Day 4

So maybe it is not the best idea to wait so long to update the blog. But it gets very busy the last few days of camp.

Friday was day four of camp. It rained. It rained hard. It rained hard and long. It even hailed. It was a tough day for sports! Never fear, entertain with Veggie Tails! In English, of course. After all, it is English Camp.

The highlights for Friday centered around Kaitlyn and Chad and their conversations with a couple of children from the camp. Kaitlyn and Chad have been very vocal about their faith and witnessing to the kids. They have spent time praying for and with a lot of the children. Friday, they prayed with a group of boys and girls and at least one accepted Christ. Daniel is actually a boy from Chicago and was in Stola for a month visiting his relatives. And yes, attending English Camp? He was in Jessica and Hannah's class. And quite a handful to start the week. But as the week progressed, he became more and more involved. Jamie taught him how to hit a softball. Daniel was told that no boy from Chicago should be in Europe and no be able to hit a ball. The batting lesson really seemed to change his attitude. From then on he was very open and receptive to many things. Even the Gospel. Pray for Daniel and his new faith. Hopefully we can stay in touch with him after he returns to the US.

Shawn

Day 3

How could you possibly complain about waking up to God's perfect creation, even if there is the threat of rain?  Sorry Chris, rain plays havoc on sports during English camps.

The third day of camp brought some exciting news.  Kaithlyn and Chad (Eade) have used their class and free time to really challenge their kids for God.  They were able to pray with a few boys who have a testimony of salvation and see those boys make a commitment to furthering their relationship with God.  They have been praying for two sisters from the Gypsy community.  These girls were in camp a few years ago, but for varying circumstances, they were unable to attend last year.  This year they said they could not afford to come.  Gayle agreed to pay their way to camp and they have been a blessing since.  God is working in their lives.  Kaitlyn prayed with a young boy who has now accepted Christ as savior.  I will let her give you the details.  God is granting us the privilege of seeing His work accomplished.

Thursday evening we went to our favorite Slovak restaurant.  Utopia pizza in Poprad.  It is a long way to go for good pizza, but there are many that will tell you it is worth it.  I am among them.

I met an English chap, Lester Peters, last year at the Baptist Church in Poprad.  Lester felt God calling him to serve somewhere other than England.  He manages a website for churches in the UK, which allows his work to be very mobile.  He felt God asking him to move to Poprad not really knowing how God was going to use him.  He bought a flat about a year ago and is earnestly learning the language awaiting God's plan.  I am not sure if he found it with us, but he has been a tremendous blessing at camp this week.  We shall see what else is in store for him in the future.

Thank you for your continued prayers.  We can see God's work around us every day.

Shawn

Day 2

We woke on Wednesday to beautiful sunshine on the mountains.  It was a perfect day.  The second day of camp is always a little easier than the the first.  We were able to work out some of the difficulties and confusion of the first day and really begin to enjoy the children.  All reports are that the individual class times went very well.  The only complaint is there is not enough time to accomplish all that is planned.  That is a good problem.

Softball is still a big "hit" with the kids during the sports time.  We are working on the farm system for the church team.  We have a few that are almost ready for their "call-up" to the big leagues.

As I may have mentioned, this is the tenth anniversary of the camp.  While technically the eleventh camp, it is the tenth year.  So maybe it is the ten year anniversary.  If car companies can celebrate 25th anniversary's for two years, we can have a tenth on the eleventh!  We have used the anniversary as part of our theme this year and I have built Bible lessons from scriptures that have the number ten.  As mentioned, Don Eade used his ten finger method to teach the ten commandments.  On day two of camp, I told the children about the ten plagues of Egypt.  What kid doesn't want to hear about frogs in peoples' beds.  COOL!  In the passages in Exodus, I see Pharaoh acting very much like we do.  He was holding onto the people: we hold onto certain sins (or other things).  He refused to let the people go to God: we refuse to give sin up so we can be close to God.  God used trials to convince Pharaoh to let them go: God uses trials to mold and shape us in our walk.  How many plagues must we face?  And then, when we think we have released that sin in our lives, will we pursue it again?

On a lighter note, I did get to play futbol with some kids from the inner city.  I had two personal goals in mind (pardon the pun).  1. Survive with out injuring myself. 2. Survive without injuring my pride. (After all, I was playing for all America!)  Two early to tell about either, but I had a great time.  And best of all, it was more opportunity to build on relationships.  My main focus was to spend time with Marek, the director of the DEPO.  That was great, but I also spent time playing with Lubomir Pal, the pastor of the Baptist church in Poprad.  He is as a good a soccer player as Chris is at softball.  It was a great time of fellowship.  Hopeful God can use it to build the relationships.

Thanks again for the prayers.  I am encouraging the others to post.  There are some great stories and I do not want to steal their thunder.  Just know for now, God is really working.

Shawn