Highschool camp

Monday was another rest day. We deemed this day “Beauty Day.” We did bethany, Rebecca and one of their friends hair and makeup. They loved it! Bethany looked at herself in the mirror and said... “I love myself!” Haha Unda, Paige, Alex and I got all dressed up as well and went to an old house down the road and took pictures. It was great(:

Tuesday highschool camp started. This was by far the best camp out of all of them. It was the one that we could most relate with the kids. Made lots of new friends, but most importantly, there were a lot of transforming throughout the week. It was really cool to see the changes. In Paige's group there was this girl who believed in reincarnation and that there was no hell. She believed that there was a higher power but never really knew what. Paige told her to get into Gods word this week and see what she found because no matter what we could say, Gods word speaks the loudest and the most truthful. We would come upstairs sometimes and find her all alone reading her Bible, you could tell that she didnt really know what to do with it or where to read, but she was searching. The last day, she went and talked to Paige and Lora (one of the ladies from seattle) and asked lots of questions. That night was the salvation message and the alter call and she received Christ. She was searching and she found. There were a lot of other stories like that in the camp as well. The big hit during this camp were friendship bracelets. The Seattle team brought a lot of supplies so everyone was making them all week long. It was nice to just get to sit down, make bracelets and talk to the girls instead of playing games with them the entire time. We stayed up very late every night during this camp playing games and saunaing. It was crazy, all of us leaders were so exhausted. On the last night of the salvation message, Kristine did a worship painting. It was so incredible. All of the kids loved it to I think. She is VERY talented. AT camp fire that night, Paige and I sang a song and I gave my testimony. All together, the week was very successful and we all enjoyed it a lot.

Shelby- this week was the best week out of all the weeks, but at the same time almost the difficult. After being worn out from three long weeks of camp after camp, this camp was the most physically and mentally challenging. When midnight would come and they would announce “Okay now we are going to play a Big game and it may last for 2 hours!” Those were definitely my weak moments. It was so so hard to have a good attitude. One night we had played this game called stations. There were four groups of people and 4 different stations around the ENTIRE camp that each group had to go find and do whatever they said. The camp is NOT small. Definitely one of the hardest, most challenging things I have ever done in my life. Not in the sense of the game being hard, but the fact that it was midnight, I was extremely sore, so tired, hungry, not feeling my best, and I had flip flops on. I can say that I didnt show the best side of my attitude that night. I tried to not show it to my kids, it was mostly just in my head. The kids were really good about the entire thing, even though I could tell they were also tired and just wanted to sleep. They kept theirs mouths shut about the whole thing for the most part. I was impressed. We ended up walking around 5 miles around and around and around the camp. It was miserable. I know I could have been better about it, but God was still faithful and pulled through. I woke up the next morning not knowing how I was going to make it through the day (and I think Im speaking for most of the leaders). We all knew we had an entire day ahead of us that was requiring us to have energy and excitement for the kids, and we had zero of any of that. That morning at morning devotions for the leaders, we all begged God for his strength because we knew there was absolutely no way we could get through the day without Him. And after devotions, I continued to pray and pray. I went to my tee-pee and listened to some encouraging music. Then I took a shower, and it was a blessing in disguise. Nothing can wake you up better than a freezing cold shower! Lol This day ended up being the best day out of all the days! God does work in awesome ways(: Now we have this awesome long weekend. The next camp doesn't start until next Thursday! And it is only family camp, so all we have to do is man the stations, not be leaders to a bunch of little people. The weekend will be great...(: There is lots planned that we are all SOOOOOOOO excited for! Going to the Baltic sea and then to Old Riga which I have been told is the coolest place in Latvia. Then on Tuesday........ the day us girls have all been waiting for..... the day we are getting our hair done!!! And the outcome of that is a surprise. But it will be...... great(:

Paige- This was such a good week! We had a lot of fun with the high schoolers and I was very excited for this week. I just felt like I was going to be able to connect with the kids more then I had with the previous camps. As Shelb said it was very physically and emotionally challenging. But God provided us with lots of energy! Thank goodness. Shelby and I were even in the same number group so we got to do a lot of activities together. When we were at the rock wall us and other girls in our group hungout and sang songs and it was so much fun, and it turned out to be a great way to connect with the girls. Finding that common ground is huge and music filled that void. The last day of camp a lot of us exchanged emails and other things to keep in contact. Just little things like that made this last week so great. Now we have a long weekend ahead of us, that we get to relax, rest up, and do some touristy things. :) God is good!!!

Clarke- get ready for the most special part of this blog. Its when me and imants tell about how ridiculous we are. First off we each have a monster tower taller than us. And were both awesome. So camp is going good a lot of good new christian friends on this trip. Helping with a camp is a lot harder than I thought but its worth it seeing God work.

Imis – im the best cool guy ever last camp was so ameizing bekose of I and Ivars learned new moves on diving bord bekose ve are kuul. And this weekend I was in home spent time with my friends and famil. I like hilsong. Evrybody come over and save your american friends or I will hit the bigest tree in Latvia and it will be so painfull to you all . Bevare. I am fish hunter imis !

Week three

Saturday was deemed “Hilarious Saturday.” It definitely earned its name. On this day, we did many things. First Paige, Imis, and I all spun in circles on the dock. Whoever fell off last won. Then Imis “rode” off the diving board in a kayak. Paige and I going on an adventure in the Canoes and it ending in being late for dinner because Imis just thought it was hilarious to tip us over.. in our clothes. And playing silly games like “Im going to Riga and i'm bringing...” Hence.. it was a good day.

Sunday was awesome as well! After church we all visited this old castle. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And to top that off, I got to play a GRAND PIANO in the castle! If I get to choose, I suspect that is what I will be doing most of the time in heaven, playing a grand piano in a castle(: If you haven't gotten the chance to look at our pictures from Latvia on my Facebook (Shelby) you must now. Because it is excruciatingly important that you see the pictures of how beautiful that castle was. We all fell in love. Monday was a lazy day. We slept in and then did a little most work on the gazebo. Mostly just staining the rest of it. Then we had Bethany's birthday party here that night with a lot of her friends. Reminded me of BBQ's in America! It was so delicious. And cake of course.

Monday the camp started again. This time the age is 10 to 13. I think we all like this age group a lot better. You dont have to keep your eye on them at every second, you don't have to entertain them with little games at every second, and a lot of them speak English! Its great(: The entire week went exceptionally well. All of the kids were saying at the end of camp that it was the best 4 days of their lives and that they dont want to leave. A lot of the kids were saved this week as well! We played lots of games, ate lots of food, sang lots of songs, zip lines, rock walled, rope coursed, fenced, and crafted. The last night of the camp always ends in a bon fire and fireworks whichhhhh..... didnt seem to happen this time. It was pouring down rain. Everyone from the tents and teepees had to come inside and sleep. So it was a pretty tight fit upstairs with everyone. When all of the kids left on Friday, it was a little bit sad to say goodbye to some of them. Last night the team from Seattle showed up. There are 8 of them. They brought a lot of craft stuff for this week! We are all really excited about that. Today we will be working on finishing up a few things around that camp and fixing the sauna. Tomorrow for church Paige and I are singing two specials in church and one of is giving our testimony. Its gonna feel awesome to be singing and playing again! This week will be the high school camp (or 14-17).

Training camp and first week

Sorry it has been so long since we were able to blog! Its been pretty crazy since we have been here.

Training camp- The training camp went well. We learned a lot about how to be a servant, how to share the gospel effectively to the the kids, spiritual safety and physical safety, and we had lots of AWESOME worship. <3 Got a lot of jobs done around the camp through the week as well.

Saturday- Saturday was a rest day. So we slept in till 11 which was glorious! Then we watched a movie upstairs. Helped out with the walk way some more, leveling the ground and such. Ate dinner and then saunaed. This time, Aelita and Janis pampered us a lot! We got coffee and salt rubbed all over us which helps your skin somehow and then we got massages from Aelita and then beat with leaves by Janis. Were gonna be really healthy by the time we get home!s

Sunday- Paige and I actually got to straighten our hair! It was the first time since we have got here. We drove to the church in Madona in our little bus(: Haha. Introduced ourselves in front of the church. Dustin spoke in English and Kristine translated for the sermon. He spoke about worship. I really enjoyed it. Went to lunch and then Paige, Alex and I went shopping for the food for dinner on Monday. The rest of the day we rested.

Monday- Today was a work day. But...... Paige, Becca, Alex, Unda and I accidentally slept in until 9 lol. Dustin and Thomas were out working by 6:30 with a packer right outside our door. Were not exactly how we slept through that. We got a lot done on the sidewalk today, although we have a lot left. I think they are planning on staying up till it gets done, and it doesn't really get dark except from like 1 to 2:30 at night, so they may get it done. Paige, Clarke and I cooked lunch today. It was quite disastrous Haha. We started cooking and realized we didn't have meat, so we changed our plans. It worked out fine we were just a little worried. We just kept rummaging through the cupboards and putting in whatever we could find. But it turned out pretty good! I mowed the ENTIRE lawn. It took like five hours. But it was fun! Imis told me I was really good at mowing the lawn because my last name is Grassman. He's special. I found this HUGE spider. There are pictures of it on Facebook. I was almost as big as the palm of my hand. Now, Imis and Paige and making dinner. Paige is “learning gooder English and learning how to cook by the second bester” -Imis.

Tuesday- This was the first day that camp started. The kids arrived at about 1 and we started playing games at 2. To be honest, time has never gone so slow ever... ever in my entire life. I asked what time it was at 330 thinking it was about 6 and about time for dinner. All of us leaders were so exhausted. Paige, Clarke and I had really no idea what to expect when the kids actually arrived. The need to entertain these kids at every second for 3 day like we were needing to do was an exhausting task to even think about. But we made it through the first day successfully.

Wednesday- We started the day with better attitudes and a better mind set then the previous day. When we came back from our leader meeting all the kids were already awake and running around, playing, and jumping on the trampoline. We also started the day with a group activity/exercise. We broke up into our color groups and we had to run around the lake and whoever finished first got to eat first. But we had to hold hands in a circle and run around the lake. It was interesting... After breakfast it was pouring and the whole camp went out to the field and played games. By the time we were done playing we were SOAKED. But it was a lot of fun! It did stop raining eventually and the kids insisted on swimming. It's crazy no matter the weather they still want to swim. Their little bodies will be shaking and their lips are blue but they still are jumping in the water! We also got to do the zip line, climbing wall, a nature walk and crafts. Along with worship and small group time. Needless to say by the time the day was over we were exhausted.

Thursday- This morning when we got done with our leaders meeting the kids were not awake, and not running around, they must have been more tired then the day before. We had worship and worship here is fun and crazy. We do all these songs that you dance to and all the kids go crazy. Today was just another day of entertaining kids, we got to do all the activities as the day before, but since it was the last night we stayed up later and did skits and a campfire with fireworks. And it was a night of hearts becoming believers!!:) God is good!

Friday- The last day of our first week of camp! It went so well! The hardest part was the language barrier. We had breakfast, free time, worship, and packed up all the kids stuff, and hung out until they left. When the bus came it was like freedom! Lol we were all very tired and were ready to relax. Thank goodness for weekends:)

P.S. If you want to look at some pictures check them out on Shelby's Facebook!!!

Shelby- Its been quite the adventure here in Latvia so far! Working lots, entertaining alot of kids, building relationships with the other interns and helpers, eating lots of good food... Its extremely exhausting.. every single part of it. Mind and Body. Its not always easy to have a good attitude when you are so tired and your body aches from going and going and going without much sleep or relaxation. We are all very sore after this first week of camp. There are times when we all struggle, when we don't want to have a good attitude, we don't want to be encouraging, we don't want to play games. All we want to do is sleep. It becomes a task to even climb the stairs to go to bed because my body is just so tired and aching. But through all of this is where we grow. These times are the times when our character is strengthened. These are the times when Jesus shows himself in the miracle that we made it through yet another day, completely and only by his strength alone. I could not be doing this if it wern't for exactly that, Jesus strength. God has really been teaching me something through all of this: dont worry about tomorrow, or the next day, or the next camp, or when I get back to the US. All I can handle is today, and that is all I need to worry about because God has everything under control and knows everything that will happen in the future. Its so easy to think constantly.. “I wonder if im gonna be able to get through tomorrow, I dont even have energy for toda.” But Hes got it covered. And that is the most reassuring thought that I try remind myself of constantly throughout the day. Latvia is good, God is great.

Clarke and imis- I was forced to type something.... not sure what to say. Im alive, just got done with the first camp and its harder to deal with children that dont know what you are saying. All I can say is prayer plz and send me monsters lol. And if your reading this last part its just so shelby and paige thought I wrote a lot and thats my blog.(Clarke) we had a lot of junk food this week but hast time to eat it all so camps was awesome and great I like watering. I childrens were nice and silent that wasnt so good but its fine a lot of them accepted christ. But I realy felt tired but when I and Lariks (clarke) went to our frat house energy went back to me. (Imis)

Paige- Well it has been good so far! It's crazy where ever you go culture is soooo different but you still can fellowship with people that love and serve the same God. Can't wait for camp to start!! So we can actually do what we came here to do. The people here are great... most of them think that they can't speak English but the more we are around them we find out that they really can speak well, they were just shy at first. I had a girl in my group this week that looked just like my sister Dani. And two of my girls accepted Christ!:) Missing everyone but looking forward to the weeks to come!:)

First day

We slept like rocks last night. It felt AMAZING. Woke up thinking I was good to go!.... not so much anymore haha. Rode with Thomas and Imants to Madona for church. We did some worship and then Dustin spoke (Kristine translated for us). Once every three months they have a celebration for all the birthdays that were in those three months, and that was this sunday! So we got to eat some yummy food and meet some new people.

We all learned some new “English.”

Eating= Fooding

Walking= Feeting

Scuba diving= Under Watering

We gonna be all learned up on good english when we come home!

Today has just been a relaxing day. Hangin out at camp. Took a walk to go see the sheep. There were bazillions of them. Jumped on the trampoline. I tried to get Paige to do a back flip but she wouldn't. We almost got caught inside the trampoline with a HUGE wasp. You have never seen a wasp till you come to Latvia. Its like a flying/stinging/black and yellow peanut.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that yesterday I met a famous person AND was on TV.

Famous Person= The lady who owns the bridal shop that is on “Say yes to the dress.” I told her I liked her shoes (Toms, of course) and we started talking. She was born here in Latvia and is visiting for a week with her son.

TV= We got pulled over on the way home from the airport (everyone was because of the celebration that had happened the night before and people had been drinking a lot). The guy was holding this huge camera and microphone thing. Dustin got breathalized haha.

Anyways, tomorrow we start training. Monday is just with the Americans. And then Tuesday through Friday is all the interns that will be helping this summer. Then next monday we will start the camps!!

Here are some pics of whats been goin on so far.. (:

Arrived!

We arrived, with no complications except extreme sleep deprivation. Flights all went well. We thought that our longest flight was going to be 20 hours, but ended up only being 9. We had two 5 hour lay overs, which we took time to Facebook and explore the airports. Due to our sleep deprivation, we were a little silly at times. Such as building forts out of our luggage and hiding behind it. Laughing uncontrollably over things that were NOT funny. You know, just the normal things that come about with lack of sleep. People stared a little.

Latvia is sooooooo green and beautiful. <3

Dustin took us to the biggest restaurant in Europe. It had like a amusement park in it practically. The food turned out to be amazing. on the trip from Riga to Ergli (2 hours on bumpy dirt roads) we were all dosing off the entire time. Shows how exhausted we are. Dustin and Kristine's house is soo cute! Kristine greeted us with coffee and pastries (of course) and the girls showed us there room upstairs.(:

Although we are running low on fuel, were goin out right now to go see the camp and get settled in there. It may be almost 10 Očlock here, but the sun is just as high as it is in the middle of the day. We don't quite feel like its the middle of the day. Ha..

Top thing on our mind right now:Sleep.

The one thing we probably wont be doing for a long time: sleeping.

Oh well, we better get used to it considering the days ahead of us.

Lovin it(:

Im Home!!

For those that dont already know... im got home saftly. Im not sure if i m ok with being home, but i have plenty to do that i probably wont get bored! And im excited for christmas. Oh... and it is FREEZING HERE!!!! anyways just thought you should know!! Thanks for reading my vblog!

Sorry i cant upload pictures... the internet connection is really bad and my computer i about to dye. I will try again in the morning. This will probably be my last blog before we leave. We leave Tuesday. Today we said goodbye to the kids at sovanapoom. That was not easy and it was nearly impossible to walk away. They sang us a goodbye song, and made us little books with pictures they drew in them. I love those kids. I really do. Who knows when I will ever see them again. I got there email address though so I can write them. After we were done saying goodbye to them we went and said goodbye to the other orphanage. I think I have had enough goodbyes for a long time now. Yesterday we went to tuel sleng. It was… the most horrific thing I have ever seen. I don’t ever want to go back there again. But afterward we got to go to the Russian market. That was a lot of fun. But very overwhelming!! There was so much to pick through look at, how could you ever choose. But I did, I got losts of neat things for VERY cheap!! Tomorrow we are going to daughters of Cambodia. This is an organization that takes in prostitutes or slave girls and puts them on there feet. They help them find a trait and teach them how to do it, and find them a Job. Sally heard about this place and wants us to go visit. Then we are going to the Russian market again! YAY! And I think after that we are going to go get massages at Amara.

Here are some lyrics that portray what life is like for some of the girls that live here. A lot more than we all know about.

What would you do if your son was at home Crying all alone on the bedroom floor cuz hes hungry And the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man for a little bit of money Cuz his daddys gone Somewhere selling rock now, in and out of lock down So for you this is just a good time, but for me this is what I call life

Girl you aint the only one with a baby, Thats no excuse to be livin all crazy. then she looked me right square in the eye, she said everyday i wake up hopin to dye. She said what do you know about pain. Me and my sister ran away so my daddy couldnt rape us. Before i was a teenager. Ive been through more that you cant even relate to.

What would you do?