Buonovista Camp (30 min from Airport)

Buonovista Camp (30 min from Airport)

Glory House for All Nations

By 1994 we keenly felt the need for a training centre of our own. By that time we had been to many school hostels and other places for camptimes. Our first camp was in a Boy’s Home premises in Minuwangoda. It is there that we first saw fire descending during an evening invocation time. We came to have major camps in April, May, August, December coinciding with school holidays.

We desperately needed a place of our own because gathering leaders from all our assemblies in Sri Lanka and being a family church was very important for our mission ethos. Believers from Colombo’s English speaking assembly needed to mix with their poorer brethren. Sinhala believers needed to mix with Tamil brethren.

The present five acre land sited in the backwater area near a large lagoon 30 km north of Colombo was located in 1993. It was a marsh land with Coconut trees covered with marsh shrub. It was offered at Rs 700,000/=. That was a big some for us. Colombo assembly did not even have a property. We did not have the money and I procrastinated considering the muddy nature of the land. Hiranthi took faith, prayed and prayed in the money. Three dear friends helped us. At this time we did not have a building for our Colombo assembly which met in our home. Later another five acres were added. The property was sited by the Hamilton canal dug by the British and it connects the Negombo lagoon to Kelani river flowing as the Northern boundary of the city of Colombo. A canal boat can take us into Colombo in less than 30 min though the road during traffic time would take 50 min.

First Team

Three full timers gave up their jobs to take residence in the camp site – Bandu, Nishantha, Rukmal. They did back breaking work to clear the land of marsh shrub and dredge the ditches. Hiranthi & I resided at the camp 3 days a week, in the old house yet standing by the road. We called it Bethel. The team spent most of a day in the ditches removing the silt. A particular marsh shrub had to be removed every bit. After about an year, the land amazingly began to heal. The water drained by osmosis into the cleared ditch. Neighbours observed the neglected land healed and were amazed

Neighbourhood

Neighbourhood was violent when we first came. The Police vehicles came many times a day and sounds of brawls were common. However with the passing years neighbourhood improved, got better housing, electricity and phone lines. We did not conduct Sunday service at camp. Whoever was touched by the Spirit of God began to attend churches in the area.

Auditorium

We decided on an auditorium 60 ft by 60 ft. this was when we had no auditorium for the Colombo main assembly. We did not know it would fill one day with 500 at camp. We laid a traditional foundation which needed buildable soil to be brought in from outside. The soil under the auditorium and roadway cost nearly USD 10,000. This was big money for us. The Lord provided. Every step was a miracle. We could not lay the floor for some months. One morning the Lord woke up a believer and said, “you are wondering why masons do not come to complete the floor of your house. Have you considered the floor of my house?” He personally contracted a man who did an excellent Terrazzo floor for the auditorium – far above our expectation.

First Dormitory

We could not spend too much on buildable soil. I decided on an experiment. We laid a 4 by 6 inch concrete tie beam on the ground with two 10 mm iron rods connecting the 2 ft by 2 ft bases from which arises the column – two rods in concrete. The structure holds to this day. The foundation was on the surface of the peat soil – only 6 inches deep. This is the long 80 dorm. Another such humble Dorm will house mothers at camptime.

Old Cabanas

At the Northern End are the old cabanas, where girls are housed for camp time – well away from the Youth Hall Dorm where boys are housed at the Southern End! We laid a traditional foundation for the old cabana. Later we were told that it is the only strip of land with Kapok soil where one could lay a traditional foundation.

Kitchen

Kitchen cooks for 500 – feeding the multitudes!! Thank God over 17 years we have never had a diarrhea outbreak at camp.

Bethany House

Was the first better accommodation with 8 rooms – built initially as camp rooms for the elders & deacons who pioneered Colombo assembly. Of them, Tissa & Anne have gone to be with the Lord.

New Land & Guest House

God spoke to a believer to buy us the adjacent five acres of land in 2007. He built a three roomed well appointed guest house for visitors and handed over the land to the Church. This was such a boon. The Lord blessed him personally for this sacrifice. This land has a water reserve where one can go boating or fishing. Guest House has solar powered hot water.

Hamilton Canal, Lagoon, Pool & Beach

Beach is only 5 min away. Guests enjoy a foot dip. Canal running west of the land will take you to the lagoon which is only 500 meters from the camp site. We could have a barbeque by the lagoon and also watch the water meet where lagoon meets the Indian ocean. Boat ride is possible into the lagoon. Hotel within 5 minutes has a pool for a quick afternoon swim. Sea bathing in the area is dangerous because of a reef. Five km away, there are sea bath-able safe areas.

Flora & Fauna

Bird life is numerous – many kinds are sited – especially in the new land watching from the watching bay of the Guest House. Coconut trees provide valuable nuts for camp time and now for the Rainbow Homes. We have a mango tree that bears excellent delicious mangos – some of the best you can get in Sri Lanka. Cashew nut trees bear in the season. The succulent false fruit is tangy when soaked in salt. Cashew nut is treated in the fire and the shell removed to extract the nut. Shrimp is found in canal ditches. Fish are found in the water reserve of the new land. Porcupine that enter the land have made cuisine occasionally!! Monitor lizard is common & harmless. Reptiles are scant as the soil is cold and marsh. Ducks and Turkey – attempt at husbandry, fell into the jaws of monitor lizards. Iguana is edible. Monkeys have been a menace and prayer by uncle Rex keeps them out. Smaller wild cat has been seen. Trudging round the marsh jungle of the new land is fun.

Ministry

Every month we have a Peniel Prayer parliament. We bring our call, our lives, our ministry, our area, our nation before the face of the Lord;. All the senior ministers come before the face of the Lord from 5 am to 10 pm. This has kept our nation before the eyes of God. Every week we keep Glory House on Tuesday.

April, May, August, December end are our major camps.

April – Pastoral

May – prayer & warfareAugust – Missions

December – Prophetic & Celebration

 

Rainbow Home for abandoned boys is housed at camp site

Annual DTS, Many youth camps, Encounter Groups, Children ministries happen at camp site.

Almond House

In 2006 we received a prophecy that our nation would come out of the winter of war. It was at that time that a believer in our assembly became the Commander of the Air Force. For the first time ventured to put up a two storey complex. 24 rooms for campers to stay

Almond House was dedicated for the wooing of nations to God.

Praise God! Our camp site North of Colombo near the Sea, was gifted another 5 acres. Now we have with the old Buonovista Camp 10 acres. The new land was named Mahanaim depicting its vision and our experience where two camps – church and angels, meet to do the business of the King of Heaven as it happens in our Glory House and conferences.

Almond tree featured in many OT prophetic allegories. Almond was three that budded first when Israel was coming out of winter into spring. Hence it is an apt symbol of revival.

  1. The golden Lampstand of the tabernacle was moulded in the form of a blossoming almond branch Exod 25:33
  2. Aaron’s staff blossomed like almond in confronting the rebellion of Korah Num 17:2,3
  3. Jeremiah was told to see the almond budding Jer 1:11
  4. Jacob used almond sticks thinking it would increase the number of his sheep Gen 30:27
  5. The Old Name of Bethel was Luz and that name is derived from a Syriac root meaning almond. We know Bethel was a place of spiritual vision.. the King James Version hazel , Gen_30:37 ; lauz is the modern Arabic name for “ almond ” – Luz was the old name of BETHEL
  6. Almonds were taken by the sons of Jacob as gifts to Egypt Gen 47:3. This would end the famine

Rainbow Home

Has 23 boys and 14 staff. This is a mercy mission since 2005 – pioneered by Hiranthi. Lord miraculously provides every need. Commenced because of a vision Hiranthi had in 2004 December soon after the Tsunami when she saw the children who died in the Tsunami. She felt this was odd’s call to her for children ministry. Manjula has worked closely with Hiranthi.

Rainbow Building

Houses the rainbow home a ground level and the youth hall and youth dorms level 1 & 2. This was our first building with ground, 1 & 2

Present Team –

On Site – Raja is camp manager and point man for all construction. He is the one who mostly drives guests to and fro to airport. Nishanthi his wife and children live in camp. He has been with us since the inception of camp site in 19994. He is a great prayer warrior. Sugath & Thanuja (two children) are father mother for Rainbow Home. Sugath is maintenance manager and able plumber. Henry is a prayer man and the electrician & Kusum is his wife. Their daughter Gayani a trained nurse is youth girl leader. Rohana is asst electrician & his wife is Shanthi. With generators and many buildings there are many electrical chores. Sumudu is iron man – former soldier. Now welder + maintenance person. Laksiri & Gunetilleke keep the land productive and preserved.

Manjula & Ranjith have been the backbone of all camp times always present with Manjula directing the catering. Lilasha has pitched in with special catering when visitors needed the same. We have become famous for caramel pudding & delightful meals. Dinner chats that go late into the night. However ardent campers – at least 50 keep sunrise prayer during every camp time daily at 5 am.

Glory House

Happens every Tuesday when HM & LM and full timers western province gather to keep glory watch for the week. Poorani leads in tremendous praise burst & glory falls as gold dust becomes evident every Tuesday .

Bethlehem House

This is our present building project and ground floor is complete. We hope by 2012 August all three floors will be complete. Many miracles happened to make this best built building possible. All glory to our gracious God.

Clarion Call

Clarion call 2012 was a remarkable milestone in the life of the ministry and campsite when 22 foreign based ministers came for a confab Jan 17 to 20. We hope it will be repeated annually.

Regular Visiting Ministries

 

Laurie & Cathie Hennessey – Cornerstone, Sydney,

Ezekia & Benita Francis – Berechah, India

Jeremiah & Susan Yap – New Life, Malaysia

Ron & Grace Hee – New Life Malaysia

Gareth & Sandra Duffty – Together, UK

LeRoy & Lynne Ede – Canada

Geoff & Ishita Newton – Together, UK

Tuck & Daphne Young – Cornerstone, Singapore

Lucky & Damayanthi Canagasabai – Melbourne

Ralph & Renuka Gloeckner – Agra, India

David & Li Fan Ramaiah – Grace, Malaysia

Billy & Caroline – Kennedy – Pioneer, UK

Daniel Navakumar – UK

Peter & Ria Wierle – Switzerland

Ajith Fernando – Sri Lanka

 

Patrick Joshua – India

On & Off teams or individuals have come to stay for a few days to partake of glory & intercession or to work in the Rainbow Home. We are open to this.