My First Week At Camp - AWESOME!

So, man it's just been craziness here! This is the first free moment i have had to even get on a computer and write.
Let's see ...it's Monday at 11:13 am here.
Camp Week 1: So far, we went over every single possible happening of camp. From kids wetting their beds to runaways. It's pretty intense haha. We were split up into mountain groups. The groups are named after the mountains. For instance; my group is Satima. woot woot. These are Jr. girls (ages 7-9 and 10-11); I have girls 10 and 11. Our mountain group is split up into 3 seperate cabins because we had 15 total girls. Abbie and I have 5 girls. Divita, Bezawit, Joanne, Hannah, and Gloria. Gloria is this adorable little red head who has freckles and can make funny faces... no joke; she's basically a mini-me haha. All the girls are hilarious and spend a lot of time talking and laughing. But anyway, so all the counselors learned our group cheers together and learned all the other random facts about this new location. Like, don't run into an acashia tree... they have thorns and will hurt. yikes! The group as a whole is so supportive and encouraging to each other. On WEdnesday night last week we all went out to a game park and spent the night in tents with the animals. On the way in my van saw a giraffe and we were able to get out and walk up to it ...no joke, roughly 100 ft. from this amazing animal! sooo cool! When we crawled back in the van we realized that we had ticks up to our thighs ..yuck! So that whole night everyone checked out their legs way more than usual hah. It rained the first 4 days we were here. Which is funny because I just assumed it didn't rain that often in AFrica. stereotypes. so funny! Praise the Lord for my rockin awesome rain coat! The food has been awesome! Lukenya is absolutely gorgeous! There are beautiful flowers all over the place and when the sun is shining you can see everything. The mountains and the valleys the fluffy white clouds.
Out kids got here yesterday at around 2:00. We decorated each cabin for the mountain group that is in them. And then last night we had a huge assembly where all the counselors had to dress up as characters and introduce themselves to the kids. I was in the Spice Girls group (Ginger of course) haha. Then the kids signed up for skills which are basically activities that we teach thorughout the day. During the skill sign up...there was a suprise dance off ... and after Beth and Isabel totally rocked it out, and Brandon and Charlie did their thing.... suprise... they called Kyle and I up. We may be the most dance deprived couple ever! haha... but it was absolutely hilarious! Last night after finally getting all the girls in bed around 11:00 I was woken up at 12:30 by Hannah. It was dark and let me tell ya... I woke up to her saying Jen and I was like "what is this little kid doing in my room, and where the heck am I?!" haha Yeah. they were still up at 12:30... oh camp! haha Let's see, today was the first day of skills and I taught tennis with Kali and then arts and crafts where the Sr. girls (12-14) were making little boxes that involved hammers and nails; I have never been so nervous about the livlihood of my fingers! Now I have an off skill which is why i'm on the computer sending this to all you gusy who I love so dearly! CAmp runs from Sunday to Saturday.
Praise the Lord, I haven't been ill yet. And for the most part everyone else has been pretty healthy as well. It's oober hot here so drinking lots of water is the biggest thing.  Camp involves a lot of dressing up in crazy outfits and doing absolutely absurd things... sooo funny!
We sing about 800 different camp songs with actions... peeling the banana, noah building an ark,tarzan... i mean woot woot!
Oh I forgot to mention that I did get one tick on  me the other day... it was stuck to my hip, that sneaky little bugger.
God's just rockin it out here. We've had devotional time every day with music and man, you can just feel the Holy Spirit moving in hearts. I know that as this summer goes on that that devotional time spent together will strengthen our bonds.
God has truly provided so much for this camp. A new location (sidenote: "New" is our theme "Therefore, anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come" 2 Cor. 5:17), new kids, new staff, new counselors, new everything. Praise Him!
This week is going to be filled with all sorts of activities and hopefully I will be able to update you a little more.
I wish this was longer because I know so much more happened.
Oh! Like the other night in the rain we all went out to do high ropes in the dark. You could chose to do the Swing where you climb up a pole and get dropped and well swing. Or you could do the flying squirrel which is what I chose. Kyle went first and I went second. Basically what happens if you have two big poles with a rope that comes downthe middle. You are wearing a full body harness and get hooked to that rope. The other end of the rope is off to the side where 7 people pull to the right. Then on 3 they run right and you run straight for the lake. and right before you hit the lake you get pulled up into the air. and then swing down as they slowly come back. It was nuts!!!!! and since I'm sort of a light weight I went flying ahha. But man you could just see all the light and the beauty of Kenya and even in the pouring rain it was just magnificent.
I am so thankful God gave me the opportunity to be here. It's going to be an awesome summer.. which is still so weird to say. haha
Bank girls: I miss you; and just so you know I totally did "I like to move it move it" when I got off the plane... and many other times! love ya!
Wendy and Nick: Happy WEdding!!!! love ya tons!!!! have a great time in Mexico!
Heidi and Jake: Happy Wedding!!! love you so much!
Ally: roomie, I hope you haven't burned down the apartment with your awesome Christmas tree
Haylee: I just love ya girl, and I am so thankful for your awesome friendship. I want to see some of these awesome cake making skills when I get back
Mom and Dad and Kevers: I love you so much! Mom, be strong, I know we are all gone but the Lord will take care and provide and it will be Tahoe before you know it! Dad, I hope Lousianna is treating you awesomely! I miss you ...try eating alligator and let me know how it tastes. Kevers... you rock! Honestly, I think camp might be something you would want to do next summer.. for realz. think about it!
Everyone else: man I just can't tell you how loved I feel and how honored I am that God put it upon your hearts to send me here. These kids are reaping the benefits of your support. Thank you thank you!

I will try to update more often now that we have built in free time.

As far as how I'm doing: I'm holding up really well. Honestly, I'm not feeling that worn out but I know it's coming. Loving all the counselors here and so cool to bond with these kids. They are just so open and welcoming. I feel like the Lord and I are working on some awesome stuff! Realizing that a lot of times I put my faith in faith and not in Christ. Which is weird to think about. Because you need that faith. But so often I rely on doing good and all that other mental stuff that I lose Jesus. I lose the relationship. So finding that has just been so eye opening. Work in progress haha.

Prayer Requests:
1. My girl, Divita, is Hindu and just that her heart would be softened to the teachings of Jesus. That she would not feel seperated or discriminated against but that the hearts here would invite her in and just love her.
2. The camp as a whole, safety, health, laughter, joy, the movement of the Holy Spirit.
3. the counselors: that we would continue to be filled up with the power of Christ and the overflowing cup He offers.

Praise:
1. only one sickness so far!
2. The kis are already having so much fun and enjoying their groups!
3. The counselors are all starting to loosen up and be open with each other... you wouldn't believe how many times we've talked about poop haha.

It's weird how this box and screen can make me feel like i'm so much closer to you guys! I miss you and I love you so much! I hope all of you are just doing so wonderfully!!!!
hugs and kisses!
write to you soon!

jen<><