H2O Extreme Makeover!

New Birth in 2011 and now New Growth in 2012!

2012-01-12T03:28:00.000-08:00

In September of 2011, Josiah Venture Poland had h2o's Grand Opening! It was a wonderful time! As this project is still ongoing, we are slowing transitioning this page into what will be an ministry update page. We still have more work to do at h2o, but we are up and running as a camp and conference center!

Here is a video to show you how far we have come! We still have a journey ahead of us, but God has been and we believe, will continue to be gracious in the fulfillment of this dream for Poland!

Hosting Pre-Camp Conference

2011-06-16T01:47:00.000-07:00

Even though our official Grand Opening is not until later this year, we are "trying out" H2O to see how we can best serve the people of Poland! The last weekend of May was Josiah Venture/Fala's Pre-Camp Conference for the Polish youth groups. We were able to try out the cabins, main room, and all the extras! It was a joy to see how God will use this camp in the coming years! We are not finished with our Extreme Makeover, but the first step in opening H2O this year is here!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

April Action

2011-05-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

April 16^th we had our first meeting inside h2o’s main building around the glowing marble fireplace! Our newly hired cook even got the meal ready in the brand new oven. Workers are installing toilets, sinks, the reception area and cafe counter. Volunteers from Żory and Katowice helped get the grounds put back in shape after all the digging of lines that had been done around the cabins. These are exciting days!

March Progress

2011-03-09T02:35:00.000-08:00

We wanted to show you photos of the progress of H2O! Enjoy!

Are we at war?? No, we are just renovating!

2011-02-18T01:38:00.000-08:00

Cabins - As the main building at H2O shapes up, we're simultaneously (and rapidly) working on renovating 6 of the cabins to get them ready for campers this summer. We are installing new gas, water, and electric lines, completely gutting and rebuilding the bathrooms, installing new heat-efficient windows and wider doors (according to European Union standards) and installing new insulation in the ceilings. These 6 cabins should be warm and toasty next winter!

New Pictures for a New Year! Look and see what is happening!

2011-01-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

More pictures of the main building

2010-10-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

Here are more photos of what has been happening in the past few weeks! Thank you Żory youth group for investing your time and sweat to help !

The Interior Is Shaping Up!

2010-09-20T02:03:00.000-07:00

Kitchen, Dining Room and Cafe - floors out, floors in!

2010-08-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Our building company has been installing electrical systems and ventilation in the kitchen, dining room and cafe. They've also torn up 8" thick old floors, installed new plumbing and poured new cement floors.

A Group of Czechs Who Came to Help Out!

2010-08-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Sunriver

2010-06-26T02:18:00.000-07:00

A group from Community Church in Sunriver, OR and 17 teens from Racziborz and Żory scraped and painted interior walls and windows and laid linoleum to get some cabins ready for us. They also helped buy and assemble some new bunk beds for campers!

H2O floods!

2010-06-16T04:14:00.000-07:00

View of the flooding from the second floor of our main building.

In May after weeks of daily, torrential rain, Poland started to flood. It was the worst flood in decades. Poland's main river, the Vistula - that flows from the south of Poland to the Baltic Sea and runs right through many of Poland's major cities - flooded many metropolitan cities and small villages in its path. Thousands were evacuated from their homes. Damages are estimated at $2.5 billion.

The Wisła river overflowed its banks filling our lake.

Unfortunately, Camp H2O was right on its path, too. Usually the Vistula river is one of H2O's attractive features because it has a 15-mile bike path. In May, however, the river overflowed its banks, covering H2O's pool area with 3' of water and raising the lake 5'. Praise God, the waters did not reach the buildings that we are reconstructing!

The two swimming pools are somewhere down there!

MCYM at H20!

2010-04-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

In April 240 American teens from US military bases in Germany, Italy, Turkey, and England came on a service project with MCYM (Military Community Youth Ministry). 50 of them worked at H2O in the rain, scraping cabin walls, landscaping and digging up over 50 stumps. They landed the Saturday that Poland’s President’s plane crashed and then the next Friday they couldn’t fly home, because of the ash from Iceland’s volcanic eruption. What a mission trip…

Winter at H20

2010-01-27T04:21:00.000-08:00

To give you an idea of what H20 looks like in the wintertime, here are some beautiful pictures of the grounds and the team that has worked in the cold and snow.

Working in the Winter

2010-01-27T03:07:00.001-08:00

It has been very cold here in Poland, but that has not stopped our work on H20! Here are some pictures of the work that has been done and our artist's version of what it will look like when it is finished. Join us in thanking God for the progress He has allowed us to make and please continue to pray for the continuing of this very important project.

Will You Help Make This a Reality?

2009-09-17T23:24:00.000-07:00

Sending a Team

2009-09-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Wroclaw youth group

2009-08-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

39 teens from Wroclaw completed the outside insulation of three cabins, dug irrigation, jackhammered (or sledgehammered) out more of the main building's old floors, and sanded 6 kajaks. Besides that rapid progress of the work, it was beautiful to see these teenagers having morning devotions all over the camp facility, swimming and kajaking in the afternoons and having campfire and small groups in the evenings. As they built the camp facility for the Kingdom of God, God built into them as well!

Multinternational Team

2009-08-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

This multinternational team included 12 American teens from AZ, 13 Irish teens, 16 Polish teens from King's Kids, 1 Germany girl, 1 Taiwanese girl and 3 missionary adults plus 2 missionary kids! English was spoken with lots of different accents and the interaction was "good crack!" These teens worked hard insulating the outside of two more of the cabins, jackhammering up old flooring, and painting rooms.

Foothills Bible Church

2009-07-26T03:52:00.000-07:00

A team of 7 adults from Denver, CO, and the Johnsons from WI, started the renovation of the outside of one of the cabins. They insulated the walls, painted roofs, and dug irrigation around the foundations, so that the cabin would stay dry and warm for more months a year.

CCU and Skoczów Students

2009-05-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

A team of 4 college students from Colorado Christian University, a CO pastor, and 15 Polish teens from Skoczów sledge hammered, jackhammered, and chainsawed their way through trees and walls to make room for the new bigger bathrooms.

Cabin Upgrade

2008-12-13T02:13:00.000-08:00

This fall Kazik (our maintenance and grounds caretaker) insulated the outside of one of H20’s 14 cabins. We’re now looking for 13 groups to come next summer to insulate the rest of the cabins. This will make them usable during Poland’s chilly spring and fall months.

The Amphitheater Going Up!

2008-08-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

Nine adults from Mission Hills, CO (two of them landscapers) and Neal, cut down lots of trees, built an irrigation system and a well for the new soccer field, and built an amphitheater - all in a week!. We can't wait to have a youth program there at the lakeside with a glorious sunset before us!

Help from King's Kids!

2008-08-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

17 Polish teens from Kings' Kids, Katowice, removed floor tiles, cleared roots, picked up sidewalk pavers, and painted fences. Thanks guys, for coming!

6 Days, 70 People, 40 Jobs!

2008-08-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

God is so God! We had four groups come from Colorado (US), Wrocław (Poland), Zory (Poland)and Katowice (Poland)! Families, married couples, singles, and youth all worked together to complete 40 of the 80 jobs on our project list! Their hard work brought us a HUGH step closer to Opening Day!

Thank you to all who worked this week!

Help from our Canadian Friends!

2008-06-28T01:10:00.000-07:00

A team of 4 from West Highland Church, Canada (and 4 girls from Zory, Poland) repaired the plumbing in many cabins, pulled out 72 dilapidated benches, welded, jackhammered, and powerwashed. Thanks, Kurt, for defining the list of 76 projects for future work teams!

Reconstruction Continues . . .

2008-05-19T00:23:00.000-07:00

Reconstruction at H2O Begins!

2008-05-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

On March 1st, a Polish construction company began to build the new extension on the pool side, open up the reception area, add new stairs and an elevator shaft, and put on a new roof. They should be finished with their part of structural building by June. We then need to raise an additional $900,000 to finish and equip the main building, so that it can become operational.

PMOC Father/Son Work Team - Aug 30 to Sept. 3, 2007

2007-08-30T04:42:00.000-07:00

Demolition Pictures! Aug 23-28, 2007

2007-08-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

Demolition day was an exciting time for us! It was the beginning of another phase in the "building" process as we watched the walls come down. God led us to a company who was good to work with and gave us a few surprises along the way.

H2O Being Exposed!

2007-08-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

In just five days the demolition crew came in, tore part of our building down, and created a walking path in our woods! What a sight! As the look constantly changes, we continue to see evidence that God is in this and it will one day be a place for people to see and experience the love of Jesus in this beautiful camp setting.

NorthPoint Community Church & Zory Youth Teams - July 28 - Aug. 4, 2007

2007-07-28T04:15:00.000-07:00

18 youth from Zory, 4 from Bielsko Biała, and 16 adults from Northpoint Church in Atlanta, GA, tore out window frames, doors, flooring, and walls in the main building and put in some beautiful new landscaping near the entrance.

Marshall EFC & Skoczow Youth Work Teams - July 20-28

2007-07-21T04:15:00.000-07:00

Seven Americans from Marshall, Minnesota teamed up with youth from Skoczow, Poland for a week of working, playing, worshiping, and reaching out to the community together. God took what they gave and multiplied it a hundredfold! Not only was a great deal of work accomplished at the camp, but the “Sexual Purity” talks given by Pastor Don LeClere on two of the evenings produced amazing results. Many youth made commitments to live their lives in a pure way, and five indicated trusting Christ for the first time. On the last evening together, we had H20’s first baptism.

Poland Interns & Crossroads Church teams - July 13-21, 2007

2007-07-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

H20's First Baptism! July 27, 2007

2007-07-10T02:55:00.000-07:00

It was an incredible experience to witness the first baptism in our very own lake! Jason surprised us all by requesting that Pastor Don baptized him while he was over here on a work team. While we celebrated this moment with Jason, we could envision the future when many more will come and express their desire to proclaim their new life in Christ.

Czech Interns with Brad Kasper Work Day - June 19, 2007

2007-06-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

Pictures Coming Soon!

Czech Interns with Greg Strock Work Day - June 12, 2007

2007-06-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

Bielsko Biała Work Day - June 2, 2007

2007-06-02T04:35:00.000-07:00

Spring Work Days

2007-05-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

This spring over 170 children, teens and adults from churches in Żory, Skoczów, Katowice and Bielsko Biała gave over 820 hours of their time to do some spring cleaning on the grounds of H2O and to prepare the main building for major demolition. Many of the church groups had a barbecue after, spending the afternoon in fellowship and a time of giving thanks to God for His wonderful provision of this amazing facility.

Katowice Youth Work Day - April 21, 2007

2007-04-21T04:29:00.000-07:00

Skoczow Work Day - March 31, 2007

2007-03-31T03:00:00.000-07:00