We had a total of 110 American missionaries and 6 Dominican missionaries (outside of our local Sosua based staff, coaches, pastors, and community leaders) join us for 4 days of camp. We had a total of 18 different locations and 46 disciplines (baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, track, softball, VBS, art, music, and dance) for 4 days. At every location, we had a local pastor preach and pray with the children ultimately leading up to the presentation of the Gospel the last day. One of the most important things for us is for these youth (and even adults) to get plugged into a local church and church community so they have support and a family to lean on. Being a Christian does not mean the path will be easy, so we want to make sure our new brothers and sisters have someone to lean on and pray with and ask questions. I cannot honestly tell you how many accepted Christ, but I do know we had about 3500+ kids every day in camp laughing, playing, singing, talking, hugging and loving. Although for J and me on this side (more behind-the-scenes) it was a bit chaotic and crazy (making sure every place has hotdogs, water, drinks, Dominicans, preachers...), God continued to pave the way ultimately wiping away all our "smudgy fingerprints" and making it His own. There were some miraculous (and yes I use that word purposefully) things to happen throughout the week in our American missionaries and our Dominicans. It's always fun to watch the attitudes and nervousness of the Americans the night before camp and even after the first day transform into something open and loving and beautiful.
One of my favorite parts about camp is getting to share our home with the missionaries if only for a few days. Those visiting get to see how and why we fell in love with the Dominican. They get to experience the people, the relationships, the hugs and love, the singing and all out praise to God, the beauty of this place and the overwhelming sense that God is with us. Even through our struggles (and trust me J and I have had quite a few over the past several weeks) God shines through encouraging and leading. So how was camp? It was magnificent and beautiful and stressful and frustrating... but overall it was full of God.
The dance girls during camp.
One of the art sites. Every kid received a sketch pad, pencil bag with pencils, colored pencils, black markers and pens.
A VBS site
The megaphones for camp day 1 (because God speaks and listens so we can speak to God, too).
Basketball in Villa Liberacion.
One of the ladies who came with us has a passion to paint and a passion for women's ministry. She joined the 2 and developed this painting where she walks the ladies through the process with each color of paint representing our sin, past life, hurts and struggles, rebirth through Christ, and new walk. It is absolutely beautiful. She had a class in La Cienaga with women (and girls) of the community and here is their artwork.
------------------------------We are amping up for camp in San Luis this coming Tuesday (July 7-14). As of right now we are expecting over 6000 children in 16 baseball, 6 volleyball, 6 basketball, 7 VBS and 1 music site. I know it's going to be another whirlwind of a week, so please be praying over the next several days and throughout camp. Just like last time, we are all (Stateside and Dominican) finishing all the preparations and spreadsheets (yes a few more) and site breakdown in anticipation of this camp. And please say extra prayers for our Dominican brother, Pastor Joaquin, who lives in San Luis as he is working overtime organizing and meeting and preparing for our arrival.
-------------------------------
And something else exciting is J and I got to keep 2 of the missionaries from the first camp as interns! (Moment of truth... J and I have never been involved in an internship program so we are taking it day by day and acting like we know what we are doing.) :) It has been so much fun showing them how we live and helping them get accustomed to the laundry and housing and neighbors and our way of life here. Aubrey and Ryann have loved the extra attention (as if they don't get enough already) and it is nice having someone around to help as needed with AIM preparations. They have been a true blessing organizing the camp equipment for San Luis and Cuba, cutting the bottoms out of another 800 foam cups for VBS on the south side (whose idea was it to make megaphones... oh right, mine...), and just simply sharing. Our house is going to be very lonely when they head back after San Luis camp.
Meet Caitlin and Vanessa...
First day here and they are learning how to do laundry (Dominican style)!
Caitlin and Genesis.
Vanessa and J sorting through equipment.
A picture of all the equipment...
Organizing, sorting, arranging...
Through donations, we have 587 Bibles (and more in Houston) to give out to our coaches and youth on the teams who commit to a 1 year discipleship program. We are very excited about this opportunity and are praying for those who participate. I know this can be life changing and generation changing, so please join us in praying for this outreach and program.
Vanessa and Caitlin (and Genesis who hates pictures) stickering the Bibles. (Yes, that's more equipment in the background.)
587 Bibles stickered and ready to go... and yes, our house is a little full right now. :)
Sorting and organizing clothing to be given away.
--------------------------------
Things at home are great. Aubrey is officially 3 years old now (crazy), and we celebrated J's and Aubrey's birthday on the 28th (yes, they share a birthday). We actually had Aubrey's party a few weeks early before camp knowing it was going to be a crazy month. It was a Doctora Juguetes (Doc McStuffins) party and we played with our friends, ate hot dogs, and had cupcakes. Simple but fun. Ryann is good. She will be 1 in 9 days (eeekk!!). Her personality develops more and more each day and I must say she is a riot. She is VERY different from Aubrey and much more outspoken (already) with opinions and thoughts and an attitude. Keeping us on our toes. J and I are great. Busy but great. Nothing too exciting here except for camp planning and working and living life.
Ruth, Aubrey and Miralee at the party. Everyone loves helping make and ice the cupcakes, so this time it was Aubrey's turn for her birthday.
Aubrey wearing her Doc McStuffins coat (thanks to the Morris family for this amazing birthday gift last year!) and her party hat.
Aubrey and J with their birthday hats.
We bought Aubrey a bike for her birthday. J and I were very excited as this is the first real birthday she was excited about and knew what was happening.
A recent picture of Ryann enjoying some rice (and wearing most of it). It is so nice having a high chair now (grateful for the chartered airplane AIM used in June to help transport it as well)! :)
Thank you for your continuous prayers and love. Even when it's rough and tiring, we know we are surrounded by all of you. We could not do this without each of you! Much love from the DR!
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
