Pre-Camp Week

Last week we had pre-camp. Pre-Camp is when all of the people who would like to be translators or junior counselors, as well as out staff, get to experience a week of English camp.

Through out this week we, as the teachers, group leaders and directors watch the potential junior counselors and their behavior through out the week. We look for people, who are attentive, follow instructions, take initiative, good leaders, gentle and good-natured. For translators we look for the same attributes along with how well their English and translating skills are. I have a lot of respect for translators; as I work on my second language I know that translating isn’t as easy as we would like to think it is. The literal translation is not always the same and so quickly one has to think how it would make sense in another language and then say it. I stumble a lot when volunteers ask me what a child says. Yes, some things are very simple to translate but other things are cultural and therefore need a much longer translation. We had 100 people signed up for pre-camp! Sadly we could only take a total of 26 so a lot of prayers for God to make it very clear whom He would like to have in camp went up through out the week.

There are four classes everyday that the groups rotate through (during camp they’re split into older and younger) they are: English, science, Bible and PE. We split boys into two groups and the same with the girls. I helped put together the science curriculum this year; I love science and seeing all the tiny details God made everything with. Our summer director Andrew let me to teach the science class and while I was really nervous about teaching and getting all the facts straight; Monday morning came and I was fairly confident as I went to class. The science curriculum is themed: 6 Weeks of Creation. So, each week we focus on one day of creation the first week going through creation and then talking about light, light energy etc. the first day was relatively easy as I simply read the Genesis 1, 2:1-2 explaining and going into depth after each day of creation and then having the class draw inside a chart what happened on each of the 7 days. I concluded by really driving the point that God simply spoke, it wasn’t a magic spell, he didn’t use any sort of instrument He simply said “let there be” and there was. God is THAT powerful and that same powerful God loves each of us and desires a relationship with us.

The first class was a little restless; I had some issues with one of the guys but the rest of my classes went better. I had the boys first, a break for lunch and then the girls. My last class on Monday I asked if anyone knew what God created the first day; they were all shocked when I told them that “the heavens and earth” was wrong. “Genesis 1:1” they all said and when I began to read they were all shocked as I went through the three days of forming, three days of filling and the last day of rest. Monday was a good reminder, to me, that preaching the gospel and starting at the very beginning is important and how powerful God is.

Tuesday - I decided to do week 2 so that the junior counselors who would be working in camp wouldn’t hear the exact same week of science all over again. Day 2 of creation God separated the sky and the water. The day before things went well but I felt like there needed to be more interaction; this was also the day that the people wanting to be translators got a chance to translate for the teachers instead of our group leaders. I went to my class excited as I had a fun experiment to do with the class! I began by reviewing the order of creation and asking the class what happened each day; they stumbled a little but got it with a little help. I began to talk about the atmosphere and how it protects the earth, we talked about weather, the water cycle and pollution and then we made rain in a jar with: water, shaving cream and blue food coloring. So much fun! As I taught I myself was really touched on how incredibly perfect God had made things for us and how we mess it up. God told Adam and Eve to take care of the earth and the animals and we aren’t doing a good job of the job God gave us!

My third class, as I explained the atmosphere God began to speak and though this wasn’t in the lesson plan at all I began to talk about meteorites burning up in the atmosphere and falling stars; my translator stopped before translating what I just said and the staff members (who speak English) in the class were stunned “what did you say?” she asked, I repeated about falling stars and she shook her head in disbelief and translated it; then everyone was stunned and began talking. “Um… what just happened?” I asked, she laughed as she explained that in Haiti they’ve all been told that a falling star is a sign that someone is going to die. Again, God moved and I explained that no, a falling star is actually kind of the opposite. It’s a reminder that God is protecting us from meteorites that might cause damage and maybe kill us. So I encouraged them to remember that and share with their families that when they see a shooting star they shouldn’t be afraid but comforted because God is in control and He’s protecting us because He is God and He loves us. I went on to explain that every little part of creation is important if we didn’t have one part of the water cycle it wouldn’t work at all. God doesn’t make mistakes and just like God designed and made everything for a reason He did the same with each of us. We’re all here for a reason, we all make a difference whether we believe it or not.

Tuesday I was reminded that I’m God’s instrument to play a beautiful melody on, when I’m in tune with Him, and I’m just so thankful that He chooses to use me to touch others lives and that I am here.

Wednesday - the third day of creation God created the land, plants and the sea. I decided to talk about plants, land and then do a volcano experiment! My first class was still my hardest class but we got through it and they loved the volcano! The rest of my classes were so interested in plants that we didn’t have time to do the volcano! I had a volunteer draw a tree (as in the middle of my “classroom” stood a very tall tree and I used it as an example) and then different people come up and draw what the tree needed to make food. I also went over chlorophyll and how it makes leaves green and one of our preschool teachers was shocked “I never knew that before, the leaves are green because of chlorophyll! But now thanks to your lesson I know that!” she said laughing after our staff meeting.

Tuesday we’d given the people who were trying out to be translators a chance; most were guys and so Wednesday I asked some of the girls who’d been coming to English camp for a long time to translate for me and they actually did a really good job!!! I was so impressed!

As I went over the different things a tree need in order to make food and to live God moved once again and I began to explain how we, like trees, need to dig deep into God’s word which is like water to our thirsty souls, how the holy spirit lives in us and changes us (like the plants take the carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen) how without God’s one and only son we cannot have eternal life! The older ladies in my group shouted out some “amens” and “thank-you Lords”. Wednesday I pray God planted seeds in hearts that will grow and each of my students will come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

Fun fact: I can only say photosynthesis a total of 2 times before I get tongue-tied. We spent a good 5 minutes laughing about it and then I found the kreyol word is SO much easier to say and began using it: fotosentèz (photo-sin-tez)

Thursday – the fourth day of creation God created the: sun, moon and stars. I planned on talking about all of them but highlighting the moon as I’d noticed that the moon (I’ve always found space fascinating) was a waxing crescent the night before! I dreaded my first class in all honesty. But God just pressed on my heart to be cheerful and loving no matter what and as I prayed for the fruits of the spirit to be poured out the entire class changed. Guys were cheering for each other, helping one another out, answering questions, those that had caused problems were actually listening… it was one of the fastest answer to prayer I’ve ever experienced and I was SO grateful!

We talked about how the earth rotates around the sun and the moon rotates around the earth. I had three volunteers try and replicate it. We had a very small space and so as you can imagine it didn’t go well. I am a perfectionist but before any anxiety and degrading thoughts could even start, I laughed. Literally burst up laughing, as God showed me how silly we humans are. I had the class give the volunteers a round of applause and began to explain that even though there were several of us trying to get the volunteers to do it correctly we couldn’t get them to. It was a mess! “Aren’t you glad that God is in charge and not us?!” we went on to discuss how God once again created everything perfectly, His math is right on and if it was slightly off we’d be in big trouble.

We went over the phases of the moon next. I asked if any of them had seen the moon the previous night some had but they couldn’t remember what it had looked like. I encouraged them to look at the moon that night and try and figure out what phase it was at. All of my classes had so many questions about the moon we didn’t get to the sun and stars!

As Thursday was the last day of normal classes I again reiterated that God is the one who created the earth, in seven days, that the earth is young, how powerful God is, how He is in every little detail and that He does everything for a reason though we might not understand it or know why we’re all here for a reason and we have a choice to follow Him or to not.

Friday – Friday is called Friday fun day; we don’t have classes but fun activities where at least one involves water ;) My activity was musical chairs, which we had a blast with! We don’t have a lot of chairs but mainly benches, (which I’ve played with before in preschool but its not easy and doesn’t always work) and last year we’d used little pieces of cardboard to mark places. However; I’d found that with the preschoolers if I had them make a circle and then squat when the music stopped I would just choose the last person to squat or sit down and the last two I’d bring out a folding chair and it would be like “normal” musical chairs. The little kids LOVE it and so we tried it for Friday fun day. They also loved it and it ended up going faster then I thought it would and so I switched it up a little: the 2^nd round we chose one person to be in the middle of the group and choose an action for the entire group to do (e.g march with hands in the air, hop, shuffle, grocery cart etc.) it made it a little harder as they had to follow the person in the middle as well as listen for the music to stop and start. Lots of laughs! We still had time for another round and so the 3^rd round if a person got out they got to be the one in the middle, choosing what move people did and then when someone else got out they would go sit down and that person would take their place in the middle so that everyone got a turn J

I laughed so hard as some of the moves (walk like a chicken) were just hysterical and then when our older ladies got in the middle and started getting down with the music; everyone was good sports and it was a great ending to a wonderful week.

Friday was also hard because it was when Andrew chose who would help in English camp; there were a lot of disappointed people but for the most part they took it very well and we hope to see them again next year and that what they learned and saw during pre week God would use to draw them to Himself.