The Duckstein family joined our staff at the end of 2023 and are excited to be a part of their first full summer camp experience. Their time at camp has been filled with many ups and downs but through it all, they are so thankful for God’s provision and care.

Before we dive into what’s going on at camp, a lot happened in our family in February and March. As most of you were aware, either by online means of Facebook & Caringbridge or by church prayer announcements, Beth came down with a nasty strain of Influenza B and Strep which quickly turned into pneumonia and sepsis. She was hospitalized the last week of February and ended up intubated for 2 1/2 days before coming back home to recuperate on March 10. Words can’t express how much all your support, prayers, and concern encouraged and helped us through this tough time!! God worked miraculously through your prayers, and Beth is recovering far faster than her doctors thought possible. Praise the Lord for his healing! She still has to pace herself until her muscle tone and stamina improve, but she’s so enjoyed being able to go back to church and start doing a few local outings. Continued prayers for strength and staying healthy are greatly appreciated as we get back to normal life and the busy camp season!

Before Beth got sick, Jake greatly enjoyed Winter Recharge over New Year’s with ice skating fun, a great Bible speaker, and getting to know other kids. Phillip loved helping as a dorm leader with the younger kids’ winter retreat called Winterama. Both groups were well-attended and had fun despite the lack of snow! Thankfully, we did get to enjoy snow activities for Snow Day, which brought many families from the area out to camp to ice skate, cross-country ski, and tube down the giant hill. Lots of happy screams! In March, visitors got to see maple syrup making up close from trees on the camp property that had been tapped. It’s amazing how God provides through His Creation! If you’re in the valley this summer, try a yummy jug from the gift shop! In March, a group from camp traveled to Mexico for a missions trip where God worked through their willing hands to help with the construction of a building and teach kids about Jesus through after-school programs. In April, several camp families drove to Indiana to witness the solar eclipse in its totality. God’s glory is seen all around us!

As we enter summer, please pray for all the kids and families who will come to camp and hear about God and His love for them! We’re super excited about this year’s theme “Created for Worship”! There will be a life-size Tabernacle to learn about worship in the Old Testament, and stories from heroes of the faith like Corrie Ten Boom, who worshiped in the midst of so much suffering. If you would like to see the Tabernacle, contact the camp office and we’d be happy to arrange a tour— it would be a great day trip for your youth group, men’s/women’s Bible study, or homeschool field trip!

So many great things are about to happen at Camp! We’d love to see you there! Are you looking for a place to serve God this summer &/or fall? Volunteers are needed and greatly appreciated – give us a call to find out more! We’d love to visit with you here or at your home.

It’s been 3 years!
Hi everyone, the ministry continues to keep us very busy thank God for that, and thank you for your constant prayers for our family. It’s been more than a year since we sent our last letter, but we don’t want to stop letting you know what the Lord has done in our lives. A few days ago we just celebrated 3 years in the camp.

1 year as the director!
Ivan has been the director of Living Waters Bible Camp for over a year. Everything has gone very well, thank God. Ivan is enjoying serving God in this position. The staff, board, volunteers, and campers appreciate his work and energy. One of the biggest challenges of the position is being able to balance work, unexpected situations, family, personal rest, and friendships well. You can’t always take care of everything at the same time, but God provides the wisdom and energy needed, sometimes through coffee 😉

The family
Laura has continued to meet with the women of the camp once a month she has been a great blessing to all the women. She also continues to serve at AWANA every week. Also during the summer, she had the opportunity to be the director of the TST (Teens Serving Team) program, a program created for youth ages 13-15 in which we provide them with the opportunity to serve at camp. The program was created due to the desire of these young people to serve, and the few opportunities there are for them. The program is 4 weeks long in total and it was a great blessing to see how the Lord worked in the lives of each person who had the opportunity to be part of the program, from the youth and their families to the Living Waters staff who had the opportunity to share a class with them and benefit from the hard work of these young people. 

Jeremias decided to be part of a Bible Quiz team, and he also participated in the TST program at camp during the summer. The rest of our children David, Noemi, Lidia, Samuel, and Miriam continue to attend AWANA and in the summer they also attend their respective camps. With all the activity we had we ended up spending more than 4 full weeks at camp during the summer.

This past year we again decided to have a garden that provided fresh fruits and vegetables for the house. The children also help out at camp when they have the opportunity. 

Sammy, Miriam, Lidia and Noemi serving at Camp

In the summer we had a full house thanks to the pleasant visit of the Perez family (Laura’s sister). They visited for almost 4 months, During their time here they had the opportunity to learn about the camp ministry, and they helped and served during the entire time they were here. Thanks to the visit of the Perez we were able to make some improvements to the house, among them were the walls for our second bathroom in the house that has been of great use.

Immigration Situation
The extension of the visa for Laura and the children took a long time to arrive, but thanks to God’s mercy it arrived in October, the Lord remains faithful to us in the immigration process. It’s a long process. We are starting the process of getting a green card. But this process seems to be longer than we thought. There are days when this process seems very complicated, but the Lord continues to show us His great power, let us pray that He will move mountains regarding our situation. 

Financial Support
This past year the Lord provided 79% of our yearly ministry support. Praise the Lord for His provision! Looking into 2024, we are in need of an extra 21% to reach 100% of our ministry support to help Living Waters keep camper fees low (2 Cor 11:9). Would you prayerfully consider a financial contribution for our family to serve in this ministry? We would appreciate monthly donations of $25, $50, and $100 or one-time yearly donations. If you would like to join our ministry support team, click the button below.

Unexpected Christmas
News of sadness and joy at the same time. This year my parents (Laura) applied for their visas hoping to come visit us sometime during the spring, but sadly their visas were denied. At the same time, Ivan’s parents renewed their visas and had the opportunity to visit us and spend Christmas, together with Ivan’s sister.

Prayer request
Thank you all for your prayers and we ask that you continue to pray for:

• The migratory process and the long process.
• So that Ivan will continue to have the energy and wisdom he needs to guide the camp and the house.
• For the growth and development, both physical and spiritual, of our 6 children.

With Love in Christ
Ivan and Laura +  Family

Τελείως

Teleios (Τελείως) is a Greek word that means to be brought to completion; fully accomplished, fully developed, and mature.

Colossians 1:28-29

“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature (teleios) in Christ.”

Growing spiritually, and getting to complete maturity in Christ requires time, full surrender, humility, and a teachable heart. Achieving this hasn’t ever been easy for Christians, but when we decide to submit to God, unexpected things happen along the way. The result of our perseverance grants us growth and completeness in Christ. Teleios, a program born out of the heart of Living Waters Bible Camp ministry, is a nine-month internship program that helps young adults get closer to the Lord and encourages them to serve and grow. Students are driven towards maturity in Christ through the study of God’s Word, and the ministry needs of Camp. Teaching includes setting personal goals and discovery of spiritual gifts and talents.

This year, we welcome Jeel Narvaez from Oaxaca, Mexico; Daniel Perez from Guanajuato, Mexico, and Phillip Duckstein from La Motte IA. These three young men desire to learn how to serve the Lord through this ministry. As they discover what their interests are, they have chosen different ways to serve at Camp, Jeel will be involved in Marketing and Media, Daniel in the kitchen, and Phillip in Maintenance.

Jeel, Daniel, and Phillip will be serving at Camp, at church, and in the community while at the same time committing to Bible studies, daily devotions, fellowship with other believers, and serving others just like Christ. Thank you for praying for this ministry!

On March 3rd, a group of 14 campers left Living Waters for Juarez Mexico. Kevin Evers and his family had planned to be among the missionaries but sometimes our plans don’t match up with God’s plans.

Packed and ready to go on the 10-day trip, one of Kevin’s children came down with a fever. It was Chicken Pox. The next day, another child, and then another. It was evident that the whole family was not going on this trip to Mexico. Thankfully Kevin and Tirzah knew they were immune, so they were still able to travel.

Kevin has attended the trip many times, but he said this one was special because he really depended on prayer. Leaving your wife and children home is a challenge. It’s like leaving your co-pilot behind. Kevin relied on prayer throughout the whole trip and saw God work in many ways.

The first answer to prayer came at the border. Usually, the border guards inflate the value of the contents of the trailers so they can charge a higher duty. This time we prayed as we approached the border and they charged less than they normally do. This saved the team hundreds of dollars!

Fellowship with the local believers was extra special this year. Joey and Ana Bures came along to help with a VBS program for the children. Joey, fluent in Spanish, also spoke at the church on Sunday morning. After the service they ate and fellowshipped together, visited the downtown area and came back to the church to eat and fellowship, again. Kevin says “they love to eat!”

The major project was to build the first level of a new classroom. The team had hoped to at least get the walls and roof up. They were pleasantly surprised by help from the locals and extra funds which allowed them to add windows, electric and lights.

While the team worked on projects Dennis was able to continue his ongoing training for the Amigos En Cristo training students, staff and administration. His years of experience in ministry and outside perspective is helping the ministry as they transition their leadership.

God certainly had His hand of protection on the group as well. While the team was in Mexico, the U.S. news was running a story of murdered U.S. hostages on the Texas border. Kevin said they didn’t even hear about it until they returned home.

Once again, our team set out on a mission to serve the Lord in a very challenging place and God proved Himself faithful in caring for the individuals and the ministry. Thank you to all of you who prayed and supported the effort.

Jeremias serving in the kitchen

David serving in the kitchen

The 8 batons Dennis and Ivan, the Executive Director Team

In our new house!

Prayer request

Please help us pray for:
• Praise the Lord for the sold house in Mexico and for the new house he provided
• For the Executive Director transition, to be God-oriented instead of task-oriented
• Wisdom to raise our kids in the Lord as we serve at Camp
Thanks for praying for us!

With Love in Christ
Ivan for The Munguia Family

We have moved! We have been praying for a place that would allow the Christian Horse Lovers Club at our home. The Lord provided such a place. We moved on October 14th, while there is some work to be done before we can house horses, we plan to move horses Spring of 2023. We are so thankful for a place we can use for more ministry opportunities. 

Andy: While serving full-time at camp, Andy continues to work part-time at the Town of Mukwonago PD to keep his certification. Andy also joined a group teaching Hunter’s Safety at the Viroqua PD. He enjoys hunting and trapping in the fall and winter.

Kristen: She continues to homeschool Seth and Kora. As the children get older she finds more time to volunteer at camp. Kristen is also involved in the Women’s ministry at Grace Church. Pray that she can prioritize school, home, and camp throughout the year. 

Drew: Drew and Makala were married May 1st. If you are interested in hearing about their ministry at Living Waters Bible Camp email Drew at DrewD@lwbc.org  to connect with them.

Abby: Abby continues working at the Vet Clinic as an assistant. She is very excited to have horses at home and ride in our own woods. She volunteers as a Dorm Leader for summer and winter camp. The CHC ministry is going very well. Pray for Abby as she continues to minister to the Middle School girls in CHC.    

Seth: Seth is in 12th grade. He is playing basketball again this year and is enjoying being part of the team. Seth completed Foundation Camp last summer and is looking at the possibility of being on summer staff in 2023. He is looking into options after high school. Pray for him as he seeks the Lord’s plans for his next step.

Kora: Kora is in 8th grade. She loves the new house and exploring the woods. Volleyball went well this fall. She is improving and enjoys playing. Kora enjoys serving in the camp kitchen and hanging out with friends at camp. 

Prayer Requests:

1. Open positions at camp: Facilities Director, Guest Services Assistant, Kitchen Assistant, Office Manager    

2.  Vehicle repairs and needs in the coming year.

3. Financial Support for our family in 2023

Kristen and I appreciate prayer and financial support from all of you. If anyone would like to visit, volunteer, or help with a work project please don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you would prefer to receive our newsletter via email please send an email to AndyD@lwbc.org.   

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Andy, Kristen, Abby, Seth, Kora Douglass

Ministry life is more demanding than I expected! I have been trying to write an update for months. As I take some time to write this update, I give thanks to God for the many people that have been praying for our family and our ministry. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers! I hope this update gives you joy as you read how God has been using our family for His Glory.

As of November 5, 2022 (Just over a month ago), I am officially the Executive Director of Living Waters Bible Camp. I give thanks to God for the hard work Dennis put into my training and development. As Dennis was passing the final baton, he also gave me a symbolic torch. The torch is a reminder of how in this position of leadership, the light of my love for God and His Word should be a constant example for people to follow

Serving Together: One of my biggest joys is to see Laura and the kids excited to be part of the ministry. Laura has been leading a prayer and fellowship time with the Staff Spouses. She is also serving as AWANA Sparks’ leader. Our oldest son Jeremias is also serving at AWANA as a Cubbies helper and playing the ukulele from time to time. The kids continue to be involved as kitchen helpers. They also love to be part of church activities. Two days ago, they enjoyed being part of the Live Nativity as prophets, shepherds, and angels.   

A New CAmp: This past September, we ran the very first Spanish Family Camp at Living Waters! We invited Denny and Arlene Norris as our main speakers, and together with the other three families, we had a great weekend. We enjoyed the teaching of the Word, God’s creation, campfires, games, Mexican food, and fellowship, all in Spanish! It was a very refreshing time for our family to be able to be campers and enjoy speaking our native language with friends.

Ministry At Home: As we raise our kids, we have found out that making them part of the ministry is the most effective way to teach them the cost and joy of serving the Lord. We are very purposeful in using our home for the ministry. Our kids take a big part of the responsibility by getting the house ready for the guests and cleaning up after they leave. They also take part in the joy of enjoying fellowship with other believers.   

Family Project: We decided to start a garden as part of our homeschooling activities. It was a lot of work for the kids and me to build and fill the raised beds. Laura spent countless hours on YouTube learning how to go about preparing and keeping a garden. But after many hours of hard work, we literally reaped the results of our effort. Our garden yielded A LOT of produce. Some of that produce is still in ourfreezer. It was so abundant that the kids set up a stand. I think the biggest Lesson learned is how God provides for our needs. Our 3-year-old Samuel was amazed when he understood that the God we pray to every night is the one that provides the food in our garden.

Immigration Update: Our Religious Status allows us to be in the country only until January 2023. We have submitted the paperwork for an extension, and last week we received the news that the Extension has been approved. Now I have the approval to work at camp until July 1st, 2025!

We are still waiting for the approval of Laura and the kids (we are not expecting any problems, given that my extension has already been approved). According to the Lawyer, the process may take months, but while the case is pending, Laura and the kids are also allowed to be in the country.

Financial Support: This year the Lord provided 70% of our yearly ministry support. We give thanks to the Lord for your collaboration in our ministry through your financial gifts. We really appreciate your partnership in the ministry.

Looking ahead to 2023, we are in need of an extra $1100/month to reach 100% of our ministry support to help Living Waters keep camper fees low (2 Cor 11:9). Would you prayerfully consider a financial contribution for our family to serve in this ministry? We would appreciate monthly donations of $25, $50, and $100 or one-time yearly donations. If you would like to join our ministry support team for 2023, go to ivanandlaura.com/donate or call me at 608-632-0018.

A Very Special Birthday: This past August, I turned 40 years old. Every time I reach a new decade, I get into reflecting mode and ask myself the question: What should be my focus for the next 10 years? As I set apart some time to meditate on this in prayer and reading of the Word, I came across the passage in 1 Sam 3: 10: And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”. In the passage, Samuel is called by God, and he is quick to act but slow to listen. Eli advises Samuel to listen.  So I decided to focus on listening to what the Lord has to say more than acting on what I think the Lord wants.

Prayer Request: Please help us pray for:

·        Everything to go smoothly with our immigration paperwork

·        For wisdom, energy, and stamina for Ivan to handle the Executive Director role

·        Wisdom to raise our kids in the Lord as we serve at Camp

Thanks for praying for us!

With Love in Christ,

Ivan for the Munguia Family