The last three days of our trip went by like a blur, so it was hard to find a time to even sit down to write an update. (Spoiler alert: I’m writing this from the comfort of my couch at home after we safely arrived home Monday night). Friday as the last full day of camp was “Shrek” day, and Jenn came to our leadership team during the morning meeting with an out of the box idea called “Swamp Time!” The idea was for Shrek and Donkey to show up in costume, confiscate all the watches of campers, and tell them we’re living the last day of camp on “Swamp Time.” We were skeptical of this idea, but the goal was to actually begin certain activities earlier without the campers knowing so that by the time the night was done, we were headed towards bedtime by around 1am instead of the normal Friday night camp tradition where campers (and thereby counselors…) don’t get to sleep before 3 or 4am.
Campers consistently kept asking what time it was, to which we would always just respond, “It’s Swamp Time!” I think they grew tired of it by night’s end, but it worked to mixed degrees of success. We even sang happy birthday to Allana at midnight to celebrate with her (it was only 10:37pm)! Our activity for the night was the annual talent show, this time supplemented with an awards show we called the “Dreamies” (our camp version of the Oscars). We handed out over 20 awards, all with the fun of camp spirit. We saw kids win awards for things like “Biggest Fish in the Pool”, “Most Enthusiastic Participant,” “Biggest Smile”, and even two teenage boys who took a little too much joy in receiving the award for “Most Disciplinary Punishments Endured.” There was also a talent show skit that Daniel Schultz led with some of the boys that involved toothbrushes and the same cup of water, and ended with most people either horrified or slightly impressed, maybe both. Camp energy was high during the ensuing dance party and hang out time back at the house. I think we finally all got to sleep by around 2:30am as Swamp Time finally came to a close.
Saturday morning during our morning meeting, we as a staff team got a chance to encourage and affirm one another as we got to share stories and point out ways we saw God working through each member of the team. It is always a great way to end the week. Campers packed up after breakfast and began the long process of heartfelt goodbyes and exchanging of Instagram handles and phone numbers for all the new friends made this week. Our team then sprang into action to clean the premises, collect supplies, and take down the decorations to prepare the camp for the next week of YFC camp which began Sunday afternoon. We then crammed all our luggage and ourselves into cars and vans and made our way to Barcelona after a brief stop for lunch in Villafranca.
We dropped off our bags at the Airbnb and then dispersed to explore the city in different ways. (Some of us – aka, the oldest among us – also rested.) Some bought a skateboard and found a skate park, others went on a tour of Sagrada Familia, others enjoyed resting by hanging at outdoor cafes. We all came back together to get ready and go out for our team dinner at La Llar de Foc. We enjoyed traditional Catalan food, including tostada with Spanish meats or cheese and a traditional sausage (called butifarra) with white beans, potato, and pan con tomate (bread with tomato). We enjoyed debriefing with the team and sharing what we experienced or learned from the week.
Sunday morning, Nathan and I (Erin) went to get pastries and coffee for the team and brought them back to eat together – one of our favorite Barcelona traditions. We then had a short time of worship and prayer, and then we headed out for our team activity – a catamaran on the Mediterranean! We enjoyed two hours of sun, waves, and breeze, including a time of swimming in the crystal clear, blue water. After our incredible boat trip, a group of us left for Castelldelfels to spend time at the beach with the Stoughs and then seeing their new house. We loved being able to see where they spend their time so we can envision their lives. Another group spent time around the city exploring! We met back at the Airbnb and had a foot washing service. Nathan and I had both done this with different groups in our past, and we felt it was a meaningful way to commission and send out the team. As we had served together throughout an incredible week, so we go out to serve.
We ended our day with dinner together with the Spanish team and then ice cream! Some of us (mostly me) went straight to bed, and others spent time together with some of the Spanish team at the Airbnb. We are so grateful for such a great place to stay where we could have both options and encourage fellowship. In the morning, we again enjoyed pastries and coffee together, and then started the long journey home. We arrived at the Indy airport around 10 pm after only a short delay, and we enjoyed being back in our homes!
We’re so grateful for your prayers and support throughout the week. We appreciate the privilege we had to see how God has worked in campers throughout the years. For example, three campers who do not come from Christian families and didn’t know the Lord when they first started coming had all committed their lives to Christ throughout the years, and we had the opportunity to encourage them in their faith, help them understand what connection with God looks like, and be encouraged ourselves by the work God allowed us to be a part of. We were also grateful for the opportunity to provide respite for kids whose home lives are really difficult, to love kids well who don’t know God, and to help kids grow in their English skills. Camp is important for so many reasons – time to be in nature, without screens or the stress that comes from social media and being constantly connected, opportunity to worship, to play, and to connect with the counselors and with each other. We were so proud of our team for diving in, for being intentional and present with kids, and for serving the campers and each other. It’s truly an honor to lead this team.
Nathan & Erin on behalf of the whole team