After months of anticipation, a group of us finally arrived at Prince of Peace Home for Girls in Guatemala. The warmer weather and the excited screams we heard as we walked in gave us a glimpse of what was to come. For four days, our team would be bringing camp fun to the girls and boys from the local orphanages!
We stayed up on Sunday night enthusiastically, setting up for the next four days. While dancing to the camp playlist, we blew balloons, hung sheets as stage curtains, cut up construction paper, and designed fruit costumes.
In the past years, the girls would reach a certain age, and they would be considered too old for the groups. This year we implemented a “Leaders in Training” program, which provided them the opportunity to serve alongside the team and help with the younger children. It was very successful because it gave the girls from the
Prince of Peace a chance to minister with the staff from America. It also created a bond between the girls and the counselor in each group.
One of the teens that served with us is Kimberly. As a “Leader in Training,” she worked very hard serving the younger kids. Being a “L.I.T.” involved helping the kids with crafts, translating with the counselor, serving lunch, and encouraging groups to participate in activities. By the end of the week, she shared that helping Camp Sonshine minister opened her eyes to loving the younger kids from the neighboring home. It is a testament to the impact Camp Sonshine makes because, as a team, we are only there one week. Kimberly now has the chance to share God’s love with the kids all year long.
Each day we would do a rotation of activities. We did assembly, skits, crafts, dance, sports, and discovery time. The theme of this year was “fruits of the spirit.” Our goal was to show the children how th
ey could show patience, love, gentleness, joy, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. By the end of each day, the kids would leave played out and coated in glitter. They also knew how loved they were and that they had something to look forward to the next day!
At night while all the younger kids went to bed, the older girls would join the team as we sat huddled in blankets overlooking the beautifully lit city. During this time, we shared our stories. We shared everything from testimonies of past triumphs to moments of past traumas. In these moments, we realized that even though we came from different backgrounds, we were all very much the same. We had all experienced hurt and obstacles, but the thread of God’s presence was as intricately woven in our lives as the Guatemalan textile fabric we were wrapped in.
We want to thank everyone for their support in helping make this possible. If you would like to get more information on donating or participating in our global outreach program, check out our website https://campsonshine.org/go/ or send us an email at globaloutreach@campsonshine.org !