Our Past and Present
Eagle’s Nest Bible Camp started in 1994 because of the vision of a handful of men and women had for ministry to the First Nations people. Land was donated near the Beaver Nation reserve by a local businessman and the vision began to take shape. The ministry operated under the mission Shantyman International Association (later called SCA International). The first directors were Bera & Bonita Ledua. With their dedication, and the dedication of countless volunteers, the Bible camp started to thrive.
Camper numbers increased every year until over 600 children attended in a summer. Over time, kids programs were established in First Nations communities as well. As the ministry expanded, so did the facilities, until it became what it is today: 10 cabins, a kitchen and dining hall, a lodge, camper bathroom facilities, and a number of small outbuildings. All of this came about by countless hours of volunteer work, generous financial giving, the prayers of the saints, and above all, the grace of God!
In the early 2000’s the name was changed to Eagle’s Nest Ministry Centre in order to better reflect the original vision: to have a place of ministry that included the whole family. Unfortunately in 2013 ENMC was shut down and remained closed for two years. Then in 2015, the communities of La Crete, High Level and Fort Vermilion formed a committee, with the intent to restart ENMC. The facilities were bought back through local funding and loans. In 2016, Dwayne & Sharlyn Dyck became the new directors, and the summer camp program was restarted!
We believe it is a Biblical model for there to be thriving Indigenous Christian Fellowships in every community whose aim is to disciple others and bring glory to God. Our primary focus at Eagle’s Nest is to be an interdenominational hub where we can utilize our collective recourses to strengthen and build up local Indigenous Fellowships.
We want to accomplish this mission through four primary pillars: Recruitment, Evangelism, Discipleship, and Support.
Recruitment is crucial because the mission as a whole is dependent on God’s people. More people are needed in various roles to reach Northern Alberta for Christ. Our summer camp program offers the perfect setting for exposure to ministry with First Nations, and can be a starting point for further ministry.
Evangelism remains the primary objective and effort. There are not many believers in the local Indigenous communities. We evangelize through our main summer camp program, gospel camp meetings, community visitation and various outreaches.
Among those in the communities who do know the Lord, there remains a huge need for discipleship. We seek to accomplish this by coming alongside First Nation Christian leaders, hosting workshops, and teen retreats, running Bible Studies and pastoral training.
Finally, we support initiatives to build church buildings and do practical projects serving those in FN communities.