Camp Shalom with Hope Church, VA

It was an absolute delight to work with the team from Hope Church, Virginia in the first-ever "Camp Shalom."  This team from Virginia put together a 3-day camp for kids from the Shalom churches in Guayabal, El Seybo and Centro Cristiano Shalom.  They invited a few of our youth leaders to work with them -- what a blast!

Each day we started with prayer.
The kids were organized into groups based on their ages.  The groups rotated throughout the different stations.
By the last day, we must have had about 100 kids altogether.

Each day the kids got to do a craft.

This project was especially creative. 
They filled old ties with this white stuffing to make snakes!

Add eyes, a tongue and of course eye brows! 

Another station was basketball.

Then soccer.

It sure was hot in the sun, but they played all morning long!

There were plenty of water breaks! 

The fourth station was volleyball.

And, it wouldn't be Dominican without some form of baseball. 
Kids of all ages loved their chance to bat and run the bases.

On the last day, they pulled out a special treat -- the parachute!!

This is one of the Shalom leaders -- Gleny.  She is probably the most dynamic Bible-story teller I have ever met. 
She knows how to capture the kids' attention and tell the story in a way they are sure to remember.

What summer camp, doesn't end in a good water balloon toss/fight?!

This was truly an incredible experience! 

We praise God and thank HOPE Church for all the time, energy and financial resources they poured into this camp.  The kids really are asking "When can we do this again?"  It was such a blessing.  It was healing for all of us to be out in the open air, running and playing and celebrating God's love for us.

Along with the kids, I"m asking myself, "When can we do this again?!"