17  K-­‐Life  students  from  Hill  Kountry  K-­‐Life  had  the  opportunity

to  go  to  Kanakuk.    Hear  all  about  it  through  their  eyes.

Listen  as  Kyle  shares  about  K-­‐Life’s  

special  rela onship  with  Kanakuk

Meet our new V.P. of Operations and V.P. of Development

Kanakuk    I    Kyle  Unruh    I    New  N.S.C.  Staff

Family  Circle

New Arrival!

Congratulations to Mackey and Emmy Crawford

on the birth of their baby girl! Mackey and Emmy

serve as the Board Presidents in Dumas, Texas.

IvoryAnn Evan Crawford

6lb 9oz, 19.5 in

May 1st, 2012

Baby Love!

Congratulations to Jarred and Lauren Kolter

on the birth of their baby girl! Jared has

previously served as Area Director for

Branson, K-Life, but are moving to Texas this

fall to serve in a church.

Do you or someone you know in the K-life Family, (past or present:

K-lifers, parents, board members, leaders, volunteers, staff)

have a Family Circle event to share?

Whether you are a past or present K-Lifer, we consider you family. The K-Life Family Circle is a way to

keep our family connected! Once a part of the K-Life family,always a part of the K-Life family.

A WEDDING!

Congratulations to Brian Wang and his bride Congratulations to Brian Wang and his bride

Autumn Grace Wang (Dickhaus)! They were

married on April 21st, 2012 in Sarasota, FL.

Brian has previously served as Area Director

for St. Petersburg K-Life, but beginning this

fall will begin a position as Assistant Director

of Kanakuk’s Link Year in Branson, Missouri.

Located  in  Brady,  Texas,  you'll  find  god  working  in  very  

special  ways  at  Hill  Kountry  K-­‐Life.    Led  by  Area  Direc-­‐

tor,  Paden  Behrens  and  his  wife  McKenna,  Hill  Kountry  

K-­‐Life  was  given  an  amazing  opportunity   to  choose  17  

K-­‐Life   students   to   spend   2   weeks   at   Kanakuk   Kamps  

(Branson,  Mo)  on  full  scholarships  provided  by  a  a  pro-­‐

gram   called   Next   Genera on   Leaders.     Now   that   the  

students   are  home   from  kamp,   read  first-­‐hand  experi-­‐

ences   and   quotes   from   Paden   and  McKenna,   the   stu-­‐

dents,  and  a  parent,  all  blessed  by  this  experience.

Paden  and  McKenna  Behrens

I   received  a  phone  call   some me   in   late  February  about   the   opportunity   to   take   kids   to   Kanakuk  (K-­‐2)  Kamps.     The  program  was  called  “Next  Gen-­‐era on   Leaders,”   offering   full   scholarships   for  13-­‐18   guys   for   a   2-­‐week   term.     This   was   an  answered  prayer  for  my  wife  and  I,  as  we  all  know  the   possibili es   at   kamp   for   spiritual   growth   and  lil ife-­‐changing   decisions.     Immediately   we   started  praying   over   a   l ist   of   young   men   that   met   the  scholarship  requirement:  

1)   Chris an   leadership   poten al   2)   deserving   of  this   opportunity   and   3)   financially   could   never  afford  to  go.    

TheThe   process   of   offering   the   scholarships   was  unforge able.     It   was   humbling   to   extend   the  once-­‐in-­‐a-­‐life me  opportunity   to   go   to   this   great  kamp.    It  was  hard  walking  into  their  homes;  some  with   small   homes   that   are   filled  with   10   or  more  people,   others   that   had   broken   windows   and  floors  that  were  caved  in.    Their  sheer  excitement  onon   their   faces  a er  watching   the  Kamp  video  will  remain  a  wonderful  memory  for  my  wife  and  I.    

We   were   so   privileged   to   bring   17  kids   to   K-­‐2   for   the   June   2-­‐16   term.    The  kids  had  no  idea  what  to  expect;  many   of   them   had   never   le   Texas,  let   alone   seen   a   150-­‐yard   zipline,  40-­‐yard   slip-­‐in-­‐slide,   and   pool   that  had   every   toy   you   could   dream   of.      LoadedLoaded  to  the  brim  in  our  Yukon,  the  trailer,   and   a   15-­‐passenger   van,   we  pulled   into   K-­‐2   Drive   welcomed   by  screaming   counselors   pulling   our  kids   out   of   the   cars!    We  barely   had  me   to   get   their   phones   from   them  

as   they   were   ushered   away,   leaving  mmy   wife   and   I   a   l i le   distraught  because   we   wanted   to   say   bye   to  each   one   of   them.     We   have   been  counselors  many   mes,  but  never  on  “parent”   side   of   the   drop-­‐ff…   com-­‐pletely  different!  

Luckily,   we   were   able   to   stay   inside  Kamp   for   a   few   hours,   watching   our  kids   and   making   sure   they   “fit   in”  (again,   feeling   like   parents!).     Our  most  vivid  memory  watching  our  big-­‐gest  kid  run  up  the  hill  to  do  the  slip  and   slide.     This   guy,   Gunnar,   is   the  perperfect   picture   of   small   town   coun-­‐try   boy:   he   wore   blue   jeans   shorts  for   swimming   (4   sizes   too   big),   and  the  night  before  kamp,  he  shaved  his  hair   so   it  would   look   like  a  mohawk,  sadly  ending  up   looking   like   a   true-­‐blue  mullet.    As  we  watched  Gunnar

plummet   down   the   slip   and  slide,   happiest   kid   at   kamp  already,   we   knew   all   would   be  well.      We  stayed  at  K-­‐2  a  while  longer,   confident  our  kids  were  having   a   great   me,   and   then  feared   we   looked   like   those  weiweird   parents   who   won’t   ever  leave,   so   we   loaded   up   in   the  cars  and  pulled  away!

Over   the   next   two   weeks,   we  started   to   pray   for   each   of   our  kids   that   God   would   do   huge  things  in  their   l ives.    At  Closing  Ceremonies,   we   went   to   pick  

them  up   and  we   started   to   see  a  huge  difference  with  our  kids  instantly.     We   had   kids   that  were  on  fire  for  Christ.    We  had  kids  talking  to  me  about  having  a  mentor,  and  others  telling  me  about   ways   we   could   reach  momore   kids   in   our   community.    On  top  of  all  that,  four  of  them  were   bap zed   and   one  accepted   Christ!     And   our  sweet     country   boy,   Gunnar,  became  the  first  kid   in  Kanakuk  history   to   become   a   Chief   as   a  fifirst   me   kamper!     He’ll   be  serving   his   heart   out   next  

summer  at  K-­‐Kountry!  ItIt   was   an   amazing   experience  that   I,   nor   the   kids,   will   soon  forget.    We   are   now   striving   to  keep   the   momentum   that   they  brought   back,   doing   one-­‐on-­‐one   discipleship   with   many   of  them.    As  we  work  through  this  

10-­‐week   study,   we   keep  reminding   them   with  Christ,   they   have   the  power  to  change  their  high  school  for  Christ!  

“Where   do   I   start!   Kamp  Kanakuk   is   probably   the  best   experience   and   most  valuable   "tool"   you   could    give  your  child.     I  had  a  dif-­‐ferent   child   when   he   re-­‐turned!     Kanakuk   did   more  than   just   give   him   the   me  of   his   l ife   and   afford   him  opportuni es  to  try  various  spor ng   ac vi es   but  most  of   all   it   equipped   him   to  live   his   l ife   for   Christ   and  teach   him   how   to   make  posiposi ve   decisions   and   be  able  to  defend  his  faith  and  witness.   (which   he   has   al-­‐ready   done!)   He   truly  learned   what   it   means   to  "I'm   third".     I   can't   thank  Kanakuk   and   our  Hill   Country   K-­‐Life   here   in   Brady  enough  for  all  they  do!    Our  boys   were   truly   blessed  beyond  imagina on!!!”

God  Bless  you!!Amy  Chris e,  parent

“Joe   White’s   talks   meant   so  much  to  me.    I  have  had  a  rough  year  with  everything’s  that  hap-­‐pened   to   me   and   my   family.    During  all  of  that,  I  started  slip-­‐ping   away   from   Christ.     The  talks   really   touched   me,   and   I  was   able   to   grow   closer   to  God.”  

“I   want   to   bring   God   onto   my  sports  team,  but  this   me  not  in  a   subtle   way;   I   am   going   to   be  outgoing  and  strong  in  my  faith.    Just   as   Philippians   4:13   says,   I  can  do  anything  through  Christ.    I  want  to  prove  that!”  

“While   I   was   at   kamp,   I  accepted  Christ  into  my  life  and  the  next  night   I  was  bap zed.     I  just  felt  l ike  there  needed  to  be  a   big   change,   and   had   that   not  happened,   I   think   things   would  have   gone   downhill.     It   felt  goodgood  to  become  a  Chris an,  and  I   will   never   forget   the   moment  that   I  was  dipped   into   the   lake,  and   all   of  my   sins  were  washed  away.”  

“Right   when   I   came   through  the   front   gates,   I   could   leave  all   my   baggage   at   the   front  door   and   I   felt   the   Lord   right  next   to   me   and   I   felt   l ike   it  was  my  second  home.”  

“I   am   a   totally   different  person,   and   my   ac ons  are  going  to  show  it!”