Life in a fishbowl...

Invitan, invitan......

 

I'm five now!

 

More from Maddie....

 

So while I was a dores in Puerto Rico for July, I kept a journal every day. I came home and it was eaten by my car. Luckily, I was able to find it in the abyss my car threw up. So while I was sitting for a 3 hour layover in GA (and waiting for my alabama girls to come say hello!) I wrote a list of things I learned. And since I've found my notebook, I'll share for funsies.

 -Bugspray! Bugspray! Bugspray!

 -OFF  is false advertising.

 -Carry anti-itch gel with you everywhere.

 -You can still be late on Puerto Rican time.

 -Everyone makes mistakes.

 -Everyone has on a mask. Look behind it.

 -Puerto Ricans are 98% of the time more fun than most Americans (excluding the cool gringos who spend their summers at Campa, duh)

-God is always talking. Are we listening?

-Be childlike in faith...and energy.

-Cold showers are glorious.

-Gnats (prounounced: guh-nats) and mosquitoes are sent from Hell.

-Fanny packs are entirely legit.

-Grace NEVER runs dry.

-Dishes and dancing go together.

-Never mock the "cool" guy's walk. Theresa will make you show him how he walks.

-The appropriate response to "Buen Provecho" is "Gracias" in a high-pitched screechy voice.

-Ingrid Michaelson is universally loved.

-Not all girls are stupid.

-Being yourself is more than enough.

-Not everyone acts out of selfish purposes.

-People love you.

-Skype is vital.

-Wear watershoes on mud night and run away from boys with agression.

-Never get seconds on rice and beans, there will be more the next meal.

-God is always there.

-When your roommates start a prank war with one of your FEW HEALTHY OGFs move to the other cabin laugh at them endlesslesly.

-Love. I learned about loving for others and how others genuinely love and have a passion for Christ, and love me.

-"I do not want my image of God, I want God." - C. S. Lewis

-NEVER EVER EVER volunteer to clean someone else's living space. Especically if it has been occupied by males.

-The opposite of love is fear, and we often tend to live through fear instead of love.

This was written by Maddie Poole from North Carolina.  I liked it and thought you might too.

Sal y Luz

 
There is a retreat this weekend in camp.  Right now 36 kids (ages 9 to 12) are playing, having fun and learning more about how to be salt and light in their world.  Please pray for them.  Pray for Francis who is learning to be a camp director by doing.  She is a college freshman with a heart very willing to serve and fill a need. Pray also for Desiree who is being used of God to teach the kids. Pray for Angel who is running the games for us. And pray for the counselors who are with the kids 24/7 this weekend. 

Two adults, three kids and a car.....

 (Someone below is growing up WAY to fast!)

Well, we have started our journey across the US to visit some churches, friends and family on the west coast.  We decided to take some days together as a fam and see some cool stuff on the way out.  It's been great so far.  Logan isn't quite understanding the traveling thing though.  He wanted to go to a park today that we left behind in Minnesota. We have been doing a combo of staying with Grandma and Granpa in WI, on  church floors in Mankato, MN, and in hotels.  Always an adventure.  We are currently in Keystone, SD.

   
(the monkey found a tree in Grandma's yard...)

 

 
(looking at "the three heads" as Logan calls Mount Rushmore)

It's now 4:04 in the morning. I'm in the office waiting for the Dores (our summer helpers) to pick me up in our van so that we can go the airport. They are all going home today after three weeks of fun and work. Thank you girls for all of your hard work, your good attitudes and willingness to do whatever was needed. It was fun getting to know you all. If you happen to read this early, please pray for their trip home. (Tamara, or as I like to call her Tanisha!, got sick the day before they left.)

Logan says really cute things.

Even when he is really sick and doesn't feel good at all.  He and Eli, who have both been waiting all year for their camp to start, are sick.  They both succesfully attended the first day of camp, but Eli hasn't been back.  Logan tried to go today, but went downhill quickly after shooting his arrow during the Bible story of Jonathan and David.

So after a day of lab test to rule out Dengue Fever and sitting in the doctor's office with a roomful of crazy kiddos and puking four times....ahh the memories....I gave him a quick bath to help bring down his fever and got him ready for bed.  Then we had this conversation...

Me: how's your head honey?

Logan: It hurts bad.  If you were me, you would know how it feels. Do you wish you were a beaver?

Me: A beaver?

Logan: Then you could live in a jam.

It has been a crazy last week of camp here.  Things like this keep me sane!

A Dore's Perspective

(I was waiting to post this until I found a picture of Laura.  Then I realized that camp would already be over by the time I had time to get a picture.  So here it is sans picture...)

Being a Dore at CDC is tough work sometimes. It takes Spiritual and physical strength. You have to do things that you might not want to do, but if you don't, who will? You have to keep the mindset that you're doing this for God. No matter how hard it is. Because sometimes God expects us to do hard things. It helps us grow and that's what we want. And this is the perfect environment for growing closer to God. You're constantly surrounded by God's people and they're constantly encouraging you and helping you when things get rough.

Along with the hard work and pain, there's also life-long relationships being built with your fellow Dores as you laugh and make memories. The singing and dancing makes it all worth the sweat. Even though some of us might be missing our own families, we know we have each other to rely on. We all understand that God brought us together to honor Him with everything we do here, and we thank Him each day for this opportunity. I know we don't have to worry about leaving this place with a feeling of regret, because God has truly blessed our work here and He will continue to do so.

A typical Dore day consists of loads of fun, but a lot of work and minor injuries that we can laugh at. After all, even roses come with thorns. While we work, we're able to watch the campers and listen to them laughing, and it helps to know that we're a part of all this. As a Dore, I can say my life will definitely be changed for the better after this experience and, God-willing, I will be back.

  Laura Leddy=)

OFF vs. CUTTER - No Competition

Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Imagine the roar of the ocean and the rustling of the palm trees. In your legs and arms you start to feel a tingle. Suddenly the sensation has taken over your entire body. Happiness? Excitement? Nerves? Worries? It's none of these things; it's mosquitoes. Everyday I wake up hot and sweaty. I climb down my ladder and get ready for the day. After ignoring the afro my hair has turned into I change clothes, walk outside and take a bath. A bath in bug spray that is. And if I ever forget to put it on, I'll be reminded within 5 minutes of being outside. And I don't use the wimpy bug spray from the states, I use the heavy duty hardcore Puerto Rican bug spray. My theory is if the people who live here use it, it must work. And NONE have been using Off, Cutter is where my loyalty lies.

Today is the last full day of the second week of camp. My mind can't wrap around the time that has flown by. This time next week, I'll be avoiding to prepare to pack up and go home. I've learned so much while I've been down here. I've made new friends, new memories, new sweat records. I've accomplished more than I imagined. Coming down here, I was hoping to improve my Spanish, have an awesome summer and an even more incredible tan. Of course, with some God thrown in there. I've learned one Spanish word, my vocabulary might be worse than before because annunciation isn't a big thing down here. My tan is pretty pathetic and you can play "connect-the-dots" with my bites. My summer has been incredible and God has been in every step I've taken. Being here, I've broken down my own barriers and opened up to unsuspecting people. My generalizations about people have been cast to the side and I now can look for the real person, not just the mask they wear. I've also been able to strip away the masks I've been holding up to God. My own masks I've been hiding behind, and the ones that I've hidden Him behind. As C. S. Lewis said, "I do not want my image of God, I want God." And I'm now on the road to finding Him for who He is, not who I make Him to be.

My favorite part of camp is seeing the counselors interact with the campers. All of the counselors have been doing a fantastic job. They get crazy, energetic, hyped up when they're about to fall over from exhaustion. They encourage, inspire, and help their campers. It's been a blessing to get to know the counselors better and to see what they've over come to get where they are and how they choose to spend their summer; teaching kids about our Father.

Being here, as cheesy as it may seem, has been a life-changing summer. I haven't taken a hot shower since I've gotten here, and I haven't wanted to once. I also haven't been able to have my phone. So when I get it back, I don't even know what I'll do with it. I put on anti-itch cream like lotion, and I cut all my shirts into tank tops. I sweat so much; and  I don't have any clue what's going on in the world, but I can't imagine being anywhere else. There's no where else in the world I'd rather spend my last few weeks of summer. This is my fourth trip to Puerto Rico, my first camp experience, and I don't want to go home next week.

-Maddie (Madison, Madeline, Madds) Poole! 

Mi papá es un oso.

This is MacKenzie. This year I had the opportunity to spend the summer at Campamento del Caribe and after my first week of summer camp I am amazed at the many ways the Lord had shown his presence.

 I came down to Puerto Rico to take pictures and videos of the camp and put together videos for the end of the week. I began by filming some footage of the counselors at 3 am while they were all peacefully sleeping. Theresa and Beth woke up each counselor to ask them each a random question, that became the introduction video for the campers to meet their counselors. I really began to feel like I was apart of something bigger after that. Then the first week of campers arrived and there was a crazy and unbelievable amount of energy around camp. The worship was incredible and I loved the enthusiasm the children sang and danced with. Also, the interaction of the counselors and campers was enjoyable to watch, as friendships were created and campers looked up to counselors as heroes. One night, the camper's activity was a mud relay and included a complete coating of mud on all the children participating. It was so fun to hear all the giggles and screams, as they all enjoyed each other and the mud.

   

 

 
  The numerous ways God has been working in my heart and on this camp in the last week are amazing, and I am so thankful to be able to have this opportunity for the summer.