Kids Camp Post 3 of 3

Sunday, August 6, 2017

I woke up at 5:15 in the adobe building we were sleeping in, to see Kaitlyn sitting up in the semi-darkness, clutching her pillow to herself. I asked if she was okay, and she replied that there were mice running around behind our coolers, and there was no way she was going back to sleep. I got out my flashlight, and sure enough, saw some mice running around, behind our belongings. Apparently both Chris and Kyle had been up most of the night, too, and Jacob most of the morning, because of the mice. Only Jeremiah and I slept soundly for the 6.5 hours we actually got. So, the whole team was up by 5:30 a.m., but most had been awake far sooner than that.

I got to climb the mountain for a devotional time that morning, and was awed by the beauty of the Peruvian mountains. I came down to see the team busy cooking popcorn for the 200 bags we were asked to prepare for the gift bags we were to give the children later that morning. There seemed NO WAY we could get all that popcorn popped, and bagged, in time. Suddenly Mila, our translator and guide for this village trip, came in and told us the Quechen women would pop the popcorn needed for us. They cook their meals for the 180 children in pots that appear at least three feet across, over open fires fueled by wood, set in clay brick enclosures.

Soon they had the copious amounts of popcorn popped, and we set to bagging and tying 180 bags for the children. Then we had to prepare the a gift bag for each child, which included one popcorn bag, a pencil case with bubbles, penny, bandage, and bouncy ball, two Spanish Christian books, two suckers and stickers. It took a while, and we were exhausted from days of lack of sleep, but we did it, just in time for 10:00 games time.

We divided the children into three groups for the games time. Chris and Jeremiah played skip rope with their group, Kaitlyn was in charge of the parachute game, and Jacob, Kyle and I took the third group and played “panto, panto, ganzo” (duck, duck, goose) in two groups. After the children figured out I would oblige them and run as the goose, they picked me once in a while. Trust me, after you run the circle three times because you’re too slow, you learn to win on the first round, because our lungs were bursting in the high altitude. ( We were 3,700 metres above sea level in this village of Patacalasaya).

After games, we had lunch, which we were suppose to eat with the children, like usual, but Mila informed us they were serving cow gut as part of the meal, so she let us off the hook, and we had our own cheese sandwiches.

The last event of this children’s camp (like a VBS), was the farewell service, and just as we were about to go, when Mila told us they needed 20 more gift bags! We scrambled to find our extra books and treats, and managed to make 20 more, as some of us were already handing out the prepared ones. After handing out the gift bags, each member of the team got to speak a few words to the 200 children and 20 teachers. It was very emotional for me to tell them that we were honoured to be there, that we loved them very much, that God loved them very much, that I hoped they would read the books given them, and know God personally, and that at the end of our lives, we could meet in heaven. That, for me, was the high point of the day.

We packed up our room, and said our goodbyes. I got to kiss some of the children’s cheeks, and even the Quechuan women whom I had made friends with over the weekend, saying, “Adios. Chao.” (Pronounced, “chow”), and adding, “God bless you” in English, trusting the Spirit of God would use that blessing to truly bless them, as their children read the books sent home, and the gospel is brought into their homes.

We had a three hour drive back to ATEK, and when we entered our rooms, they appeared to us like a hotel..

Pray the gospel sent home to the Quechuan people would take root and many souls would be saved.

Pray we would be physically healthy.

Pray that the pastors gathered here at the ATEK buildings for their pastor’s conference would be taught well by Bill and Chris, would receive salvation if they are not saved, and that our testimony and devotions each team member gives each morning would impact them.

Thank you for reading our blogs!

Love, in Christ,

Ettina

Cooking for a camp of 200