English Club on Baikal

Our evening program was right on the beach!

     We had a wonderful "English Club on Baikal" this year!  A few days before the camping trip was to begin, we were told that we had to move our whole setup off of the land because they were going to give it to someone else.  We didn't know WHERE we would set up our kitchen, outhouses, tents, etc in such short notice during peak Baikal season!  We prayed and gave it to God... and He provided a perfect place.  It was cleaner, warmer, sandier, quieter, and more beautiful than the original place!  I love how God stretches our faith and blesses.

     We had a team of 5 people from Canada come to help put on the weekly activities and lessons.  When we all arrived to set things up the day before, it was rainy.  Our tarps were dripping, and we were remembering last year's torrential downpour for days!  But it was just that first evening and then we had the best weather we've ever seen at Baikal!

     Each day we broke into various discussion groups with the theme of the week being "Faith"

We also had morning exercises.

Arts and Crafts time

A drama group that planned evening skits

Sports like frisbee, volleyball and dodgeball

Whole camp games.  Water games were the favorites!

Songs

Free time for table games

and hanging out.  We had some good conversations during these times.

There was a tire swing that the kids loved playing on.

Each evening Leif asked Pastor Sasha some interview questions.

Our kids LOVED being in the skits in the evening program!

     The girls' friend, Anya, celebrated her 8th birthday at camp.  She was shy about everyone knowing, so she told her mom she wanted to celebrate just with Ella and Anneka.  They had their own little party at a table in the woods.  I only popped in to light the candles and snap a picture.  =)

     There were clothes lines around the camp for us to use.  I found it funny that my kids' clothes were always dirty and wet, but no one else seemed to need the lines.  =)  Our kids are very tactile and love the feel of sand and dirt rubbed all over their bodies.  I thought this was a kid thing, but maybe it's just a Gustafson kid thing?

My friend, Regina, was camping nearby.  She came to visit.  It was fun to see her!

     Here are a bunch more pictures from our special week.  This boy is blind, but he was able to see a bit of the light from a fire show that we had the last night.  It was really special for him and for his mom.

     At the very end the stomach flu began going around.  But it still didn't put a damper on a wonderful week.  We are so encouraged by conversations and by changes we've seen in people during and since the camp!

sooo tired after a full week!