Summer means camp season. And camp requires a lot of manpower! That is why we are so grateful for volunteers who choose to give their time and resources to visit us in Albania!
This summer we hosted a team of students from Asbury University! Our two-week summer camp had an outdoor/back-to-nature theme. Nathan was our camp ranger and instructed our campers each day with basic skills like one would study in boy scouts or girl scouts. By the way, naked artificial Christmas trees make great decoration!
Our summer intern, Melissa, is pursuing a degree in health communication. She gave daily 5-minute lessons on how to stay healthy when enjoying the outdoors. Below, she shares about the dangers of drinking contaminated water. Other lessons included treating burns, how to pack a first aid kit, treating cuts and scrapes, and more!
Below, Shannon, serves refreshments during snack time!
Nathan demonstrates how to make a water filter with items available outdoors (a handkerchief, rocks, charcoal, and sand)! Simply boil the water to kill any dangerous bacteria!
Hannah M made some tasty treats on theme, including this snack which was to resemble a bonfire -- for our day on the topic of fire safety.
Thanks to hosting so many couriers (aka visitors) coming over the spring, we were able to order supplies via Amazon to have some great decor and supplies to help our campers 'feel' the theme.
A problem we encountered last summer was the matter of providing individualized reusable drinking cups to keep everyone hydrated in the brutal summer heat. Writing names in marker on the cup required daily reapplication as it wore off in the dishwasher. Nathan had the idea of ordering multiple sets of these national park stickers that adhered to their nametags AND their cups. Then at the end of camp, they had a great souvenir!
The kids were assigned to one of three teams, each with its own color. We chose green, white, and black, to match the colors of our center's logo.
Campers were greeted each day with a welcome pennant made from burlap.
Below, the team sets up a nerf gun obstacle course/shooting range. We were SO grateful for the shade provided by the kalceto! It was still quite warm!
One of my favorite snacks: a rice cake slathered with nutella and finished with bananas and blueberries!
Reni has gradually begun to take over running the computer for events in church. He thought every forest needs a Yeti, hence the "costume" one day.
As always, our camp is integrated and inclusive! We were pleased to see students eager to serve their teammates who are part of the VT Albania program!
Of course, camp needs a certificate of completion. Nathan designed this lovely document which each camper received at the conclusion!
In addiiton to camp, the visiting team also took part in kids clubs -- both in Vlashaj as well as Metalle.
They also spent a lot of time engaged in games and recreation with our local friends who spend much of their afternoons and evenings at Jeta!
We also took them to experience some nearby historical sites, like the amphitheater in Durres.
We also had the idea one evening to sample and rank various softdrinks unavailable in the USA. It turned out to be a fun event that I'm sure we'll repeat with future guests -- with perhaps a few different options.
The drinks, ranked left to right from least to most preferred.
When hosting guests, we have friends who can take family photos for us! :-)
The students also shared in church their personal stories of God's work in their lives
They also got to try some foods frequently eaten in this part of the world. Below, suflaqe -- which is a pita wrapped around shaved meat (usually chicken), served with french fries, veggies, and a garlic yogurt sauce! It's delicious! (A good suflaqe starts with a properly grilled pita.)
While I was usually too wiped out at the end of each day, our younger friends hung out in our living room each night and played games -- much to Ellie and Reni's delight!
This summer we bought a used snow-cone machine from some missionaries who were leaving Albania. It has been a huge hit!
Volleyball!!
Basketball!
Feeding a team of visitors is a logistical challenge -- both in terms of planning, but also shopping and execution. Oh, what I'd give for curbside pick-up, or, a Sam's Club! We live about 25 minutes from an international grocery store (which offers the majority of what we need under one roof). I don't usually schedule more than one shopping trip into the team's schedule because it takes away precious time from other experiences. So, if I don't calculate and procure the right amount of ingredients, we can sometimes be left scrambling for solutions... like when we ran out of hotdog buns! Turns out, a tortilla works just fine!
A favorite pic with Melissa in Peza...
We celebrated two birthdays! Below, it's Shannon's 19th!
Thanks for coming, Asbury friends! You were a blessing!
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