Polar Extremes

Following Pastor’s Camp was a week with all the Baptist Mid-Mission missionaries in Peru, meaning everything was in English. The ARRIBA students were in charge of the missionary children for RBP’s Polar Extremes Vacation Bible School. I had the Middler’s class. To be honest, it was quite a challenge the first day teaching since the words that I wanted to say would first come to me in Spanish. It was encouraging to know that Spanish was coming more quickly, but it did make class a bit interesting the first day. We had a great time with the kids, doing skits, singing together, memorizing scripture, and giving a final presentation for the parents. What a blessing it was to be surrounded by so many servants of the Lord. It was incredible to listen to and observed them, noting how God has remained faithful throughout the years.
Friday afternoon, six of us decided to take the challenge of hiking up the dark-faced, ominous mountain that filled the eastern skyline of the Buenas Nuevas campground. Leaving at approximately 1500 hours the six daring Baptist Mid-Mission Missionaries boarded the red Toyota transport ladened with their weapons: water bottles, baseball caps, and a little bit of TP to the carry them to the drop off point. After the transport turned slowly around in the sandy streets, the six began their journey up the mountain. Unlike normal mountains, this mountain was a compilation of burning sand, scrubby bushes, cacti, and sand-dwelling arachnids. After approximately 1600 hours, the intense heat and the increasing incline held back one of the missionaries. Unable to go any further, they set up a rendezvous and the fearless five continued on their journey. They battled through zones of dry desert plants, plots of munchkin tomatoes, and collections of owl pellets, all the while advancing under the unforgiving rays of the intense sun and being pelted by hot desert breezes. The way was difficult, but fighting for each step up the monstrous sand dune, the five conquered the black beast. Though coated with a mixture of sweat and dirt, the five had smiles on their faces knowing that this mission was for the first time completed. No other from Buenas Nuevas Camp had ever before climbed to the summit of the now conquered fiend.

Pastor´s Camp

After having been at two camps of just children and teenagers, it was so nice to have Pastor’s Camp where the parents were there. The ARRIBA students helped the chamber choir of about twenty-five seminary students from the Baptist Seminary of Peru in Trujillo with the children’s session in the morning. After visiting the seminary for a week in September, it was nice to see some familiar faces and get to know them a bit better during our week at camp. I worked with the group of nine to eleven year olds with four seminary students. Each class went through the four missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul in the morning and while the choir was singing in the adult session at night, we taught on the life of Mary Slessor, single missionary to Africa. It was a great week to have a break from being in complete control of the numerous children, yet what an experience it was to get to know multiple pastors and their families.
Each morning at 7:30, we would have a combined devotional time in the dining room. It was a precious time where we sang accompanied by an accordion and were spiritually fed by the preaching of the Word. The day was then filled with children’s sessions, pool time, rest time in the afternoon, missionary focus with the children, and organized kids games at night. Each night, a new theme was presented like Jungle Night and night of Olympics while each team competed against the other teams to win. It was a wonderful week to spend with pastors and their families only with the chamber choir. It was difficult to see them go, but we praised God for the precious times we could spend together.

Misión ImPosible

After finishing Kids Camp Saturday morning, the following Monday, I headed off to camp again for Adolescent Camp. This week, instead of being the only counselor, I was a helper to the counselor of the “Arriesgadas,” while my main responsibility was to aid in directing the games for the week. The team of five that was in charge of games and activities had met a couple of times previous to camp. It was so good to have our thoughts and ideas planned out beforehand as opposed to putting things together upon arriving at camp. Along with our directing the activities, we also got to check the cabins and judge their cleaning job each morning, we washed dishes at times, and were lifeguards in the afternoon.
With the theme of “Misión ImPosible” (Mission ImPossible) we had a fun time putting together many challenging games for the teenagers to accomplish. One afternoon, we had eight different missions to accomplish around the camp that the teams had to complete. They had to run to each place, finish the mission and receive their next mission, before the other teams caught up with them. Another afternoon, we had a large piece of plastic that we put water and detergent on to make it slippery. The teenagers and counselors had a great time slipping and sliding trying to gain points for their team.
Though I was not as involved in the girls’ lives as head counselor, it was a blessing to talk to them in the afternoons and get to know them a bit better. The Lord, as always, was there teaching me and stretching me during the week. Numerous times throughout the day, I was reminded that I could not do things on my own. In trying to direct and lead a group of over one hundred teenagers, multiple times I prayed for patience. At times when I felt like I wanted to give up, Go d supplied the necessary encouragement and help. It was a great camp that proved God’s ability to accomplish things that to me seemed impossible.

Quiero Ser Como Tú

I started my camping season experience on January 18th with Kids Camp. I was a counselor for the seven spirited girls of the team “Animosas.” It was a new opportunity for me to counsel at summer camp in general, but the opportunity was even more exciting since it was at the camp, “Buenas Nuevas” in Aucallama, Peru. We got all the children divided into their appropriate cabins and then the fun began. The girls in my cabin quickly became close friends, so close that they decided they wanted to push four bunk beds together to make a huge bed. I went along with their idea thinking that the eight of us would occupy one of the eight places made by the four beds together; however, my thinking was a bit off, as when it was time to go to bed, the seven girls all climbed up to the top bunks next to me. It was quite a night to be sure as the seven of them shared the other three and a half beds: arms and legs, feet and hands were sprawled in whichever way was most comfortable for the little girls who wriggled into the most awkward-looking positions to sleep.
It took the first couple of days to get used to the schedule of camp and what all was expected of me, but after those uncertain times, things became a bit more sure and enjoyable. The theme for the week was “Quiero ser como Tú” (I want to be like You). The lessons in chapel were how we could be more like Christ in our actions, words, and every day living. The speakers used different men in the Bible like Joseph and Paul to be examples to the children of how they could be more like Christ. It was a great week to be involved directly in the lives of my seven “Animosas,” as we were able to talk about the lessons and learn how to be more like Christ after the chapel sessions.
This particular week at camp, I was reminded that God is always here to help me during uncertain times. He gave strength when the morning came all too soon, He provided patience and love to continue working with my girls even if it seemed that they were not understanding, He provided a smile when the schedule changed or if something did not work out the way that I thought it was supposed to work out, and He allowed me to build friendships with people that I otherwise never would have met. Though the week was challenging, may God be praised for His goodness during the week of Kids Camp.