing for our own camp that we are running for potential future staff. We are going to be renting a local retreat centre run this camp, but we hope that God will provide us with a piece a land very shortly.
Our contacts continue to expand on what seems to be a daily basis. It seems that everywhere we turn someone has already heard of Quest or of the land that we are looking at. It is so great to see how God moves in miraculous ways.
We are extremely happy to add two more members our team, they are Nathan Dunning and Becky Patterson. On the 29 of November we picked them up in Curitiba where they had a little thermal shock, coming from minus temperatures in Canada to a balmy plus 30 as they walked off the plane. It is awesome to see how God has worked in and through their lives already and we are anxious to see what God is going to do in and through them.
God has been so faithful, and we continue to see how He provides even when we are not faithful.
Meet Becky Patterson
"In his heart a man plans his course; the LORD determines his steps" PROVERBS 16:9
This verse has been so true in my life! Just over a year ago I would never have pictured me coming to Brazil. I had other plans; I was going to be at university for four years and start a career in Canada, but God had a different plan. I only studied one year at university before God called me to a camp called Medeba where God plans for me in Brazil started to take form. God started tugging on my heart and whispering His desire for me to go to Brazil. To be honest, at first I did not want to believe it and I could not understand why he would want me. But, eventually God voice went from a whisper to an undeniable call and I started to pursue a journey to Brazil.
God has been so faithful. To begin, I was terrified of raising support. It did not seem possible. When I started raising support, God put it on my heart the importance of young people giving, so I prayed about it. Building my team on young people seemed even less possible. However, He started stirring in people and calling them to be part of my sending team and not just financially; I had people behind me in prayer, emotional support, and providing for ever type of need. Looking at my team 90% of my supporters are under the age of 26! God is incredible and nothing is impossible with Him. Also, I had a lot of doubts about God wanting me in Brazil. All I could think was "Me? What does he want me there for?" But over and over again, God would confirm His desire to have me in Brazil. At one point in time I had actually decided not to go and that very day a friend of mine asked me what my plans were for the upcoming September. I told him that I had none and he was shocked and said that he thought I was going to Brazil to work for Quest. I have to tell you that I had only expressed this thought to 2 people and he was not one of them. It is amazing how God works.
So here I am In Brazil. I know I am where God wants me to be and that is an incredible comfort, but it has not been easy. I am in a new country, with a new language, new people, new culture, new friends and an all around different environment. It's scary, but there is no place I would rather be; Doing God's will is the only place I want to be. And I know that no matter where I am, I know I am safe in His arms. Some of the journey is behind me, but there is so much more a head. Things with Quest are moving fast, people are getting excited about what we are doing here and God is moving in the City of Jaragua. I am humbled that God has chosen me to do His work here and I am so excited to see what God is going to do here. One thing that has been undeniable since my arrival in Brazil is that God has big plans for Quest in Brazil!
Update: October 31st, 2007
1. The Trip Back
On September 28th, we arrived safely to our homes in Schroeder, SC. God provided protection and smooth passage for us and all of our baggage. With 7 people, 18 big suit cases and 14 carry-on bags we went through check-in at Winnipeg International Airport and flew to Pearson International Airport in Toronto. There we switched planes and flew 10 hours to São Paulo, Brazil, where we had to go through customs and immigration. God opened the way for us by allowing us to simply get waved through, we believe partly due to the number of bags we had, but mostly because of the many prayers behind us. We spent the next six hours in the São Paulo Airport during which time we were blessed to have lunch with fellow Canadian missionaries, Jim and Marilou Nightingale who work under MB missions. They, too, are planting a new camp up in the state of São Paulo. We face many of the same challenges and were able to encourage each other and share insights concerning different things.
After our time in the airport, we gathered all our baggage and loaded a shuttle to the bus station where we grabbed a small supper while waiting for our bus to arrive. We then loaded our bus with all 32 of our bags and got on for the last major leg of our journey. After 8 hours in the bus we finally arrived in Jaragua do Sul at 3:50 am. There Shannon, Lidi and Lidi’s dad welcomed us home. We loaded two cars with as much as would fit and while Scott and Dwayne stayed with the remainder of the baggage at the bus station. The rest went home. Scott and Dwayne along with the rest of the baggage all got home on the second trip.
Although the trip was long and all of us were very tired, we need to praise God for watching over us and our baggage through it all. God answered our prayers.
2. Contacts
After a week of rest, settling in and getting set up, we were back in the saddle. We have been able to meet many people and have made some incredible contacts.
- The real estate companies are still looking for potential properties for Quest and our whole team has been able to meet some of the agents working for us.
- Scott was able to attend the Evangelical Pastors Ministerial of Jaraguá do Sul with Dwayne and meet many of the pastors from different churches in the city.
- A number of connections with people involved in the adventure sport world have been made. This helps us to get to know the area and what options are available for us in adventure sporting activities.
- Scott and Dwayne had the opportunity to attend a pastors conference put on by a Word of Life camp from Porto Alegre, RS. This provided us with many contacts with pastors near the area God has brought us to plant Quest. We also have been given the opportunity to help out with a Word of Life camp for this coming summer
- Scott, Dwayne and Carol were able to spend a weekend at a Missions Conference in Curitiba which is 2 hours from Schroeder. Along with the many connections that were made, potential opportunities to do team building sessions and “day camps” came up.
3. Documentation
We have also started on the documentation process of Quest becoming an official organization in Brazil. We have had the opportunity to talk to a lawyer and accountant to find out what we need to do to start our own association, which in and of itself looks like it won’t be as difficult as we thought.
As part of it we are required to select a board and so we have made a list of people we see potential board members. We have selected a wide variety of people with gifts, talents and knowledge in different areas, but all have a heart for evangelism and belief in the impact Christian Camping has on people. We have put together a package for each of these individuals and are in the process of presenting each of them with a personal invitation.
4. Summer Program
We are also looking at the possibility of running 4 day camp for potential future staff members of Quest. We are working on a folder and a place that we can utilize for free or rent to be able run this camp. Our plan is to invite some of our older staff to help out with their expertise and passion for the ministry.
Vision Casting Trip to Canada
Two team Quest members, Dwayne Klassen and Carol Wilbert, joined Scott and Patsy Buhler in Canada for a 5-week period of vision casting for Quest. It has been a fantastic time of visiting churches, meeting new friends and seeing God enlarge His team for this new venture. We have deeply appreciated the hospitality we received from so many of you. Your questions and interest in Quest have been a great encouragement to us.
Thank you to the many churches that have hosted us and looked after our needs. Sending churches play such a vital role in growing God’s kingdom worldwide.
Lakeside Baptist Church (Halibuton, ON)
Shalom Retreat Centre (Halls Lake,ON)
EMMC Convention (Hepburn, MB)
Elim Mennonite Church (Niverville, MB)
Altona EMMC Church (Altona, MB)
Plum Coulee EMMC Church (Plum Coulee, MB)
Faith Fellowship Baptist (Brandon, MB)
Community Bible Fellowship (Swan River, MB)
Murillo Baptist Church (Murillo, ON)
Bethany College (Hepburn, SK)
Hague Gospel Chapel (Hague, SK)
Dalmeny Bible Church (Dalmeny, SK)
Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, MB)
Evangelical Mission Church (Roblin,MB)
Parkland Mennonite Brethren Church (Yorkton, SK)
Team Quest member, Carol Wilbert’s take on Canada
This trip to Canada was for me a present from God. When I went in to the travel agent to apply for my Canadian visa, I was told that I had no chance of receiving the visa. I really did not have much documentation and I knew my chances to visit Canada were slim. I told the agent to go ahead and send the application and if God wanted me to go He would grant me a visa, if not, I wouldn’t go. I was informed that my application would take at least 20-30 days, but after only 10 days I received a call from my travel agent telling me that I was granted a visa. For me it was obvious that God wanted me to go to Canada and help share the vision for Quest.
In Canada, I have been impressed by the interest of the churches to host us missionaries and to know more of what God is doing in and through our lives. Something that stood out for me was the lack of young people at our evening missions services. In Brazil it is opposite. The interest in missions is high amongst youth groups and not as high with the older members. We need to get young people excited about missions.
One of the lessons I learned was how God supplies our needs. One example of this happened one day when we went out for lunch with some friends and during the conversation we mentioned that Quest is starting from scratch, that really Quest has nothing right now. One of the people we had just met that day, offered us his computer saying that he wanted to give it to someone and now he knew it should be Quest! It is amazing how God uses His church to supply our needs
Return to Brazil
We have our work cut out for us when we get back to Brazil on September 28th. There are many people to meet and relationships to build. We will be meeting with pastors, church boards, school boards, private English schools and businesses. It is an exciting time for our team.
Upon our return to Brazil, we will continue to visit properties that are still on the market to narrow down our options. Dwayne has already seen 24 different properties and of those, there are 4 that are possibilities for Quest. In the past couple of weeks, we have been informed by various real estate agents from Santa Catarina of another 6 properties that would be interesting for us to visit. Please pray for God’s direction and wisdom in the selection of land.
We will also begin Quest’s documentation process of becoming a charitable organization in Santa Catarina. In Brazil there are various options of charitable status. Team Quest, together with Brazilian lawyers and accountants, has been searching for the right status for Quest. Once we arrive in Brazil, we can finally start the application process. We appreciate your prayers in all these matters.