It's about time! (Check out the pic). What's your guess? Winner gets a prize!
Word to the Warriors...Um...just be fast in 2015! ... Yeah
God bless ya'll Warrior Nation! Thank you so much for all your prayer, encouragement and support. It means more than words can do justice to. God blew us away with so many surprises in 2014, including a record # of camps, and camp ministry opportunity in Africa! Praise God! haha! It's way bigger than us, and only He can do that!
He is doing His thing, and our team (another blessing from Him) is amped up about seeing His fame continue to grow and spread in this generation in 2015 as boys are inspired and equipped to be young men after His own heart!
I hope you all have a Happy New Year and God bless you and your family!
I hope you had a joy-filled Christmas celebrating Jesus coming to earth! If you didn't get the chance yet, check out all the wonder, awe, and powerful truth packed into Luke 2! I'd love to hear how it impacts you.
Much like Christmas elves, Warrior Camp is at full-throttle, and the proverbial steam is pouring from the chimneys of the Warrior Camp Game Laboratories as we gear up for 2015.
Here's what's happened this year, and, God willing, what's on the horizon moving forward (and feel free to comment below :)
1. We've partnered with a Christian youth camp in Indiana, and they would like us to equip them with a signature Warrior Camp Weapon Workshop, complete with all the materials, info, tutorials and gear to allow their campers to build 115 gaming swords for July 2015. Were excited about this opportunity, and the prep has already begun! More later :)
2. New Gaming Weapon Coming Soon! We're in the early phases of researching, developing, and creating a brand new Gaming Weapon for Warrior Camp that has been on the radar, but that we haven't tackled yet. God willing, it will be ready by Summer 2015, and each boy will get to customize their own, use it in the Battle Games, and take it home with them following Warrior Camp. Stay tuned for details!
3. This year for Warrior Camp 2014, after weeks of crazy trial and error, we had the opportunity to aim for creating a new, 2nd Generation Advanced Blow Gun with superior ammo, performance, and accuracy. God blessed our efforts, and in His amazing timing, He opened up a door for us to take this new game gear overseas in February 2014, on a strategic Christian mission trip, and partner with local Christian youth leaders for 2 Warrior Camps in Senegal, Africa. On a dirt soccer field in a residential area of Dakar Senegal, and in a country that is over 90% muslim, young boys and teens heard the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own language! How do you describe something God does that leaves us speechless? Only God can orchestrate it, and if you have the chance to go on a local, regional, or foreign mission trip of any kind, there's no telling what He'll do. Since our team has returned to America, we've received emailed pictures of Christian ministry workers using the donated blow guns to play games with local Senegalese kids! God is doing His thing around the world, and we're excited about more and more young kids and teens hearing the life-changing good news of Jesus Christ!
Thank you so much for your encouragement, prayer, and support! We're excited about God's vision for this generation of boys and teens to know Jesus Christ personally, and grow as young men after His own heart. May God bless you and your family as we countdown to 2015!
From the WARRIOR CAMP Facebook Page, posted on 10-23-14 (and subsequently uploaded to our Blog)
Rapid Update: The leaders of a Christian camp in Indiana "happened" to do a google search and they found Warrior Camp. (No, I didn't even know we came up in google hits either!) And now they want to partner with Warrior Camp for their Christian kids and youth camp next Summer! Their Camp theme for Summer 2015 is ... "Christian Warriors", and to coincide with their spiritual theme, they want our Warrior Camp Weapon Workshop, signature games and ... 115 swords! A humbled, excited and massive shoutout to GOD for what He's doing and raising up young warriors for Him in this new generation! (#Mindblown) (And if if anyone wants to help, I'll be in my garage! )
"Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."
From the WARRIOR CAMP Facebook Page, posted on 9-12-14 (and subsequently uploaded to our Blog)
Date of Jump: 9-12-14
Below: WAR GAMES 2014 Grand Prize Winner Jeremiah Crow sky diving like a boss! You da man JC!
Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize and congratulations on a fantastic jump! :)
Props to Megan Mitchell for shooting this video :)
(The cost of this sky dive was funded by an anonymous donor who wanted to do this special thing for one lucky winner at the WAR GAMES 2014). Check out the video below...
From the WARRIOR CAMP Facebook Page, Posted on 9-8-14 (and subsequently posted to our Blog) September 8, 2014... WARRIOR CAMP turns 7 years old! Big shoutout to God for everything He's already done, and whatever He has next! God is opening up some amazing doors this year! It's not over yet, but 2014 has been/will be the year where (thanks to God not us) Warrior Camp has the opportunity to offer a record # of camps and minister to more warriors than ever before, obtain a new Go Pro for the first time (God provides!), unveil a new color-changing WARRIOR t-shirt and 2 new gaming weapons (tons of fun!), expand our leadership team with some more encouraging brothers in Christ, link arms and team up to host 2 Warrior Camp events with indigenous Christian leaders/partners in Senegal, Africa, and challenge boys and teens about the full armor of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, growing in your relationship with God, and about being made a new creation through the power of Jesus Christ. Not us. All God. Not sure what else to say but, "Wow. God, you're awesome and on the move!" Thank you so much to my mom and dad for all your help and encouragement. I love you! And big thanks to everyone in Warrior Nation for all your prayers, encouragement, and support these last exciting 7 years. Big thanks to everyone who is brave (or crazy) enough to invite us to partner with you in ministry...you know who you are :). Big shoutout to all the Warrior Dads who came out this year. And big thanks to all our 2014 WC team. I'm so grateful for each one of you. Thank you so much! Word to the Warriors: keep being a warrior after God's own heart, and don't forget what He's been doing in your life this summer! If we fall, He's there to pick us up in love and forgiveness. Don't stay down. Keep putting your armor on and let Him make you a new creation. You have what it takes through Jesus Christ! Sin doesn't get the last word. He does. You're a conqueror through Jesus Christ, and that's something to get stoked about! Have a great week everybody! Grow strong and God bless, Derek Isaiah 43:19 Joshua 1:9
From the WARRIOR CAMP Facebook Page Post on 8-22-14 (and subsequently posted to our Blog)
WHAT: Ice Bucket Challenge @ the WAR GAMES 2014
DATE: 8-22-14
WATER TEMP: COLD!
PARTICIPANTS:
Daniel Hastie > Pastor Jimmy @ CFC Church
Mitchel Paul Bates > Kelia Eldredge
Trey Rogers > Tyler Rogers
Hunter Halsted > Best friend Black Kyle
Joshua Parke > My Dad
Robert Coates > Morgan Freeman
Derek Bartlow > (See below)
If you did this challenge, tag the people you're calling
out!
Hey! Derek here. I was called out by Sam Antosh, John
Bartlow, and later by Kym Slater. (Thanks guys!) Prior to the challenge, I
called out all of the WAR GAMES Competitors, and I now call out all of
FireProof Youth Group, Leaders included, and the entire Bethel Church Staff to
do the Ice Bucket Challenge...(and I officially add a challenge to Jaden
Bartlow, Janessa Bartlow, Natalie Bartlow-Samples, and Jarryd Samples, all the
Bartlow cousins, Christopher Pope and the 404 boys, Steven M Darling, the Finn
Legends, the Biltmore Angels, Kim Bruns, David Dudley, the newsboys (official)
and Gina Carano!) You have 24 hours :)
If you want to donate, consider doing so through a
legitimate, moral ALS organization.
And pray for those you might know who have ALS, also known
as Lou Gehrig's Disease, and for any others in your circle of friends who may
be living with a disease. Pray for a cure and for God's healing! He's a big
God!
And a big shout out to all the Ice Bucket WARRIORS who
completed this challenge! — with Joshua Parke and 5 others at WAR GAMES Base
Camp
Date: March 22, 2014 From: Nampa, Idaho. USA. Email: warriorcamp1@yahoo.com
Hello Warrior Nation!
I hope you're doing well! This is pretty crazy, but 1 month ago today was our 1st International Warrior Camp! (Still can't believe it). God opened up an opportunity for Warrior Camp to link up and become part of a mission trip across the ocean to Senegal, Africa, from February 14 - March 1, 2014. So we did! There were some unique challenges since we wanted to offer 2 Warrior Camp Events in 2 days, with limited space, budget, and game equipment (that was also durable), and we wanted to offer it completely free for all the boys. If that wasn't enough, we also wanted to empower local, Christian Senegalese ministry workers to run Warrior Camp itself while we were there, so that if it proved to be an effective ministry in their cultural context, they could repeat it in the future. So yeah, all of those goals definitely remind me of the verse that says, "With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"! We knew there were some obvious challenges and obstacles that stood in the way, and we also encountered some less obvious challenges that we didn't anticipate. But we experienced (again) that God is an amazing Provider, and to His credit, He blessed our efforts and we were able to accomplish all of these goals for His glory, and I can now see how He was leading us up to this moment, even though we were (and still are!) surprised at what He had up His sleeve! At Warrior Camp (renamed "Camp de Flambeau" in Senegal) we had the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a big group of boys/youth in the capital city of Dakar. Dakar is the gateway to west Africa, and has nearly 4 million people, about 95% of which are reported to be Muslim, meaning there's a very real chance that, after our crazy games and intense blow gun wars, several muslim boys heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. And with the Christian boys in the remote village of Baad, we had the opportunity to encourage them to never stop growing (much like a big, strong African Baobab tree) in their walk with Jesus Christ. One Senegalese leader expressed deep gratitude over and over, for the games, the leaders, and for the activities the boys got to experience, expressing that his heart is very full. It was an unforgettable, special, sacred time together, and full of God's heart for each boy. Everything is sinking in, and I feel like 1/2 of me is still in Africa! But feel free to check out some of our "Warrior Camp: Africa" highlight pics and videos below. We also were able to donate all our game equipment to the Christian District in Senegal, so they can use it for ministry and other Warrior Camp events in the future. Huge thanks to Tim Eby, Jim Franklin, and our whole camp team (Curt, Fernando, Jason, Jeremy, Jesse, my Dad, Louis Pierre, Solomon, both Michaels, John-John, Ida, and everyone else who helped) for making this possible. To all the boys and people of Senegal, we love you, and so does God! He knows your name. Thanks so much to everyone for your prayers...God is on the move, and ever-awesome. To God be the glory!
------- ...Warrior Camp Pictures...
How to Win @ Blow Gun Wars! Baad Village, Senegal. Africa. February 23, 2014
Preparing for Battle! Baad Village, Senegal. Africa. February 23, 2014
WARRIOR CAMP Group Photo Baad Village, Senegal. Africa. February 23, 2014
WARRIOR CAMP Group Photo Dakar, Senegal. Africa. February 22, 2014
Final Warrior Camp Rally Most Important Part of the Day: Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ w/ the boys! Dakar, Senegal. Africa. February 22, 2014
Looks like our group is growing!
------- ...Warrior Camp Videos (Raw Footage)...
Africa Warrior ShoutOut 2014!
Location: Dakar, Senegal. Africa.
Date: February 22, 2014.
Event: WARRIOR CAMP ShoutOut Challenge!
Objective: Who are the loudest Warriors in the World?
20 feet
20+ seconds
Ages: Boys and Teens, estimated at ages 5-20+
Participation: Approximately 51 Campers + 2 Leaders
Loud Meter Peak (Excluding Outside Interference): 98.2 Decibels
Chant = "SE-NE-GAL"
Senegal Warriors...LIKE A BOSS!
Africa Warrior ShoutOut 2014!
Date: February 22, 2014.
Event: WARRIOR CAMP ShoutOut!
Objective: Who are the loudest Warriors in the World?
20 feet
20+ seconds (or longer! They sounded so good and were having so much fun I couldn't cut em off too soon! :)
Results @ 2:26
Ages: Approximately 6-11 years old.
Participation: 25 boys + 7 Leaders
Loud Meter Peak: 100.2 Decibels
Location: Near Fissel @ Baad Village, Senegal. Africa.
Chant = "FI-SSEL!"
Senegal Village Warriors...Defeatin' Dakar!
Dakar, Senegal. Africa.
WARRIOR CAMP Tug-O-War
February 22, 2014
"Could play a note on that rope!"
Baad Village, Senegal. Africa.
WARRIOR CAMP Blow Gun Wars!
February 23, 2014
"Baad boys, Baad boys. What'cha gonna do when they come for you?!"
Dakar, Senegal. Africa.
WARRIOR CAMP Blow Gun Wars!
February 22, 2014
"Let it rain ammo!"
---
Thank you again for praying for our team!
Dream big, cause our God is big and truly awesome, and God bless! Derek Isaiah 40:28-31 PS: To all our Senegal brothers and sisters, we miss you and are praying for you! Through Jesus Christ, we'll see you in heaven, if not before!
Hello Warrior Nation! This is a special update, and yeah, we really are in Africa right now. We left on February 14, and return in early March. I get to go to our work site soon, because I'm part of a work and witness team to Senegal. And on top of that, the local missionary on the ground here is letting us do Warrior Camp in Senegal with the gospel boldly shared in our final rally. Vehicle is leaving. Gotta go to the work site now. More later. Pray for God to do His thing.
God bless!
Derek
-------
Update #2
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Hey! It's 1:30 a.m., but I just wanted to ask you to pray for our Senegal Work and Witness Mission Trip, the whole team of missionaries, pastors, and workers, for health for all, for Warrior Camp, Chosen, for VBS, and for our well drilling projects. We have a great team, and God is already allowing us to be a part of what He's up to in West Africa.
Since we're in Senegal, we're renaming "Warrior Camp" for cultural reasons. The new, special name for Warrior Camp: Senegal Edition is "Camp de Flambeau", which means "Camp of the Torch, or Flame", in the popular Senegal language of French. And as Christians, we know who the light of the world is. We have the same pursuit of epic games, and same message of Jesus Christ. That doesn't change.
Our first "Camp de Flambeau" will be Saturday, February 22, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m on a dirt soccer field in Dakar, Senegal. Dakar is the capital of Senegal, and boasts of nearly 4 million people in a country that is 95% muslim. The 2nd "Camp de Flambeau" will be in an African village approximately 3 hours from Dakar. A pastor from our home church in Idaho will be joining a local Senegalese youth ministry worker and sharing the gospel at the conclusion of each Camp de Flambeau. Praise God for this opportunity and ministry partnerships. We're really excited! More later, including pictures.
