2nd Camp in Campinas

Some of the BEST Days of the Year

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

    Camp in Campinas is probably one of the highlights of my stay here in Brazil. This year, I'm blessed and honored to be able to be a part of it again. We were blessed to have Menlo Church join us again. There were more youth leaders and more teenagers who came to serve. Many of them were prepared and learned Portuguese and Spanish beforehand. It was really fun being with the kids from the City of Youth and getting to know some of the Americans a bit more.

    For people who don't know, City of Youth is the other campus that Hope Unlimited for Children in Brazil has. So Hope Unlimited has 2 campuses in 2 different states, both are halfway houses for street kids at high risk and both have courses opened to the community.

    Back to the kids' camp. There are 3 highlights that I would like to share with you. First, it was being a translator. Second, it was conversing more with the Americans and the Brazilians. Third, it was finding my passion once again. 

    So, I became a translator for the first time. It was nerve-wrecking but God led me through all of it. I was surprised I was being put as a translator because I wasn't confident enough in my Portuguese. I can understand more than I can speak. So I needed help. It was good that I was put on the same team as my friend, Silvinha. She understands English and can help me translate English to Portuguese while I can translate Portuguese to English pretty well. I remember how I was last year. Last year was really fun for me as well. It was me and Bella's first time at camp. We both were nervous but we had a good time with each other and everyone else. This time, I think because my Portuguese got better, I was able to make more friends and have deeper conversations with the Brazilians. There was one boy who was 10 years old. On the third morning of the camp, he didn't have his usual happy face. So I asked him what happened and he said he missed his family. And knowing more about him, I encouraged him that he will be able to see his family again soon but we are also his family now. You can see the strong bond that some of these kids have with their original families. They continue to seek for their love and care which is normal for everyone. But we are here to demonstrate and reflect God's love for them as well. We are here as a testimony that all we need is God's love and His love is the only love that can satisfy our hearts, our minds, and our spirits. It's definitely heart-breaking to see these kids in pain, but I choose to grab on to the hope that never fails.

    The second highlight is spending time with both the Americans and the Brazilians. It was great to see some of my old friends from camp last year. A great sense of love came upon me and I just loved them so much as I was talking to them. It was a blessing for me to be able to talk to these teenagers from Menlo Church. As I was talking to the ones I met last year, they expressed empathy, love and care for me. And I felt that God had sent these lovely teens to encourage me and to remind me of my teenage years when God called me to serve Him. For the Brazilians, it was funny. Many of them remember me from last year. So many of them have grown! Also, many of them are new! I had to ask Silvinha where the kids from last year went. Some of them graduated, some of them got reintegrated into their original families, some of them ran away, and some of them were 17 years old and they are working. As you know, "futebol" is a huge thing in Brazil. My team is the Corinthians. At camp, I wore Corinthian shirts and my water bottle had the team's stickers on it. And everywhere I went, the kids' first reaction is to talk to me about futebol, either they were rooting for or against my team. It was really fun! Never underestimate how fast and strong a bond can be created through sports. 

    The third highlight is that I found my passion once again. Being in the environment really sparked the fire that God had put in me since I was little. It's to be able to serve, lead, be an example to different ages of people. I loved doing kids' ministry. It reminded me a lot of when I was in junior high and high school, I was given the opportunity to serve in many kids' camps. It was really refreshing for me to be in this camp. I felt like God was saying that He hadn't forgotten me yet, and the time is near when something BIG is going to happen in my life. He reminded me of the hope that I often disregard when I feel the waves around me are raging and I'm stuck in the middle of the sea. Every single day and moment of the camp was a blessing. Every day, God was pulling me closer to Him and to see His purposes in my life. Last year, I was in a tough place but God continued to remind me that I was in the right place. This year, I'm in the right place but God is preparing something in the background and I just need to continue to hold on to Him each day at a time. This ministry is called Hope Unlimited. It's not just to bring hope to the children at risk but also to the people who work here. And we are to become men and women of God, to become more like Christ, to run the good race and train ourselves to focus on God's kingdom.

    In conclusion, this camp really touched my heart in many ways, like the testimonies of the children here who been through abandonment but has found God's love and children who are still finding their way. Including the Americans and the Brazilians, I saw everyone on different points of their lives. Camp stopped after 5 days but our lives with Jesus Christ will never end. Keeping the children, the workers at the City of Youth, and the Americans in my prayers is the mission. I know that Menlo is also keeping us in their prayers as well. May His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

This was my team this year. TEAM ORANGE.

Pics with lovely people.

I absolutely love each person in this photo.

Last moments with the team from Menlo Church.

Sad to say goodbye to people but the time together was very memorable.

The lady on the left is one of my best friends. Her name is Silvinha. She is a house parent. Her job is to take care of the kids. 

I keep these kids in my prayers, for real. These are the kids from the City of Youth. There are kids from 0-17 years old and both girls and boys. Every kid has their story of why they are at City of Youth.

This is one of the girls' houses.

After the camp, we 5 went to an amusement park! It was really fun! From left to right, Neide, Ester, Bella, me, Silvinha. Neide is our house keeper. Ester is one of our friends and she is on the volleyball team that I'm a part of. 

We had the opportunity to visit this lovely family. She is Stefani. She is the oldest daughter of uncle Luciano who grew up in the City of Youth years ago. These are her twins. Wonderful and lovely family!!! I absolutely love them very much!!! They lived near the City of Youth.