Kid's Camp

We spent 4 days up at the Cabana (cabin) last week...7 adults, one translator, and 18 kids with ages ranging from 4-14. It was wild! We had 9 little boys piled into one bed because there wasn't much room. They loved it though.

The cabin was rustic to say the least. It had electricity, but no running water...that meant no showers for any of us for 4 days! My first visit to the cabana had me terrified...it was small and dirty and I couldn't imagine living there for 4 days. I'm happy to say that I not only survived...but thrived! We had so much fun. I think the thing that changed the most for me was having other people there. Within minutes, the kitchen transformed from a dirty, run-down spot to "home". Groceries in the cupboards, table and counters cleaned, water boiling on the stove. It was like Little House on the Prairie all of the sudden - ha! The girl's bedroom with funny shaped mattresses and dusty furniture transformed into a palace when the little girls unpacked their things and put them into the dressers and laid out their pillows and blankets. I learned that Home truly is where the heart is and it doesn't matter how meager the conditions are.

This was the first time all the foster kids along with a few other kids from church were able to get away by themselves without "parents". They had their bags packed two days in advance they were so excited! The excitement was contagious and so were the fights. We were severely tested the first night...I think the kids wanted to know just how much they could push the envelope with the "Americans". They pushed hard, but fortunately we had one gal who was an experienced teacher and she helped us lay down the law. She had an amazing disciplinary technique using natural consequences and consistency that worked wonders. She also introduced a system to call the kids together when we needed them. We had no bell or bugle...so we used what we had...a pan lid and fork. The clanging it made was loud enough to be heard around the cabin and you should have seen the kids come running when they heard it. I was amazed and thrilled! After one day we were in a routine and the kids were having a blast.

Some observations...these kids ate like there was no tomorrow!! We thought we had brought enough groceries, but we ran out of ketchup and mustard and half the bread and all the hotdogs by the end of the first day. We sent a helper to the store an hour away for more supplies. In the meantime, we discovered that hotdogs in large quantities and little boys' digestive systems don't mix well. One little boy ran excitedly up to Rebecca (a team member) and tried to communicate the best he could his dilemma. When he made a motion behind his rear and said "whoosh!", she knew what she was in for. Sure enough...the bathroom was a mess! We had one indoor bathroom that worked when a bucket of creek water is poured into it. There were also two outhouses...one for the girls and one for the boys. Later, that same little boy caused another raucus in the outhouse. A line of 4 boys outside the outhouse were yelling excitedly in Romanian and kept opening the outhouse door. When questioned, we discovered that Marian had been in the outhouse for 15 minutes already and the other 4 boys were anxiously waiting their turn. They refused to use the other outhouse because it was the GIRLS' outhouse! The site was hilarious...all the boys dancing around and one opening the door sticking his head inside yelling something in Romanian and then shutting the door again looking disgusted. The only word I recognized over and over again was "ca-ca" - ha! We didn't serve any more hotdogs!!

I learned several new words at the cabin...outside, wait/later, come, and be careful were the ones I used the most. Fortunately, a few of the kids spoke a little English, so I was able to communicate relatively well most of the time. Love is definitely the universal language...these kids were so affectionate and we found ourselves falling in love them.

The verse of scripture our team clung to during our time at the cabana was 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light afflictions, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." I belive the unseen impact that was made on the kids is immeasurable and I pray that their lives are changed for the better because of their time at the cabana.

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