Fireside, SALTS, and JJJJuniors Retreat...

Hey Everyone...

Alright So every few weeks or so, us Kaleo students are randomly divided up and matched up with certain staff here at Qwanoes for an evening of fun, snacks, and 'get-to-know-you-time. The nights are called "firesides"-but actually do not include any fire whatsoever...

This past week we went over to the A-Frame-home of Jenna, Bec, and Cindy. We had chocolate fondu and were forced to share embarrassing stories or things people didn't know about us whenever we dropped anything into the fondu-pot. One of the Kaleo guys had the urge to get dressed up and so the theme of "work-out" was selected. Goodtimes were had:)

On Thursday, half of us went down to Victoria and met up with SALTS again to help them winterize the ships. We were assigned various tasks such as taking down the sails, cutting ropes, cleaning, lifting out the dories and folding up the sails and checking for tears and holes. It was great to lend a hand and see everyone from SALTS once again.

Then on Friday through Sunday I had the opportunity to counsel for the Juniors Retreat here at Qwanoes. Ever since I was a camper, I've always wanted to someday switch it up and try out counseling and experience what it's like to have that huge influence and impact on kids lives, that was so beneficial and helpful for me growing up. I had six lovely girls-all age 9 in my cabin with my co-counselor Cecilia. Wow, they were such amazing girls!! It totally felt like God hand picked them all and placed them there with me for a reason. I was super excited and nervous all at the same time on Friday night as my campers were arriving. But it was so sweet when I felt an immediate connection to them all. I don't think the retreat would have been the same if one of them were missing. 

Two days was way too short though. I wish I would have had a full week with them. But man alive, do they ever pack-in the activities during those two days! We were constantly moving from event to event and by the end of the day my campers were just dead, with little energy left over for me as well. On Saturday the kids had a couple hours of free time to try out all the challenge course activities, etc. and I was assigned to belay for the Elevator ropes course. I enjoyed talking with the boys and girls about how they were liking camp and just being there to hear about all their random stories as I harnessed them up. My campers would always come running back to us to tell us the things they accomplished and what they had the chance to do. One of my girls even went and bought me and Cecelia snacks with her tuck money-SO sweet of her! 

On Sunday we played a huge hide and go-seek game with the campers searching for all the counsellors through out the camp grounds. I went and hid way out in the forest and got caught in a mud swamp-which ended my further bush-wacking travels early. I had some close calls to being found, but wasn't actually caught until the end of the game. During my time sitting in the shrubs and mud I was able to reflect on my time with my campers over the last couple of days and take some time to pray for them all. It was great to have some other Kaleoers on staff with me this past weekend as well. The encouragement and support of their friendship and random high-fives were super rad and appreciated. It was definitely an awesome weekend though. I made some pretty close friendships with the girls in my cabin and it was hard saying goodbye on Sunday when they all departed. One of the mothers even gave me a big hug and thanked me when she came to pick up her daughter, it surprised me cause i wasn't expecting it, but it was super encouraging to know how grateful and appreciative some parents are for the people and the time that we invest in their child's lives. God is definitely starting to stretch my heart and passion for working with kids.

Hopefully these pics work out...