Week Three, Over and Out

The last week (and if last year is any indication, the best week) starts today. After two Junior weeks, a teen week, and weekends and the beach, it's hard to believe my Hawaiian Adventure is almost over. 

This week is Junior Missions Week. It's a smaller week (last year I just had two campers) and most, if not all, of the kids are unsaved. They come from all over the island, and the incredible generosity of the churches allows them to experience camp for free. Last night we were able to go to a housing complex and play with kids and talk to their parents and invite them to camp. I think a few are going to come, and I can't wait to see them again.

It's amazing to me how quickly you can love someone. A few of the little boys last night completely stole my heart. They asked my if they could pick me flowers, and soon I had a huge bouquet of grass and leaves. When I left one little five-year-old gave me the tightest hug I may have ever gotten. I know I may never see those little ones again, but God really put a burden on my heart for the kids He loves so much. 

I had an amazing cabin this week. The girls made decisions to listen to Jesus, love Jesus, obey Jesus, obey their parents, and stand for God. They cried, I cried, and we praised God together. We wrote letters to our parents, and I was able to be there with my arm around a little girl as she forgave the parents who abandoned her and expressed her love to the one's who raised her. The note, and both of us, were covered in tears, but we felt God so closely. 

My cabin wasn't great at frisbee golf or archery, but I won my first game of knock-out, the Blue team won cheer competition and the week, and my girls may have set a record on number of pixie sticks and hotdogs eaten. Lots of sugar before bed makes for a very tired counselor, but I was more thankful than ever for the Junior week nap time. 

Friday night we crashed for a couple of hours before heading out to night snorkle and attempt to spear fish. I had the spear for probably a grand total of 2 minutes before deciding to just snorkle. We swam over a huge sea turtle and saw some amazing fish (that we then caught, killed, roasted over a fire, and ate like savages on the beach). We slept for a few hours before heading out to the North Shore for shopping, kalua pork eating, stand-up paddling, and shave ice eating, and the team ended the day with dinner and a singspiration at some sweet church peoples' home. They feed us well out here.