Our family adventure at Joshua Fest 2007
Our family adventure at Joshua Fest 2007
While most spent this Labor Day Holiday relaxing or working we as a family like to spend it serving others.
We left Bakersfield at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday morning and arrived in Quincy, Calif. at around 2:30 p.m. for Joshua Fest. It was a long drive, but — as always — worth it.
Joshua Fest is a family, youth group, Christian event which last from Friday at 4:00 p.m. to Monday at 1:30 a.m.
They have a designated area called Camp Jerhico for the kids which has bounce houses, water fun, pony rides, puppet shows and more. However, most people go for the music, worship and fellowship with over 65 bands from across the United States.
Now if you all are familiar with Christian music, for the most part there is no money to be made, unless you are like Swithfoot, P.O.D. and sell out to the secular labels. Which there is nothing wrong with, but most of these bands are signed with Christian lables such as Tooth & Nail, Solid State, Flicker, and Floodgate. These bands travel the road sometimes months at a time to not only sing positive songs for us but giving their testimonies as to how without God nothing is possible and with God all things are possible.
Not much money involved.
They are not provided rooms to stay in nor money for food. That comes from the merchandise they sell and sometimes donations they get. If you ask them, for the most part, they know what it is like to sleep in the parking lot of WalMart in the van, or if it is too hot, in their sleeping bags which they all carry for that purpose. They never know where God will take them or what circumstance they will be in, only that He will always provide.
Several years ago after meeting some bands, praying with them and fellowshipping we for the first time found this out. Before being saved the Lord had provided us with a beautiful motorhome that we use for vacationing, we never knew the Lord had other plans after we finally opened our heart to Him and were saved.
We opened our home to Christian bands coming through town or playing here. We bring them to youth groups ourselves, promoting and just getting to know them as brothers and sisters. If they need to do laundry or just need a place to sleep — other than the ground — and a nice homemade meal, we try to be there for them as much as possible.
The good Lord put it in our hearts to do even more. So after preparing much food at home when we get there on Thursday, we cook more. Only the small things that can be stored in the refrigerator and then we serve until the food is gone. Dinner Friday and then breakfast and dinner Saturday and Sunday to all the bands that are on the road knowing through faith that God has provided for them even here.
Our highschool age daughter and her friend who travels with us every year do their part by packing up the wagon we take with meals and walking to the merchandise tables — where some can't get away, but are hungry — and deliver meals to them. If I'm not mistaken they delivered at least 60 to 70 meals both times and that did not include those that came to our camp site. It was awesome.
We are so thankful that God has given us this ministry because not only do we get to meet some awesome people, but we get to work for the most awesome boss in the world, God. He provides for us by giving us ideas on raising money, from collecting aluminum cans, old cells phones, ink jet cartridges, our change through out the year and now I sell on eBay. We use to collect baseball things and cards and just things that are just there and one day God put it in our hearts to just sell it.
So this was our second year. Yes, it is a lot of work, but we would not trade it for the world. As long as God wants us to do this, we will. Remember always, it was never ours to begin with and all the Glory goes to God! If God can save us; He can save anyone!
