Camp thoughts

Our days of service are mostly finished.  We spent three days helping at the kids camp in the remote village of Aucho, Livitaca province of Peru.  Approximately 150 children from 15 communities were in attendance.  Our hearts were tugged as we learned many of the children walked to camp, some as long as eight hours.  The children came with their Sunday school teachers who have been trained by ATEK.  This camp was a climax to show the skills the teachers learned.  Yoni (pronounced similar to Joni) is the ATEK staff that travels between these remote villages regularly training them.  She is an incredible young woman that traverses the mountains.  She is often alone carrying her gear and materials.  She takes a bus and then walks where the bus line ends.  Sometimes another staff member will take her on motorbike.  I admire Yoni.  She makes many sacrifices for the gospel.  She is away from home and her spouse.  She faces long, lonely, difficult treks to reach the some of the most remote people.  ATEK goes where many will not go.

The camp had a feel similar to kids camps of home.  There were classes and games.  Not very much free time, as the focus was more on teaching God's word in the few valuable days they had with the children.  We heard the children singing, reciting verses, laughing, and learning.  The second day of camp the message of Jesus' salvation was taught.  Our team brought a craft that reinforced the message.  We helped the children put together color bead bracelets, each color bead representing a piece of the gospel message.  By a show of hands, it appeared 85-90% of the children made the decision of receiving God's grace.

As the children left the final day, tears came to my eyes.  Some were shy around us, others followed us around with curiosity, and others loved to have their photo taken.  I cried as I watched these beautiful children head out for home, colorfully dressed in traditional clothes and blanket-bags on their backs. Knowing many will walk for a very long way.  We, in the USA, would not allow our 8-12 year olds to walk this type of distance.  Unthinkable.