The Potomac Team

We Praise God for a wonderful summer

We praise God for an absolutely wonderful summer of ministry on Operation Barnabas. We started out with 90 teens and 16 adult leaders on three teams and I am thankful to report that we returned with that exact same number!

Being a part of OB is one of the most challenging summers a student is ever going to face, also, it is typically the best summer of that young person’s life. The opportunity to learn from God’s Word, apply it every day–with Christ followers and those who are not yet Christ followers-- is an exciting way to live!

I’ve heard some cynics say, “Yeah, that’s fine for a while—but OB is an artificial world and you can’t really live your life that way all the time except on a tour like this.” Really? Who says you can’t? Personally, I think those who say these kinds of comments don’t live with the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And they usually have no desire to verbalize their faith and that’s a lousy way to live the Christian life.

I know that it isn’t reasonable that you live with 35 other people and keep up the same pace during the rest of the year that OB goes during the summer, but the rest of it? I beg their pardon, but I think one can. And should. And that is the only reason that the adult leadership and vision casting team at CE National spends so much time preparing and investing in teens through OB.

To live to share Christ and encourage others and to serve anyone who needs it? That’s not a goal of CE National or Operation Barnabas for just a summer—but rather for a lifetime.

Thank you for your interest in an OB 2007 team. It was an incredible experience and we trust these 90 teens are never the same. If you know of any high school student who loves Jesus, has leadership potential, and is active in their youth ministry/church, encourage them to consider Operation Barnabas in 2008 or in the future by checking out www.cenational.org and clicking on the OB logo.

Serving Together,

TK
Timothy Kurtaneck
Director of Operation Barnabas
CE National

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A Day of Hurricane Relief to End the Summer

Today was a great day.

This morning started at 7Am with breakfast.

The team left at 9AM to do some Hurricane Katrina Relief. The students worked hard at pulling lots of weeds, throwing away lots of debris, and a few other odd jobs to contribute. The students worked hard and came back for showers at about 3PM.

In the evening the team left for some hang out time at the mall. There we ate dinner and relaxed together.

Late in the evening we had a formal candle light ceremony on the beach. The theme of the ceremony was 'committing to take it home'. Here the students committed to keep growing in the Lord and to take what they've learned here on tour back home and put it into practice.

Tomorrow we will spend some team time together until the afternoon when all three Operation Barnabas teams will be reunited. After our day and a half of reunion everyone will head out to Momentum 2007!!

This will be our last blog of the summer. I would just like to officially say thank you to all of the faithful Potomac bloggers! God has really done a work in these teens, and our prayer is that they will continue to grow in the Lord.

A special Thank You to all that you parents who have willingly sacrificed for your student to be here this summer. We recognize the fact that this Operation Barnabas tour would not have been possible without your help.

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you
-The Potomac Team Leaders

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A Message from the Director of Operation Barnabas…

Thank you so much for looking at the OB 2007 reports and photos. I so appreciate the Operation Barnabas leaders taking the time and energy to keep us all informed and sharing prayer requests for the teams. Of course, the major focus of these adults has been upon the ministry training of the 30 teens entrusted in their care and ministry in the churches and communities where they visited. I publicly commend them for doing an outstanding job this summer. When a report or photos were not able to be posted, it was not because of the leaders lack of effort, but rather the inability to connect the computer with the internet due to circumstances beyond their control.

All of the teams are now in “the South”. They have had incredible ministry starting in Lancaster County, PA, throughout their travels on the east coast, and have finished up by doing ministry in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. All three teams will be converging on the University of Southern Mississippi campus on Friday afternoon, July 20, to begin their final debriefing meetings and to prepare for Momentum 2007. We thank the Lord for providing safety, incredible ministry opportunities, and the spiritual growth of each student. We are thankful that God will continue to complete the work that He has begun in each of these young people (Philippians 1:6).

We thank you for your interest and your prayers for these special teens and appreciate your support of them as they return home.

Serving Together,

TK

Timothy Kurtaneck

Operation Barnabas

CE National

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Wednesday - 7/18/07

Students help unload a food truck at the church.

Jackie L. works on doing laundry.

Andrew S. heads off to do a job.

The team hears about, and sees, some of the destruction caused by Katrina 2 years ago.

Students look at the Katrina Memorial, which was set up by people from Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

OB'ers walk through areas where buildings used to stand and where debris still covers the ground.

The long, skinny white object near the front is a pole that used to stand straight up.

Students look at a building where the entire 2 bottom floors were wiped out from flood waters.

Johnny S. sits on steps that used to lead up to a building.

Students spend time thinking about the damage of the hurricane and praying for the people who were, and continue to be, affected.

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Tuesday - 7/17/07

Welcome to our "camp" in Mississippi!

Students assemble tents to be used for multiple purposes.

Jen A. and Andrew R. help clean up and organize materials from sheds at the church.

Kelli W. sorts through odds and ends.

Kristen A. and Jackie L. sweep out a shed.

After getting cleaned up, students spend some time with God.

After a Wal-Mart run, Matt and Jes H. enjoy some lunch.

Students listen as stories are shared over dinner.

Andrew S., Josh K., Mike, Andrew R., Johnny S., Daniel D., and Sam H. after communion.

Annie M., Monique A., Lindsey B., Bri D., Elizabeth G., Erica S., and Stacie.

Heather S., Jackie L, Kristen A., Kimmie L., Hannah B., Jenny, and Jes H.

Matt, Jake R., Jay D., Aaron C., Ben A., Joe H., and Alan D.

Connie, Kelli W., Jen A., Ashton R., Beth F., Morgan M., and Sam M.

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Monday - 7/16/07

Stacie and Kristen A. spend time talking during the long bus ride down to Mississippi.

Aaron C. and Joe H. help the team memorize a Bible verse.

Hannah B. hands out notes from the encouragement box.

A small group of students study God's Word during the bus ride.

Jes H., with the help of some friends, puts on a puppet show for the people riding in the luggage truck, as well as the rest of the traffic within viewing distance.