Camp July 07 Week One (July 2-6, 2007)
Daily Updates and Testimonies
Daily Updates
Sarah Perry & Stephanie Rogers
Day 1
We missed it because we missed our flight to Costa Rica Sunday night! Then we were the last people in the Costa Rican airport Monday night, but we got up in time to make it to camp Tuesday! J
Day 2
Stephanie and I are finally here in Costa Rica! Just about every problem imaginable happened, but we are so thankful to finally be at Camp Brittney! The kids are having such a great time! The theme for the week is “Heroes of the Faith.” The teenagers from the Los Guido and El Lugar churches have worked hard to produce skits for each story. The kids LOVE it! They also love the river and the pool. They have been divided into 2 teams, and they are always chanting and cheering for their teams! We are enjoying getting to know the kids and look forward to what God will do in their lives through this one week at Camp Brittney!
Day 3
Today was another great day of camp! The kids learned about Ruth and her obedience to God. Through skits performed by the camp staff, the kids really got a true picture of the story. They also enjoyed time in the river and pool as well as competed in games and Bible trivia to gain points for their teams. We also made door hangers which they enjoyed decorating with stickers, paints, and markers. These kids are so precious and fun! Stephanie commented how these kids are so different than kids from America. They appreciate the smallest things… they have such better attitudes than we do! They are a reminder of how much we take for granted- hopefully this trip will remind us how much we have to be thankful for and how much we can share with those who have so little. We are thankful for these kids and their amazing personalities!
Day 4
Wow! What a day! Today we went for a “walk.” This walk was more like a trek as we hiked (or, rather, we slipped) up the mountain to the top of Camp Brittney. It was an especially difficult task because it had rained the night before. As Stephanie and I struggled, slipped, and fell, the kids ran circles around us! They are used to the rainy weather, and this walk was nothing for them! As difficult as it was for us, we managed to finish make it! We came back covered in mud from our ankles to our toes (and for me, broken Crocs!), but we did it! Today the kids learned about Joseph and how he was sold into slavery by his brothers. They learned how God worked through this situation and used Joseph to be a great leader. They learned how he forgave his brothers for what he had done to him. This story was also realistically recounted to the kids through skits performed by camp staff. The kids enjoyed the normal camp activities of swimming, games, and crafts. Today we made pillows with their pictures on them which the kids will receive before they leave tomorrow. They are very excited about them and continue to remind us not to forget about the pillows! The fact that they are enjoying camp was evident tonight as they all chanted “otra semana,” or “another week” when we mentioned that tomorrow was the last day of camp. Tonight was the bonfire which is a very special night here at Camp Brittney. Tonight the kids were challenged to make decisions for God and to give their lives to him. It was amazing to see the sincerity of so many of the kids as well as the camp staff. They truly want to serve God. We know that many kids came to know Christ this week or made other important decisions. We are thankful to have shared with them this week. We hope that they will continue following after God and learning more about him every day!
Day 5
Today was bittersweet as we saw the campers leave to go home! We were sad to see them go after sharing so much with them this week. We feel like we have known them for ages, and we have come to care so much for each child. Today the kids were encouraged to continue following after God when they returned home. They were reminded that God would be with them wherever they were. They were given the opportunity to share about their experience at camp, and many of them came up to talk about what they learned and to thank the camp staff for what they had done! We have truly seen the glory of God this week in the faces of these children. We are so grateful to have shared in their lives for this short time. While we are sad to see these kids go home, we know God will continue to be with them and teach them new things. We are excited about next week! We know we will continue to see God work in the lives of the youth here at Camp Brittney!
Testimonies
Camp is fun. The slip and slide games were fun. Today was my birthday, and it was good to be here. I would like for camp to start over- for today to be the first day!
Franco
10 years old
When I came, I wanted to leave because this was the first time I’d ever been to camp. So my counselor talked with me and convinced me to stay. For me, it’s difficult to be without my mom. My counselor told me that I could stay and give this week to the Lord. So I had my first night here, and I really liked it! I’m happy to be here because I have made new friends. I like all the staff. Camp is a lot of fun!
Samara
13 years old
My name is Rafael Ovadon. I am 11 years old, and I am from Los Guido. I accepted Christ yesterday (July 3rd) at 8 PM. My counselor Salvador helped me realize I was a sinner, and I recognized that I had sins and that I could go to hell because of these things. I recognized that God saved me from my sins in order to go to heaven. I am very happy because I accepted Jesus in my heart. Camp is fun. It is pretty to be here next to nature.
Rafael
11 years old
My name is Aylin, and I am 9 years old. I received Christ at Camp Brittney in January with my counselor Claudia. Everything here is great- the games, the pool, the chapels.
Aylin
9 years old
Camp was the greatest thing because we can learn from Bible examples and practice this in our lives. We can share food and God’s word. The people who work here are very special.
Adrian
13 years old
The camp was really nice and very fun. I like what we did here. Thanks to the counselors for teaching us about the Bible.
Angie
11 years old
Camp was really great. I really liked the characters from the Bible and the message they gave. Thank you to the people from the United States who gave money for me to be here. Also, thanks to the camp staff.
Aaron
12 years old
The games here at camp were very fun. The food was really good. I am glad they taught me more about the Bible.
Anielka
11 years old
