June Camp

And then we work.  While this Service Trip offers no shortage of wonderful oppotunities to explore the landscape or learn more about Navajo culture, the main reason we come to Rehoboth is to help staff the school's June Camp.  June Camp is like a super fun summer school.  It is meant as an outreach to the community, which is generally poor, in offering a place for kids to go all day, get some additional education, free meals, and lots of love from teams like ours!

This year we did not do June Camp all day, though.  Another team from Denver was also at Rehoboth running a soccer camp in the early mornings, so we used this time to work on and complete all sorts of odd jobs for the school and church.  

We assembled bunk beds in the dorms and carried old mattresses away.  We built scaffolding and changed light bulbs in ceiling projectors.  We divided our group up to file and organize paper work and move heavy equipment around (paperwork or heavy lifting-- guess which group I was in? :).  I also got to try wearing my lunch lady hat (hairnet?) while working on the cafeteria food prep and serving team.  

We also got their church totally decorated for the upcoming Everest VBS.  We all agreed that this very wide variety of tasks we were given made the work fun and the days go by fast.

Then, around 10:00 each day we'd rejoin the June Camp and lead the kids through their rotations.  This year each camper rotated around to try each thing, meaning we staff did as well.  We made quesadillas, and marshmallow shooters.  We had ballroom dance lessons and did Zumba.  We had paper airplane flying contests and learned lots of different versions of tag.  In the afternoons, we did the more intense and academic math, reading and science rotations.  But mostly we formed relationships with these kids.  We played with them on the playground at every opportunity and we heard our group testify that it was much harder than they were expecting to say goodbye. 

Dave's job was a little different this year too.  Instead of rotating around with a group of June Camp kids, he was actually asked to lead one of the stations.  So, for 3 hours each day, he taught a PE of sorts.  He did so great at coming up with a theme about not saying "I'm bored!" this summer.  Each day he showed us how everyday items, like a ball, a towel, some garbage, and even nothing, can be turned into fun inside and outside games.  His station was actually my favorite!

Like last year, the girls were able to enroll in June Camp and had a fabulous week.  Besides the activities already mentioned, Ella got to climb the rock wall and met these 3 adorable friends, who have all exchanged addresses.

Many of the physical and water activities Delia had to sit out, but she still made the most of June Camp in making new friends.  She got so close to some new girlfriends that there were some major tears at goodbye time.