Good morning! Alex and Erin, reporting on the last few days! Monday was our first full day of camp, and we rolled rather quickly into Tuesday, which began like any ordinary day but ended with a chaotic mess of glitter and good times. Monday’s theme was Boss Baby, and Tuesday’s was Trolls. Our team met at an hour so early it made us want to cry: 8am. Yes, 8am isn’t that late, but these days are tiring, okay?
Each day we wake ourselves up with coffee, yogurt and fruit as Isaac shares a devotional with us, talking about seeking the peace and joy of God. Soon after this, the campers arrive for breakfast and the day truly begins.
After breakfast, a large group of us walk to the same large tree as usual and sing worship songs in both Spanish and English, cooled by a soft breeze and surrounded by fields, forests, and mountains. We continue our day with English classes and pool time, and I’m going to be honest, I don’t know how they keep the pool so cold when it is so incredibly hot outside. Everyone loves the brief respite from the heat, both campers and leaders alike.
Monday, we hid tiny plastic babies around camp and asked campers to find them as part of the evening activity, even though they had no idea what they were for. Truly, they are a bit terrifying and surprising, but the kids had fun finding them. On Tuesday, it happened: something so hyped up by the returning team members that people thought we were lying about its greatness: Lentils and chorizo for lunch. Saying that this was the MOST anticipated part of camp would be a major exaggeration, but it certainly is on the list. Last year’s team boasted the praise of one camp meal to rule them all and this was it. It was as wonderful this year as it was in the past.
The day continued for the campers with games or a movie, and our team met to debrief from the first half of the day and prepare for the second half. These meetings are extremely refreshing, allowing us to recenter ourselves and talk about how we can help each other and the campers. Plus, Stephanie makes us cake Snack time, workshops (including a self-defense class led by our very own McKenna!) and the soccer (Monday) and volleyball (Tuesday) tournaments were next, leading directly into Soul Music. Monday’s theme was loyalty, and Tuesday’s theme was finding a purpose, and we listened to a couple of popular songs that related to these topics. Some groups certainly were impacted by this, being so entrenched in conversation that they were late for dinner, which is truly a blessing. Not that they were late, but the fact that the campers and leaders are so willing to open up to each other that they will take extra time out of their day to do so.
On Monday, a small American team led the groups in a Rube Goldberg competition. Some supplies they received right away, and others they had to buy with “money.” They got additional money for any babies they found throughout the day. On Tuesday was the Trolls themed evening activity, which came with all the pizzazz and glitter that one might expect. Hair went up in all different directions, faces became canvases for washable body paint, and glitter. So much glitter. I (Alex) will be sixty years old and still finding glitter on my arms from this one night. The major activity tonight was a lip sync competition, with teams being given time to decorate themselves like characters from the movie Trolls, and then lip syncing along to songs from the series. It was as much fun as we hoped it would be. Everyone went a little crazy and danced along.
Monday night, Jameson shared a moving testimony about how God saved him from the wrong path he was on and how God made Himself real in Jameson’s life. Tuesday night, John gave his testimony, talking about his experiences with friendship, managing stress, and how he has felt God impact his life in those areas. He did an excellent job of sharing, especially considering how much glitter and face paint there was in the audience.
We finished Tuesday night by making sure everyone cleaned up their “Trollification” in a safe manner that didn’t clog any drains. It led to a slightly later night, but we did end up getting some solid rest.
I (Erin) am enjoying seeing the growth in several campers who have returned year over year. Specifically, two of them who are in my room and do not come from Christian backgrounds have been interested in God but hadn’t fully committed their lives to Jesus until the past year or so. I’m blessed by the opportunity to talk with them about their questions and watch how God is moving in their lives.
We would like to thank everyone that has been praying for us and keeping updated. I (Alex) would ask you to please continue praying, asking God to show himself in the lives of campers so clearly that they are certain that it is him. Pray for Him to help us as we discuss some difficult topics in the following nights, and that the campers would be vulnerable and respectful, sharing their concerns and doubts and listening to both other campers and the leaders. I (Erin) ask for prayers for our team. Many of us are feeling a little (or a lot) exhausted, several of us battling small sicknesses. We want to dig in and push through to make the most of the week and our time here, but feel that we’re hitting a wall. I ask you to pray for patience, kindness, understanding, and ENERGY. Thank you, Faith Church!