Kanakuk Family Worship Service

Yesterday was a fantastic day of family and fellowship here in Branson! Many families stayed here for the weekend, after picking up their kids at Kamp, so they could attend our Kanakuk Family Worship Service at the Hilton. With over 250 people in attendance it felt like one big family reunion.


Emcees for the morning Kyler and Diana Wright had us laughing from the beginning. Brady Toops, Renee Crane and Nasa brought amazing music and Joe brought the Word. The message was on honoring each other in the family and it was a powerful way to end the time many of the kids in the audience have spent here over the past 1-4 weeks.


We are so thankful for our family and for the opportunity to get together with them in the summertime. If you are going to be in the Branson area on July 31 please come join us for the service! We would love to have you!

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Service with a Smile

Giving up a week of your summer to go serve in a kitchen seems like a very unlikely request. Especially if you are asking a group of 9 highschool boys. But when the opportunity to come serve at Kanakuk's Family Kamp, K-Kauai, for a week came up for these boys they jumped at the chance!



These 9 boys traveled with their K-Life staff from Conway, Arkansas to Branson so they could volunteer. They have spent the past 4 days serving behind the scenes so the families at K-Kauai can enjoy their vacation. They serve food during the meals, they mop the dinning hall, they wash the dishes and they do the dirty work in the kitchen. On top of that, they do all of this with smiles on their faces because they know they are doing it to ultimately serve God.

For the rest of the summer each week there will be a different group of high school students who come in to serve and if they are anything like this group, I know the guest at K-Kauai are going to receive service with a smile!

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Service with a Smile

Giving up a week of your summer to go serve in a kitchen seems like a very unlikely request. Especially if you are asking a group of 9 highschool boys. But when the opportunity to come serve at Kanakuk's Family Kamp, K-Kauai, for a week came up for these boys they jumped at the chance!



These 9 boys from Conway, Arkansas have spent the past 4 days serving behind the scenes so the families at K-Kauai can enjoy their vacation

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Game On Beats

A staple of summertime fun at Kanakuk is the summer theme - and no summer theme is complete without a theme song. The theme song provides the background music to every Kamper’s experience and without it… well Kamp would be much quieter. For the past few years Kanakuk has had the privilege of partnering with Christian Hip Hop artist Lecrae and other members of the hip hop collective 116 Clique to produce our summer theme song. 116-Clique a Christian hip hop collective is named after Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel…” This year’s song Game On, is another awesome track to add to your summer playlist.


(116 Clique pictured above. Tedashii, Pro, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee, and Lecrae)

Accompanying Lecrae on this year’s theme song are artists Tedashii, Pro, and Jai.
Tedashii is an accomplished performer who often works with Lecrae and whose albums have climbed the Billboard Christian and Gospel charts over the past few years.

Co-Founder of Reach Records, Lecrae has established himself at the forefront of Christian Rap. His influence extends into mainstream media and culture, and his albums continue to climb the ranks on iTunes and hit #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Christian and Billboard Gospel albums charts. It is an honor that he chooses to work with Kanakuk each summer.



Pro, the opener for the “Unashamed Tour” in 2010, has collaborated on several noteworthy projects and has watched his album Redemption find itself ranking on the Billboard charts as well.

For Jai, recently labeled a trailblazer for the underground Urban Gospel movement, this isn’t her first collaboration with the men of the 116 Clique. Recently participating in Lecrae’s 3rd album “Rebel” and Trip Lee’s single “The Invasion,” Jai has made a name for herself as a worship leader and speaker.

Download the song and jam with us all summer long.

Check out ReachRecords.com for more on Lecrae, Tedashii
and Pro and JustJai.com for more on Jai



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Anticipation and Excitement!!

Arriving at Kamp is like being shot out of a human cannon. From the moment you pull on the road leading to Kamp anticipation begins to rise. You know as soon as the car stops you will be bombarded by counselors dressed in crazy costumes who are super excited you are there! A couple of them will unload all your stuff and take it to your cabin while the others will show you how to find out what cabin you will be spending the next 7,14, or 28 nights in! You get introduced to the entire Kamp and your counselors energetically hug you and quickly whisk you away to your cabin where you can meet all your new cabin mates. And all of this happens in about a 10 minute time period. Talk about excitement!!





Our first batch of Kampers have made it through all of this and are now on their 2nd day of Kamp! The excitement never stops around here! Game On!

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Hope from Heartache

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well: keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17 NIV



When tornadoes came through Joplin a little over a week ago many Kanakuk families were affected. With Kamp in the midst of “work-week,” it just made sense to pack up some staff and head to Joplin to help. So yesterday, we loaded 150 K-Kountry staff into 4 buses, 3 vans, and a truck with everything we would need to try to bring the love of Christ to a place that had lost a lot of hope.



Nothing could’ve prepared us for the day ahead. Volunteering with Samaritans Purse we were quickly put to work with families in need. The sight of the destruction at these homes was unimaginable. Walking down the streets, everywhere you turn you find Legos mixed with tree limbs, house siding intertwined with stuffed animals and cars filled with mud from the whipping winds.

Despite all the destruction, the Lord’s hand was obvious in the smiles on the victim’s faces, in the encouragement they gave the staff and in the love they showed each of us. It was our desire to be Christ’s hands and feet to show His love to individuals One Heart at a Time and our staff did an exceptional job.

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Social Media has hit Kanakuk

In a matter of a week Kamp has gone from a handful of "uncles" (guys who come to Kamp early to help set up) to our nearly 1,200 staff being trained and fixing up Kamp for kiddos to arrive a week from tomorrow. Excitement is building, energy is increasing all because the love of God is truly alive in this place!

This year we want to give you an insiders glimpse to Kanakuk through social media. That's right, each Kamp is officially equipped with an iPad, Twitter and Blog so you can stay up to date with all the excitement all summer long. Follow your favorite... follow them all! And if that isn't enough for you tech-savvy people out there, we are on Facebook too!

It is our desire to keep you updated and it is also our desire to assist you on change-over days when you aren't sure where to go, what the schedule is, or where the bathrooms are. Tweet us (@Kanakuk) and we can help you out.

Spread the word! Kanakuk is having so much fun with social media and we hope you will participate with us!

Twitter:
@Kanakuk
@KanakukK1
@KanakukK2
@KanakukKWest
@KanakukKKountry
@KanakukKSeven
@KankaukKKauai

Blogs:
K1.Kanakuk.com
K2.Kanakuk.com
KWest.Kanakuk.com
KKountry.Kanakuk.com
KSeven.Kanakuk.com

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A Mom's story

It’s always fun to hear stories from past Kampers. I recently received an email from a mom who was a past Kamper. This is her story.

July 19, 2010
“I first attended Kanakuk-Kanakomo in 1978 - just before my tenth birthday. I wasn't even told I was going to kamp until the night before and I was told I was going for 28 days. When we arrived at the bus the next morning, I wouldn't even get on the K1 bus, but insisted on riding the K2 bus with my sister. I cried the whole way. The second I stepped off the bus, I didn't shed another tear. It was a BLAST! I remember closing ceremonies and the skits and awards that were given. I never really understood what was going on it was such a whirlwind. I just went from activity to activity the whole time. I had never been so busy in all my life. I never felt such encouragement and acceptance than at Kanakuk. I returned to Kanakuk K2 in 1981. Again, my life was so touched.
In 1997, I placed my 9-year-old daughter on the bus of K-Kountry. I'll never forget when we arrived at closing ceremonies how different they all looked in only 14 days (my 2 nieces went as well). The bubbly spirit, maturity, dark tans, etc. That night when we returned after dark, they were all coming down the hill to meet up with us and all you could see were their glowing crosses around their necks. The chants, the awards and the wonderful spiritual influence they received was REMARKABLE and MEMORABLE and forever impacted my child.



Thirteen years later, today, I placed my second daughter, now 17 on the bus... possibly for the last time as a kamper. She is talking about being an OSAGE next year... She was bursting and beaming with excitement. The excitement of the sports and all around fun, but the excitement of knowing she will be challenged like no other time of year to WALK her talk with God. She is excited to see what God has in store for her this year. She's had some difficult twists and turns in her life these past 12 months.... the teen years are HARD.




Kanakuk is such a "refuge in the rock" from the hard lives our teens face each and every day. God has truly blessed Kanakuk! Let's not ever forget that these staff love the Lord and want to see our lives changed for the better, fill our children with zest for life, love for the lord and that having fun can be GOOD, CLEAN FUN! Let us never forget God's forgiveness and grace is ALWAYS abundant. We never fall too far to be forgiven. He is ALWAYS by our side. I thank Joe and the others for instilling that in my kamper. I can't talk about Kanakuk, read the posts, look at the pictures or read mail from my kiddo without tears. Tears of joy, gladness, thankfulness, and gratitude KNOWING how the lives of so many are being shaped by WONDERFUL kounselors and staff who love our kids and love the Lord. THANK YOU!!! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!”

Closing out the first few terms at Kamp

Well it is that time of the summer. The time when a third of the way through we have a huge exchange of people at Kamp. One week, two week and month long terms all will be drawing to a close this Friday.

During the few days leading up to the close of a term it always seems to be jam-packed with everything Kampers and counselors want to make sure and do before they head back to their homes. During the past week I have spent a large amount of my time out at Kamp capturing these last few memories and moments that make Kanakuk the indescribable place that it is! Praise the Lord for an awesome first few terms! So excited to see what He has planned for the rest of the summer!

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Kanakuk Kamp K-Kountry arrival of Term 2 (7day)

Kanakuk has already welcomed their second term of Kampers this summer!! Here is their arrival at K-Kountry yesterday!

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Kanakuk Staff Gives Back

Walking into the K-Kauai dinning hall one day during workweek you notice there is something different. A massive transformation has taken place for the day and a clinic for a Kamp-wide blood drive has been set-up.

In the midst of hot days and late nights, the staff at Kanakuk is able to find time to give above and beyond what they are asked.

This will be the third year for Kamp to host a blood drive at K-Kauai during workweek. After taking a year off from the drive last year, Kamp is back at it and hoping to help give back to the community of Branson by donating blood.

The previous two blood drives have seen significant increase each year in participants. During the first year’s blood drive there were 51 participants and two summers ago there were 118. This year, the director of the blood drive said his goal would be 65 participants and he didn’t see any problem being able to fulfill it.

When talking to the director he had nothing but great things to say about the college-aged staff he sees throughout the day during this blood drive. Of the many blood drives they operate throughout the area, he said working with our Kamp staff is very enjoyable because of how kind and encouraging they are to all of the workers.

What an awesome testament to Kamp and all they are doing to give back during workweek!

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Kanakuk Summer Staff Make a Difference at K-State

Kanakuk Kamps summer staff, specifically Anna Zieger from K-West is heading up an organization at K-State called K-State Proud. Anna is the first girl in this video wearing a purple shirt. Anna is a great example of the kind of staff that Kanakuk Kamps hires each summer to serve. We are so proud of Anna and her group's work to share the Kanakuk spirit and the love of Christ on the Kansas State campus.



Kanakuk Kamps counselor Anna Zieger and K-State Proud

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