Sunday July 24th 2011

We have had quite an exciting first week of camp! We had about 15 campers here with us last week, which is very good considering how new the camp is. The week was full of lots of fun activities that included pool games, shaving cream hairdo contests, slip n slides, praise and worship and games in the mud pit. The mud pit was probably the highlight of all the games because everyone was covered from head to foot in sloppy mud. The kids really enjoyed it as did us big kids. Capture the flag and tug o war is just that much more exciting when you’re slipping and sliding in the slop! But of course, those who play sometimes pay, as is usually my case. We took our socks and shoes off and my legs and feet got really banged up from the rocks and sticks that were stuck in the mud. I have scrapes and gashes all over my legs and on the sides and bottoms of my feet, which have made walking these past few days quite a painful experience. All part of the adventure I guess. It’s not everyday you get to play in a giant mud pit and bond with a bunch of 12 and 13 year old Mexican kids. I have developed some great friendships over this past week with the kids have shared some great memories with them. I am ecstatic to report that 4 of the campers accepted Christ as their Savior this week! We have all been rejoicing over the decisions the campers have made and the work the Lord has done in their lives and will continue to do. One of the highlights of my week was when one of the boys that accepted Christ as his Savior this week put his arm around me and said “Eres mi amigo” which means “you are my friend”. That was such a cool moment for me, and made me realize that I really do have an impact on these kids’ lives. I would like you to pray for one of our other campers that we had this past week. His name is Fernando and he is a bit of a rambunctious kid and comes from a troubled home. The gospel is a brand new thing to him and I’m sure a seed was planted in his heart this past week but today when it was time to leave, he clung to one of the counselors and asked if he could stay here at the camp instead of going home. I guess he lives with his grandma and she routinely practices witchcraft. Pray that God would work in that family and for Fernando and his situation at home. It’s very difficult to see him go back to an evil place like that so please keep him in your prayers. Also being in an extremely poor part of the country, a lot of campers are not able to attend camp because of the cost. Even though this camp would be extremely cheap to us at roughly 400 pesos a camper (40 dollars), families are not able to part with that kind of money. We have been scrounging up money here at El Monte to put it towards as many scholarships and bring as many children here to hear the gospel as possible. There are just so many kids here with such poor economic conditions that make it very difficult to bring as many kids as we’d like. But we are praying that we are able to reach as many kids as possible with the funds we have now. Our camp session is over but the next camp starts on Monday.

Mi corazón se llena de emoción. Cuan grande es Él. Cuan grande es Él. Mi corazón se llena de emoción. Cuan grande es Él. Cuan grande es Él.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou Art. How great Thou art.

Billy

Friday July 15th 2011

Saludos de Mexico. In just over a week here at the camp, there have been many things happening. Over the past week we have completed the soccer field, visited an ancient pyramid city with the group from Wisconsin and I have been initiated into the Mexican culture by getting the sickness known as Montezuma’s Revenge. I guess everyone who comes to Mexico for any lengthy period of time gets it. I don’t care to go into much more detail than that because it will probably make me sick again. But I suggest Googling it if you’d really like to know more. (Not recommended).

We are getting the camp ready for the first round of campers to come this Monday. Tuesday night was the start of counselor training that will last until tomorrow evening. Camping registration is a little different here than it is in the States. Registration for camps back home happens months before the camp begins. But here in Mexico, we encourage early registration, but almost all the families show up with their kids the day camp starts without prior registration. So, we really have no way of telling how many campers will show up. This, as you can imagine, can be a bit challenging and problematic. We are praying that we have a good turnout for each of the camps and that we will be able to reach as many children as possible with the Good News. I ask for your prayers in this matter also.

This past week we the camp’s water pump went out which severely limited the distribution of water to all areas of the camp. This affected watering our newly sodded field the most as it gets very hot and dry here during the day. Thankfully we have had some powerful storms come through the area the past couple nights to keep it somewhat wet. And earlier this morning, they found the cause of the problem and were able to replenish the water and restore it to the entire camp.

I hope all is well back home. Buenas noches de Mexico.

Billy

Thursday July 7th 2011

Wow. What a exciting first couple days at El Monte. I feel like there is so much to write about but I just can't write about it all in the time I have left before I start to fall asleep at the keyboard. We have been extremely busy these past few days from my travel day on Tuesday to work and activities around the camp the past couple days. We have a work team here from a town in northern Wisconsin right now. It is a group of about 20 kids ages 12-18. They are a blast to be around and I have spent the majority of my time working and goofing around with them. The big project we have been working on these past couple days has been sodding the 2nd soccer field. We have laid about 1600 square meters (yes they use meters down here, but I am too tired to try and convert that to feet at the moment) of sod in the blazing Mexican sun. And yes mom, I have been wearing sunscreen. They love their soccer down here which is why they already have 2 soccer fields.

One thing that came to my attention today, was a meeting taking place today and possibly in these next few days also on the government level regarding the zoning for the camp. Since their is so much corruption on so many levels of the Mexican government, these officials may make it extremely difficult for El Monte to be able to build and expand their camp. These officials could decide to either give El Monte the green light and give them the freedom to do whatever they please or they could decide to make things difficult on the camp and slap on huge amounts of fines or create so much red tape for the camp to go through that nothing else would be able to be built here. I have seen a little of the plans for the camp which is nowhere near complete, especially with the plans to add a missionary training school and pastoral renewal center onto the existing camp. Please pray that these meetings go well and for the outcome to be in favor of the camp. Also pray that my body will hold up under the heat and for my body in general, especially my back, because it has been very soar and I want to be able to give 100% to whatever task I have in front of me. I really appreciate the prayers and support you all have given me and will continue to give me.

Tomorrow we will be visiting an ancient pyramid city which I am really looking forward to. If you guys have any questions or concerns at all, you can post a comment under my postings. You do not have to "follow" my blog to be able to view it, but you do have to "follow" and sign in, with a user name and password that doesn't take too much time to set up, if you'd like to leave a comment. Thanks again guys, more updates to come, and may God receive all the glory through all of this.

Buenas noches de México.

Billy

Wednesday July 6th 2011

Hi guys. Just a quick post to let you know I made it to El Monte safely. More updates to come. Gotta run. Adios.

Billy