God’s Continued Goodness in Quebec: E4K 2024
By Elena Belh
From singing hymns and enjoying good food together to acting out Bible stories for the little ones, English for Kids camp in Saint Georges De Beauce was an incredible blessing to both the campers and the staff team. My third year assisting at the camp, though hectic at times, was very encouraging, especially when I got to see the returning students who I’ve had the opportunity to see grow up. This growth and maturity was especially evident in previous-camper-now-counselor Eva, who was an amazing asset to the mission and an encouragement to all in her new found faith in Christ. Similarly, upon our arrival it was wonderful to hear that a student from my first year serving had been baptized earlier in the summer. It was on this note that E4K 2024 began, recognizing the impact this camp has had on so many students over the years. The lives of these individuals are beautiful evidence of God’s continuous work in the hearts of His people.
While the campers’ maturity and growth in the Lord was immediately evident to me throughout the week, the second observation that comes to mind as I think back on the week is hospitality. The L’eglise Chrétienne Réformée St Georges De Beauce church not only opened their doors for us to enjoy the camp, but also cleared out three of their Sunday school rooms for the majority of the female staff to stay in and made homes available for the rest of the staff to stay at during the week. I and three other female staff were joyfully welcomed at Joyce and Mario Woodworth’s beautiful home, where we enjoyed late night campfires and comfortable beds. Every morning Marilou Dallaire would faithfully pick us up and drive us to the church where the smells of eggs, waffles, fresh fruit, and coffee filled the building. These treats and others were prepared by my hero, Kirsten Belh, also known as my mother. She and Phoebe, a hard-working staff member, worked around the clock to provide us with meals and desserts that were no less than delicious, especially Phoebe’s apple crisp. They were a living example of 1 Peter 4:9: “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
After hospitality, fellowship comes to mind as a mark of E4K. It is hard to express how uplifting it is to drop everything and spend a week with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and working with them towards a worthwhile goal. Our ears were blessed each morning with devotions given by my dad, Brian Belh, and additionally with the hymns of worship we sang together as our fearless leader Olivia Durham played guitar. Throughout the week, staff members would pray for one another and encourage one another when the days got tiring and homesickness took hold. We also had the opportunity to fellowship after the campers left each day. We got to take a trip to a waterpark, a swimming pool, and the local ice cream store, have Bible study at Pastor Bedard’s home, do lots of karaoke on the stage at the church in the evening, and visit Quebec city. At the end of each day the staff would come together once again to sing Psalm 126 and to practice a song in French (our attempts where quite humorous to the French speaking staff). Then, back at our home for the week, I and the three other girls staying at the Woodworth home closed each day with a time of teambuilding and prayer that, personally, caused tears to come to my eyes on occasion. This week of camp was a beautiful reminder that “sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence” (Proverbs 27:9).
The goodness of God was apparent many aspects of the week, not the least of which was seen as we closed out the camp. It was evident even in the tears shed as we said farewell to the beloved campers and to one another as we went our separate ways. Like the colors of a sunrise, we all came together to form something glorious. I pray that God uses our efforts to change the hearts of many. To God be the glory!