This month we had the honor of partnering with La Ola, one of our partner homes who was hosting a week of camp for multiple area girls homes, along with some of the younger girls from our local villages. They swam, danced, sang, played games, ate food, had campfires, and listened to encouraging messages from a group from the States.
While the littles spent the week in Chapala, Jaclyn and Karlisa along with some other leaders, took a group of older girls for a 3-day beach get away, courtesy of Bob and Becky, before joining up with the rest of the Marked team and the camp. It was a time for the older girls to simply be older girls. Not caring for the younger kids, but simply being the kid. We surfed the waves, made sandcastles on the beach, swam in the pool, got attacked by schools of fish and laughed a lot. The girls slept in, and stayed up late. They said it was one of the best vacations of their life. And oh how we loved to give it to them.
But more than the trip to the beach and a week filled with fun, the hearts during this time is what we saw shift. From ones threatening to run away, to their hearts being wrecked by Jesus.
From stories never before shared while we were floating in the ocean, to seeing their hearts become vulnerable and transparent. These were the moments we lived for.
From teaching a mama how to care for her baby, to seeing 23 girls give their hearts to Jesus. This camp brought life and identity to a crowed of children, once orphaned. This camp Marked them, and we loved that we could play a small part.
Sweet baby love.
A big thank you to our La Ola, Bob and Becky, Linda, our Marked team, the team from Tennessee and every other person who gave of their time and resources to see this camp come to be! As I sit back and listen to the vision Becky has for these camps, we are excited for whats to come and are thankful that we get to link arms and partner together in seeing these lives forever transformed.