Hungry Hippos = Start of Camp! || Julianna - July 25

Over the past few years I had heard so many good things about camp week that I was really looking forward to experiencing it for myself. Now that I have, I can say that it definitely lives up to its reputation! Our first day was jam-packed with good things - meals with our kids, a life sized game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, hula hoop relays, a giant game of twister with circles spray-painted on the ground, racing to be the first team lined up each time the whistle was blown, attempting conversations in Spanish with our kids (and laughing at ourselves when we didn’t make any sense), rotations with crafts, games, and Bible stories, and ultimate frisbee and soccer during free time.The thing I love the most about camp is that we have so much time to build relationships with the kids. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with them. Before, when we talked about the camp kids, I had a vague mental picture of a large group of kids in my mind. But as soon as they arrived on their buses, the “camp kids” became individuals with names and faces and personalities (big ones!). It’s amazing how well you can get to know someone, even with a language barrier. Things like smiles, hugs, and laughter can be shared between people, no matter what language they speak.We took the kids to the beach after lunch and there were a number of them who had never been before. Seeing their faces light up when they saw the ocean for the first time was priceless.During our craft time, we had the kids draw the world on a hacky sack as a reminder that God is the creator. We had them try to hold a small amount of water in their hands (which they couldn’t do without spilling), and then we talked about how God can hold not only the oceans, but the entire world in His hands. Being at the ocean really brought this concept to life for me. As I was looking out at the vast expanse of water, I got a small glimpse of how big our God really is. We seem so small and insignificant in comparison, and yet God does not think we are insignificant. How amazing it is that He loves every one of us so passionately and cares about even the littlest things that concern us. I truly hope that the camp kids leave knowing how much they are loved by Him.- Julianna Z