Campamento 2008

Along with a children's home here at New Life, a medical clinic operates 4 mornings each week and there's a school that ranges from Pre-K through 9th grade at has about 400 students in attendance.

Each year the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students have the opportunity to go to "campamento" or camp. This past week we went to Campamento 2008. We were blessed to have a group of 6 from West Texas A&M Wesley join us...those guys are another blog.

Camp lasted for 3 days and 2 nights. It was unlike any camp that we attended in the states with a few exceptions. The cabins that we stayed in were much like what you'd expect in the states... bunk beds wall to wall. We ate meals cafeteria style - and the food was really good. They're was a large swimming pool that the kids loved. The differences: the schedule was packed beginning at 6am, and going to bed about midnight (later for some of the teachers). For these kids this 3 day camp is a big big deal, and so the teachers (who not only teach, but organize and run the camp) pack the schedule full. There were hours of games, small group times, swimming time, large group meetings, and even a dress up dinner. We'd also mention another difference for us was the heat and humidity. Here in Villa Nueva, we're in the mountains and enjoy temperate weather year around, but just 2 hours away we were very close to the pacific coast and it was hot and humid. We got out of our vehicles when we arrived and started to sweat just standing there.

Here are a few pics from camp for your enjoyment:


This is what the pickup looked like just before coming home.


All of the teachers, and adult volunteers that went to camp.


One of the games was a scavenger hunt. The list was given in about .5 font, and so they were given a magnifying glass to read the list.


Another one of the games... I'm not really sure of the exact point, but they loved it.


This is just because we like this picture. The flowers were beautiful & plentiful. There were always butterflies flying around them.

"I just set my alarm for 3:15am"

That's what Lee just said...

Tomorrow morning we leave for "Campamento"... a three day, two night camp with the 7th, 8th and 9th graders from the school here. We're excited to have a team from West Texas A&M University Wesley Foundation to go with us.

Today we had a meeting about camp - we learned what promises to be an important dance for the weekend, and got teamed up with Guatemalans. Hopefully everybody understands his/her role.

Kendon & Wendy are still in the states for a 2 week visit. So far so good here! We expect them back next week.

We'll give a camp report when we return!

*This past Sunday we went to lunch with Daniel & Kara. Little Michelle joined us as well. After lunch we headed out to the zoo - check out Daniel & Kara's blog for pictures of the fun day.

the rainy season is here...

We're West Texans. When it rains, we stare at it like we haven't seen any in months - because we haven't. Rain generally means thunderstorms and or hail. And...there's never enough of it.

Then the West Texans moved to Guatemala. We experienced the end of the rainy season last September and October. It rained most afternoons for a couple of hours...

Now, the rainy season is beginning here. Tropical Storm Alma helped the normal rainy season out a bit this past weekend. We went to Panajachel for our staff retreat where we perhaps saw 12 hours without rain over a 4 day span. We're back in Villa Nueva, where it is still raining, however, not with the great consistency of this past weekend.

About the retreat... we had a great time with our fellow coworkers. We really enjoyed hearing about the other New Life Advance International ministries in Guatemala. NLAI is in many countries, and operates very differently in each place because each culture is very different. In Guatemala, NLAI has New Life Children's Home, 2 missionary families that work in different towns, but both work with training pastors and church planting. Another woman works with street kids, helping them with schooling and feeding them. Here at New Life Children's Home there are 4 couples from the US (sadly about to be just 3, as our friends Daniel & Kara will be returning to the states at the end of June).

Tomorrow morning the kids who passed all of their classes during this last session, plus have good behavior level get to go to McDonald's for breakfast. We're looking forward to celebrating with them!

Please note to the right that we now have a phone number that we can be reached at! It operates through the internet and we have to be at home with the computer on to receive calls. Also, there is voicemail attached to the number so that we can receive messages. So with that said.... give us a shout out & keep in touch!