Tomate!

TOMA TOMA TOMAAAA!!! (TOMA TOMA TOMAAAA) MATE MATE MATEEEE (MATE MATE MATEEEE) TOOMAAA (TOOMAAA) MAATEEE (MAATEEE) Too00OOMATEEE!!!!! The cheers can be heard in china! Time to congregate on the basketball court. First team to have all their kids in line gets 10 points! Enthusiasm, excitement, and team spirit describes the atmosphere of the camp! The first day of camp is ready to start! We all brake up into groups and make team bracelets. And then we head out for free time! It has been a great experience for me to be at this camp living with the kids! It is a whole different perspective of the kids from the first two weeks! Where as normally we just come do the program and leave, now we get to know each individual child and there story. Because I am forced to speak in Spanish, unless I don't want to talk to anybody accept my team, I have begun to think more and more in Spanish. After free time we head to the beach. We are released by color to walk the half a mile walk to the beach. Once there, each color draws a circle and puts their stuff inside of it. Then we hit the water! Splashing, throwing, and body surfing, its all there! Even mud bathes! It is very surprising how many Ecuadorians do not know how to swim. After two and a half hours at the beach we head to the camp completely exhausted. We eat the food they give us for so called lunch, we're still not sure what the meat actually is though, and then we head out for more free time playing soccer, face painting, and playing EcuaVoly (the Ecuadorian style of Volleyball). Finally it's time to do the kids program. Today, in the lesson team, we told the story of creation and taught the seven days of creation with hand motions and sound effects. Then we have more free time till dinner at 7:30. Following dinner we do large group where we tell the story of Jonah. Following large group we sent the kids to bed and had devotions. As we walked to our rooms it was completely silent. All the kids were tired as well!  We were so exhausted and it was only the first day! However, we all agreed that this week was going to be a very fun week!John