At Servelandia we have about 220 people living in a small plot of land. When I got into my shower yesterday, I realized that it was the first time I had been alone in a long time. There is always activities going on here. We have learned some new games and taught our fellow Servelandians our favorite games at Northshore. There is tons of laughter, new friendships forming, students talking about how God is challenging them, and some trying to catch a few more moments of sleep in the shade of the worship tent. As Jim Lindquist and I (Kate Jones) watched one day, we noticed something unique about how community was forming at Servelandia. (Disclaimer: We may be a little biased, but I know you will agree with the following) Our students are phenomenal. They are leaders and we as a group are very attractive, not just in looks, but as we stand together as a group and laugh loudly at Nate’s game Turtle Butt or play questions, or just talk with each other students from the other groups would be drawn to our group. We challenged our students with this and asked them to watch for those students who want to be involved but are not quite outgoing enough to just put themselves in the action. It has been great to watch out students rise up to that challenge. They have done a great job bringing fun and unity to the camp and out on their building teams. Our team blends together well and it is a blessing to work with these students.
- Kate Jones
Pau Pau Ponchitos (Nate & Robert’s Team): We started a new house today and we had a lot of space to build. Before lunch we had all four walls built and just the roof to frame before we were done with work for the day. There were not a ton of kids around this time so it was a lot easier to focus on building the house and enjoying being the Pau Pau Ponchitos. We had a team from Faith Baptist right behind us and The Blue Ninjas across the street. We chatted with them and played with the few kids in the area. Then we spent a while talking about what God was teaching us, what we thought about missions, and debriefing parts of the week thus far. It was a great day with a welcomed visit to the laundry mat once we returned to camp.
- Kate Jones
The Navy Blue Ninjas (Bob & Brian’s Team): Today was a bit more of a struggle than the days before have been. Everyone was very tired and we all were a little bit more snappy and unhappy with our work and with each other. Due to our high-strung nerves, we (sadly) were unable to enjoy today as much, but don’t worry, there were some good things. We started the day by introducing ourselves to the family and we got to meet two women. We started off the day, but (this is just my personal opinion) there wasn’t as much excitement as there was when we started our first house. However, as we got working we started getting into the habit of working again and started joking around and having a little bit of fun. Sadly, there were still high-strung nerves which resulted in some conflicts over mistakes. When it came time to lunch several people weren’t feeling good and the rest of us were just plain TIRED, but I think that the lunch was good for us because we were able to loosen up, relax, and just spend time together, which was really special. Plus we ate in the shade. YAY!
After a short break it was time to get back to work, but the lovely relaxation of our break didn’t last for long, maybe some people just weren’t relaxed to start with. We were able to push through the day, but by the end we were all tired, unhappy, and Amanda was sick (but she’s better now, YAY). We got to go to the Laundromat and washed our clothes, which was nice, but i think everyone just wanted a nap. So while we were there several people were sitting and staring at the TV (which was playing american cartoons in spanish), spacing out, and some tried to nap. We are now back at camp, laughing at how angry we got at the sun today and playing games with smiles on our faces, so I’m glad that we are all feeling better. And I’m hoping and praying that tomorrow we will have a much better day, full of more energy, encouragement, and effort. So I guess I’m going to call it quits, because there’s going to be a talent show soon and I’m excited to watch everyone and support my friends! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers constantly as we finish our houses tomorrow, do our extra project Friday, and as we spend some time back at Masters college. ADIOS!
- Kory Bisset
Team Perfect (Jim & Claire’s Team): Today was a new start to a new house and a new family. We have the privilege of blessing the mother (whose name is unpronounceable) and her three daughters of ages 5,7, and 9. When we first got there we set up, introduced ourselves with the little Spanish that I (Ty Baird) know, and then prayed for our family and for safety in building. The first step in our process was to saw all the wood, which is the hardest part of the whole job. While this was going on, a few of us began playing with the three girls, making bracelets, playing with balloons, and blowing bubbles. Having only three kids at our site made it quite a bit easier to get our work done because we were able to focus more on work while still being able to spend time with them. Next was lunch where we chatted with the family and also learned about the lives of our Caravan leaders Julia and Katy. Everyday we have been praying for an unreached people groups somewhere in the world and today we prayed for the Afghanis in Afghanistan. It was really cool that during this time the girls were just sitting there listening even though chances are they had no idea what we were saying! They were respectful and seemed very intrigued in what we were doing. At the end of the day we ended up finishing all 4 walls and the roof frame! It was, overall, another perfect day for Team Perfect.
- Ty Baird
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