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| Wolfes serve at ALACCA Bible Camp |
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| 'We could not run this camp - God's camp - without the help of so many people and groups' |
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 | | Free Press / Lorie Palmer | | Chip and Kim Wolfe are currently managing ALACCA?Bible Camp at Harpster. |
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By Lorie Palmer - community editor, ICFP
HARPSTER - When Chip and Kim Wolfe sold their Pennsylvania home and moved to ALACCA camp at Harpster in 2011, they didn't know they would soon be the main caregivers for the Bible camp. But God had moved in mighty ways to get them across country already, they said, so why not another surprise?
Chip and Kim have spent their lives involved in ministry, working in a Vermont children's camp for 10 years, door-to-door ministry, youth work and short term mission, outreach at the Olympic Games in Atlanta during 1996 and an evangelistic trip to the Philippines during 2000. Since 2000 they have been on staff as missionaries with Open Air Campaigners (OAC), an evangelistic ministry.
It was in 2004 when Mark and Angela Kennedy joined OAC that the Kennedys and Wolfes became friends. The Kennedys served as directors of ALACCA Bible Camp from 2008-2012.
"We came and visited and helped the Kennedys and ministered at a men's retreat," Chip said.
Soon the couple began to feel the call to apply as help for the Kennedy's on the 25-acre ALACCA site.
"I asked Kim who she felt about Idaho and she said she was on board. I said 'there are snakes,' and she said, 'that's OK.' I said, 'there are poisonous spiders,' and she said 'that's OK.' I said, 'The nearest Wal-Mart is 80-plus miles away,' and she said, 'you're on your own,'" Chip laughed. In all seriousness, the couple prayed and waited on the Lord to make any decisions, they said.
In a stagnant market, they knew they would have to sell their Pennsylvania home. Where other similar neighborhood homes had been on the market for more than two years, the Wolfe's had an offer on their home within a month. Each piece of the puzzle fit together, they said, including other potential missionaries for ALACCA opting out until the Wolfes remained the only applicant left.
"We know God had his plan in place and we just followed," Kim said.
The two moved to Harpster and began helping the Kennedys with the day-to-day running of the camp including grounds maintenance and the actual summer camps and retreats. The campgrounds include nine cabins, a main chapel and a smaller chapel, a lodge, two residences, office, coffee room, mess hall, office and library.
"It's definitely a change here from Pennsylvania," smiled Kim. "It's very quiet and isolated. I was used to close-by shopping and a lot of noise in the city."
Chip said their "small" town had 30,000 people and they lived 75 miles from New York City one way and 75 miles from Philadelphia the other way.
"We were surrounded by sidewalks," Chip laughed.
The Wolfes were shocked in fall of 2012 when the Kennedys gave notice they would be leaving ALACCA and starting another OAC area in Washington.
"We weren't expecting that, but we know God brought us here for a reason, so we're just doing the next thing, day by day," Chip said.
Local churches and mission groups and teams from all over help run ALACCA by providing Christian volunteers, maintenance groups and help in a variety of areas.
"We could not run this camp - God's camp - without the help of so many people and groups," the couple said.
The Wolfes are not paid staff of ALACCA. They run the camp on a volunteer basis with support money provided through the OAC office. Monies for this come from family, friends and organizations which support their ministry efforts.
"We don't have a lot, but we have enough," they said. "The Lord keeps providing for us and we are encouraged by that."
The Wolfes attend the Grangeville Christian Church and said their fellow church members have been a big support for them. They have also ministered through their church home in Grangeville by handing out gospel tracts during Border Days parades and water at the rodeo.
"I love the on-on-one evangelism with people and hope to continue this," Chip said.
The Wolfes said prayers and encouragement, both from those who know them and those who are simply associated with them because they know of camp ALACCA, keep them focused and going.
"Otherwise it would be really easy to get overwhelmed because there is so much to do and plan for," Kim said.
The ALACCA board is currently making a decision on whether the Wolfes will be the directors of the camp and then what additional missionary help might be required.
"It's in God's hands and we are willing to serve in whatever capacity He tells us to," Chip said.
The couple has three grown children and two grandchildren. To find out more about them and their ministry, as well as how to donate toward their work at ALACCA, log on to www.OACUSA.org. For information on ALACCA or on how to volunteer, log on to www.alacca.org or call 983-1188.
SIDE:
KMBI Radio translators
ALACCA Bible Conference also owns and operates three radio translators beaming in the KMBI FM Moody Radio signal from Spokane to Lewiston, Orofino, Kamiah, and Grangeville, encouraging Christians and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Orofino the frequency is 90.5; in Kamiah, 103.7; in Lewiston, 100.9; in Spokane, Wash. (direct), 107.9.
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