It seems impossible to share all the wonderful details of FALL CAMP in one newsletter.....
But I will do my best to give you an overview! We were able to do camp for our 2nd - 8th graders, which is about 240 kids.
One of my favorite camp scenes is when the kids are digging in God's Word for themselves. This time is challenging for our kids, even when given easy guided questions to help them. They are still developing the skill of reading, discerning what it means, and how it applies to them.
Finding staff is always a bit tricky, as all of the people I am able to pull from have other responsibilities in the ministry. So by pulling them, other areas of the ministry are short handed. I am so thankful for a team that is flexible, even to the point of being understaffed in one area to allow camp to happen.
Many times I would have people in and out depending on what their schedule allowed. Some out for an hour, or half day, or just to help with set up or to lead a discussion. Because we did not do overnight camp (due to covid regulations/policies and not having sufficient staff) we did co-ed groups, keeping the grades together. This allowed me to pull the teacher for a portion of the time as well, as they did not have to teach that class. This was such a blessing giving some of our teachers an opportunity to connect in a way they are not typically able to in the classroom setting.
Meet Abby and Austin :)
I am so abundantly thankful for these two. Having revolving staff can make things challenging at times. Each of us in a different place in our language learning journey, can also make things interesting and sometimes even comical>. I am so thankful the Lord allowed these two to be more consistent. Even though I only had them half days at times, it was like having double the staff when they were around.
An answer to prayer on the staffing issue - The Lord has brought another missionary to the field who will be helping with camp. I am so excited to be working with him for our Spring Camps. Having someone else that has all the details in their head will be beyond a blessing!
FALL CAMP REVIEW
We dove into the metaphor of the Christian Life being a race. We focused on ...
> What is the incredible race? - What does it mean to have a relationship with Christ?
> How do you enter the race? - How do you become saved?
> Have you entered the race? - Have you made the decision to begin a relationship with Christ?
As you can tell, we did an actual race with the kids. They had to choose whether they were going to race or not. If they chose to race, they had to enroll, they would then get a race bib, identifying they were in the race. The race was a bit challenging for some, but all who chose to run were excited to receive their prize at the finish line. Can you see some of the parallels from this activity and someone's relationship with the Lord?
We have just touched the surface with this theme. I am so very much looking forward to diving even deeper into this metaphor for our Spring Camps.
Chapel Time
I again had the privilege to teach during chapel time. That again looked like me reading from the page, maybe with a few less mistakes then my first time around 2 years ago.
After each chapel time we would break up into smaller groups and discuss the truths discussed during chapel. It was exciting being a part of some of these discussions. One thing I love about this culture in this setting is their boldness to ask questions. It is exciting to hear their raw questions.
Fun Times with Octa-ball
If you aren't familiar with octaball, its a version of dodge ball, to get the other people out you must hit them with the ball anywhere from the knees down. The goal is to be the last person standing in the octaball pit! The kids love this game, although they usually need "reminded" if they are out.
Adventures with Carpet-ball
This is probably one of the kids favorites. Sometimes I think they would be content to just play carpetball for hours. :)
Fun with a purpose
We play a lot of games at camp! Although one of my goals for the kids is to have fun, it goes beyond just having fun. Through games we are able to further build relationships, break down walls, see personalities come out, and have teachable moments.
Craft Time
Our 3rd and 4th graders made cars. This craft was intentionally chosen to go with the race theme. One of the great things about this is most of the supplies were recycled materials! We collected juice, milk cartons, and lids for a month!
CAMPFIRE
It is hard for me to think about camp without thinking about a campfire. A Bonfire and smores were planned for both our 3rd and 4th graders. Unfortunately our 4th graders lost the opportunity due to some behavior problems, but our 3rd graders LOVED it. This was their first time EVER having smores.
It truly does seem impossible to sum it all up. Those were some of the highlights but I look forward to sharing more details and stories in future updates!
Now that Fall Camp Season has come to a close I will begin planning and preparing for Spring Camps, which are only a few months away. I also will have a little more flexibility to help out in other areas of the ministry!
THANK YOU
Thank you for all of your prayers and support! It was such a JOY being able to again do camp here in the D.R. It had been nearly 2 years since we had our first camp.
I appreciate your continued prayers as we continue to minister to the kids in the classroom, as we continue to build around campus, and as we continue to have eyes that seek to invest in those the Lord has around us!
Would you also join me in praise and prayer for our current match challenge.
A donor has offered up a $72,000 MATCH to help with continued building! When the school octagon is complete, teachers, students, and school staff will fill our 72 classrooms. If you would like more details about this challenge click here.
If you are interested in learning different ways to help with camp ministry in the D.R. I would love to connect with you!