Nikka (in the picture above) is one of the girls I had fun connecting with. She's just a fun person to be around.
After camp, we all stayed in Prešov and did some follow up activities with the youth group. At one point, the youth leader encouraged the students to share about how the week at camp was for them. Nikka was one of the first ones to get up and in front of everybody talk about how the week at camp changed her life. She called herself a gangster, sharing about getting in trouble with her group of friends all the time. One of the things she realized at camp was that life did not have to be like that. And she wanted to change. She wanted to go a different route...
At camp I got to share a cabin with these four girls. We had so much fun. And we just hung out, talked, laughed, and shared life together for that week. I loved being able to get to know these girls, and to be able to spend so much time with them.
Iveta and Zuzka are sisters. They did not really want to be at camp. They hardly smiled the first few days. They came because their parents wanted them to come.
That changed as the week went on. They had a hard time saying good-bye to people, they did not want to leave camp. I love this picture! These girls were touched, transformed, and are so excited to be a part of youth group.....and I am excited to see their stories unfold...
One reason this camp was special for me was Leah. Leah and I have known each other for ten years. We first met at a camp in Slovakia. I was a student, she was one of the leaders. Since then God has allowed us to work together. We both were a part of the women's ministry team here in Czech for a couple of years. Leah has become a dear sister to me, and I am so very thankful for her! As much time as we have spent together in the last ten years, we never got to do another camp together until Prešov. And so, after ten years, we were reunited in Slovakia doing a camp together once again. What a privilege to work alongside you, Leah! Love you!
