Fun-filled.
Fellowship.
Beauty.
Peaceful.
Challenging.
Overcoming.
Spirit filled.
Spirit led.
Awesome.
Powerful.
These are the words that come to mind expressing our time together at Pico Escondido Camp (Hidden Peak). It was amazing to see God's hand throughout it all from the time Vic, Leslie, and I started planning to the end of our retreat last Sunday afternoon. God's leading Vic in choosing this particular camp. God working out all the logistics as we shared the camp with an eight-grade retreat from Santiago Christian School. The amazing staff who served and accommodated us in so many ways. Those who served our children and teens this weekend in a special way that was fun but also sharing about who God is. We had planned for a couple who serves with Barnabas International to come and lead us in our retreat but due to a medical problem they were unable to come at this time. The Spirit led us down a different direction. Once at the retreat, the Spirit again led us down a different direction.
Those who arrived early on Friday got to use the pool. We kicked off the retreat by playing life-size jenga and life-size trouble. Josh had us split into groups in order to get to know each other better. In our evening session we had a time of worship together followed by two powerful testimonies. We then started our study on Psalm 23 learning what it means to be a shepherd as well as how God is our shepherd. We also had each group role play one or several aspects of what a shepherd does.
Saturday morning we had another session time where we worshipped together and heard two more powerful testimonies. We continued our study on Psalm 23. We got into groups and made lists of God's actions and our role in these six verses.
How God is the one who is doing things for us on a continuous basis. He is the one providing all our needs so that we do not lack anything. Our role is to dwell, to receive, and to trust. Near the end of the session we split up into groups to have a time of answering questions regarding verse one and two of Psalm 23.
After lunch we had free time but there were many activities that the camp provided for us to do. Some swam in the pool. Some climbed up on their climbing wall. Some swag in the giant swing that sits three people and is like a bungee-swing. Then the majority participated in what the camp calls a lower ropes course but it was more like a challenge course. The group was divided into two teams and they had four challenges to complete as a group, the submerging Titanic, the partner trust walk, the tipping table, and the trust fall. Everyone did an awesome job!
After dinner we had our evening sessions that started with worship together and we heard to more testimonies. Amazing to be able to hear how God has worked and is working in and through the lives of those He has called to serve Him here in the DR. The Spirit led them to share what needed to be said and it took our whole session time (Praise God!) so we did not get into our study of Psalm 23. We later had a bonfire with smore's and a night swim.
Sunday morning we played a quick game of saran ball since we tried to play it all weekend and it just wasn't the right time. We had our morning session of worshipping God together in song. Bill Hansen led us in a time of communion together. We ended the morning with four more powerful testimonies. Sometimes what we have planned is good but following the Spirit's lead is even better. We did not finish the Psalm 23 study but we received the rest, water, and food that God as our Shepherd led us to receive this past weekend. Thankful to be able to bless all our missionaries with a small gift of thanks and appreciation for all that they do here in the DR.
I want to thank my church family, Rimersburg UMC and my Dad and Maureen for the gifts that they sent for our missionaries to receive. I want to thank everyone for ALL your prayers as I felt them strongly throughout the week in preparation for the retreat and during our retreat. Thank you!
Fellowship.
Beauty.
Peaceful.
Challenging.
Overcoming.
Spirit filled.
Spirit led.
Awesome.
Powerful.
These are the words that come to mind expressing our time together at Pico Escondido Camp (Hidden Peak). It was amazing to see God's hand throughout it all from the time Vic, Leslie, and I started planning to the end of our retreat last Sunday afternoon. God's leading Vic in choosing this particular camp. God working out all the logistics as we shared the camp with an eight-grade retreat from Santiago Christian School. The amazing staff who served and accommodated us in so many ways. Those who served our children and teens this weekend in a special way that was fun but also sharing about who God is. We had planned for a couple who serves with Barnabas International to come and lead us in our retreat but due to a medical problem they were unable to come at this time. The Spirit led us down a different direction. Once at the retreat, the Spirit again led us down a different direction.
Those who arrived early on Friday got to use the pool. We kicked off the retreat by playing life-size jenga and life-size trouble. Josh had us split into groups in order to get to know each other better. In our evening session we had a time of worship together followed by two powerful testimonies. We then started our study on Psalm 23 learning what it means to be a shepherd as well as how God is our shepherd. We also had each group role play one or several aspects of what a shepherd does.
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| Words that come to mind when you think of shepherd. Words that come to mind when you think of Lord. Think of Lord is my Shepherd. |
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| Shepherd and his sheep |
How God is the one who is doing things for us on a continuous basis. He is the one providing all our needs so that we do not lack anything. Our role is to dwell, to receive, and to trust. Near the end of the session we split up into groups to have a time of answering questions regarding verse one and two of Psalm 23.
After lunch we had free time but there were many activities that the camp provided for us to do. Some swam in the pool. Some climbed up on their climbing wall. Some swag in the giant swing that sits three people and is like a bungee-swing. Then the majority participated in what the camp calls a lower ropes course but it was more like a challenge course. The group was divided into two teams and they had four challenges to complete as a group, the submerging Titanic, the partner trust walk, the tipping table, and the trust fall. Everyone did an awesome job!
After dinner we had our evening sessions that started with worship together and we heard to more testimonies. Amazing to be able to hear how God has worked and is working in and through the lives of those He has called to serve Him here in the DR. The Spirit led them to share what needed to be said and it took our whole session time (Praise God!) so we did not get into our study of Psalm 23. We later had a bonfire with smore's and a night swim.
Sunday morning we played a quick game of saran ball since we tried to play it all weekend and it just wasn't the right time. We had our morning session of worshipping God together in song. Bill Hansen led us in a time of communion together. We ended the morning with four more powerful testimonies. Sometimes what we have planned is good but following the Spirit's lead is even better. We did not finish the Psalm 23 study but we received the rest, water, and food that God as our Shepherd led us to receive this past weekend. Thankful to be able to bless all our missionaries with a small gift of thanks and appreciation for all that they do here in the DR.
I want to thank my church family, Rimersburg UMC and my Dad and Maureen for the gifts that they sent for our missionaries to receive. I want to thank everyone for ALL your prayers as I felt them strongly throughout the week in preparation for the retreat and during our retreat. Thank you!
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| Our KAI DR Missionaries & families |
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| Life-size jenga |
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| Life-size Trouble |
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| Groups |
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| Groups |
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| Groups |
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| Playing Saran Wrap Ball |
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| Saran Wrap Ball |
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