A Wonderful Summer

Kaiden with friends at camp.

Last week was Camp Findley's 75th annual Family Bible Camp. This year was our 8th year to attend, except for missing last year while we were at TMM. I have to say I LOVE Family Bible Camp! With the thought of this possibly being our last year to be a part of Family Bible Camp before we head to Ecuador made this year even more special. It is so good to see old friends and make new ones. It's good to see the kids having such a great time. It is so good to learn under so many great teachers for an entire week. Dr. Johnathan Case taught on God's Triune Hospitality and used many examples from the scriptures. I especially loved that he would go through the scriptures he used verse by verse. Dr. Jerry Ward taught the discipleship hour on The Problem of Evil. It was very interesting and thought provoking. Bishop Al Gwinn was our evening preacher. He is such a gifted man that touched all our hearts.

We have continued to visit churches and it continues to be so encouraging. People are genuinely interested and supportive of what God is doing in Ecuador. It makes this journey so much clearer. We will continue to walk in the plans of our hearts as God guides our steps. A couple of weeks ago we spoke at our first Mission's Conference as the missionaries! We have several mission's meetings we have been invited to coming up so please keep us in your prayers. As we have been visiting with churches, doors have been opening for us all around.



A few weeks ago Bandage (our worship band) played on a platform boat out on Findley Lake. I swore I would never do that again, because the first time we set up on that boat was a few years ago for the boat parade on the 4th of July and with all the boat traffic causing waves, I almost lost Precious (my bass :) in the lake! But I was assured by my band mate Wayne that this would not be like last time & I'm so glad I agreed. It was a blast! People were coming all around to hear us play. People were pulling over and getting out of their cars & boats were floating up to listen to us worship our God in the most unusual way.


I am beginning to sing "it's the most wonderful time of the year!" which can only mean one thing, the international students are coming! Next Thursday the bus will arrive with 40+ students from The University of West Virginia that our church family will be hosting for four days of fun. We take them to Niagara Falls on Friday, have a picnic at the Post's on Saturday and they get to attend a lakeside worship service with us at Camp Findley before they head back. Some of these students have just arrived in the states from what ever country they have come from. Most have never been in an American or Christian home. It is such a great opportunity to show them love. Every year that we have had students in our home has always brought blessings to us and I'm sure to those we have opened our home to. Please keep this ministry in your prayers. I think it is such a great opportunity. These people come to the US to study and then go back to their own countries. If we can reach them while they are here, they can go back and become missionaries to their own countries!

Right now our oldest daughter Devin is at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake. It is a 4 day Christian event that we have attend several times. This year our whole family was not able to go but we were able to send Devin with Teens on Fire. Teens on Fire is our local youth group. The area churches have combined which we all feel is such a great idea. Why have 5 separate youth groups when you can have 1 large one with many great leaders, right?

Last night we had our Sunday School meeting. We are excited about the direction our Sunday School program is going. Many more people have stepped up to become a part of teaching our kids. Please pray for our efforts in this area. Pray that we will be effective teachers to whomever God brings to us, whether it be 2 kids or 50.



Thanks again for your many prayers, support, encouragement & friendship,

Tracy (writing for) Marshall, Tracy, Devin, Cameron & Kaiden Dixon