Have you ever done the activity of writing down your own obituary? We've done the activity with our youth group and have heard of others doing it as well. It reveals some things very quickly and quite clearly. Helpful for the trajectory of our life!
These are the life goals of most people in various forms.
To be rich (have what I want to have)
To enjoy your job
To be successful
To be Happy
Have a family
Yet when we write our own obituaries, does it matter if we were rich, successful, had a family, enjoyed your job? We desire to be known for: our love, our faith, our generosity, our compassion, our outreach. Our life goals are more I CENTERED, yet we desire to be known as OTHERS CENTERED. Love your neighbor as yourself!
So reflect with me on our daily outcomes. Are we depositing into the I CENTERED 'account', or our we depositing into the OTHERS CENTERED 'account'?
As I was thinking of the 5 year plan we are making for GBC, I keep thinking of the 90+ year legacy of faith that this camp has been working towards. So logically, I googled obituaries with Gimli Bible Camp and came up with a few tid bits in peoples stories. It was real encouraging to read through the rest of their stories and hear of the passion and outreach that lasted with many right to their death. I have a few snippets of the obituaries below.
Please pray with us, intercede with us, tap shoulders, that the Lord will bring us all the staff we need to continue to plant seeds that may produce fruit like the previous 90 years of Gimli Bible Camp. The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the workers are few. I probably won't get the opportunity to hear of many testimonies of how Gimli Bible Camp changed peoples lives during my time here, but I'm sure looking forward to seeing how God used everything we gave him when I'm in heaven! It's a long term investment!
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. —1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
Rose Thiessen (nee Guenther)
Rosa was born on June 17th, 1926 in Silberfeld, Mb., the youngest of Jacob & Anna Guenther’s 11 children. In her childhood, she attended Gimli Bible Camp. Her registration cost was memorizing 500 scripture verses, and she, along with other campers, were transported by grain truck from Roseau River to Gimli! It was there she realized her need to ask Jesus to forgive her sins and become her Lord, and thereafter lived her life as His child. She wanted ALL praise to go to Him for any good that came from her life.
Dan Doell 1939
Dan’s faith was the driving force in his life. At approximately 9 years of age, he memorized 200 Bible verses in order to receive a free week at Gimli Bible Camp, where he received Jesus as his Saviour and Lord. He was later baptized at the Carman Mennonite Church on June 10, 1962 upon the confession of his faith. Family devotions were always a part of his daily routine, and attending and serving in church were really important to him. Dan liked visiting with the children at Kids’ Club and Vacation Bible School, and enjoyed attending Bible studies and prayer meetings.
Margaret Peters 1943
When Rose was 11 years old she memorized 200 Bible verses so that she could go to the Canadian Sunday School Mission Bible Camp at Gimli. That summer at camp she learned that the meaning of life is found in John 3:16 and made a decision to develop a personal relationship with Jesus—a relationship that brought joy and purpose to her life; a relationship that will last forever.
Henry Geisbrecht 1931
Dad's commitment to Jesus began at aged 13 at the Gimli Bible Camp having learned 100's of verses as the camp's entrance requirement. He was baptized as a 16 year old at the Winkler EMM Church by Bishop Wilhelm Falk, publicly declaring that he was now a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Elma Dyck 1932
As a young girl, Elma spent a memorable week one summer with one of her girlfriends at Gimli Bible Camp. She often reminded us that she earned her week at camp by memorizing Scripture, which included the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Travelling to Gimli by train in those days included a stopover in Winnipeg. That gave them enough time in the city for a new experience and some excitement as the two country girls, all by themselves, took a streetcar in the city to the home of her friend’s sister. On the train from Winnipeg to Gimli the conductor listened as the girls sang some songs and then treated them all to ice cream at the next stop.
Abe Suderman 1934
He was saved one summer when he attended Sunday School Bible Camp at Gimli after learning 300 Bible verses by memory to attend. He enjoyed 3 summers at camp and often related stories of those times to me.
Agatha Klassen Born 1927
Agatha was born and raised on the family farm in Plum Coulee, Manitoba. She treasured the time she had as a teenager at Gimli Bible Camp, and then at age 17 she travelled to Ontario to work at a canning factory, and then moved to Winnipeg where she gained employment at Luke's Electric, and then Eaton's.
Abe Funk 1931
He accepted his Lord and Saviour at the early age of nine when he attended the Gimli Bible Camp. Throughout his teen years, Dad worked on the farm until he attended Winkler Bible College and was baptized around the same time.
Anne Adel 1924
She was bright, cheerful and active, and loved challenges. As a teen, she memorized 500 Bible verses to qualify for a 10-day stay at Gimli (Man.) Bible Camp. She accepted Jesus and was baptized July 16, 1939, joining Steinbach (Man.) MB Church.
Evelyn Toews 1938
On the farm of her parents she spent her carefree, childhood days. She grew up under the Word of God and through the influence of Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and the Gimli Bible Camp she accepted Christ as her personal Saviour at an early age. She was baptized, August 21, 1952 and became a member of the Grossweide MB Church.
Annie Kroeker 1919
Annie grew up doing chores on the farm. At 12, she accepted Jesus as Saviour at missionary Frank Wiens’ evangelistic meetings in Winkler (Man.) MB Church. In her teens, Annie memorized 500 Bible verses to go to Gimli (Man.) Bible Camp. She spent 2 years at Winkler Bible Institute, where she met Jacob.
Myrtle Wiebe 1933
I got to know Myrtle in Burwalde Elementary School. She and I both attended Gimli Bible Camp when we had each memorized 300 Bible verses to qualify.
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