Spiritual Emphasis Retreat Weekend

On October 2nd - 5th, we headed out to Acampamento El Shalom for an incredible weekend with 28 of our Junior and Senior High students, and 6 sponsors. A rustic, wooded facility about 30 minutes from our school, El Shalom was the perfect place for our retreat.

Here's the building that had the eating area & kitchen in it.
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Our theme was The Armor of God. We spent 3 days studying the truths of God's Word about putting on the full armor of God and being prepared for the battle that is before us everyday. Through large group and small group talks and discussions, we learned how to "Be Strong" "Put On" "Take Our Stand" and "Stand Firm."

The Tabernacle (chapel) was a short distance from the eating area. We met here for all our large group meetings and worship times.
The boy's cabin was up the path to the right of the Tabernacle.
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Here are Kim Hagar and Mishaela Parker in front of the Girl's Cabin.

Here's the Junior High room of the Girl's Cabin. We all had to bring our own hammocks to hang for sleeping. Sleeping in a hammock can be a bit rough when you're not used to it. However, after one night of very little sleep in a hammock, the second night you usually sleep great (because you are so exhausted from not sleeping the night before). :o)
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We had great meals. We hired a group of ladies to cook our mid-day meal for us -- a traditional Brasilian meal of beans, rice, farofa, vinegarete, and churrasco. Very tasty!!!

Filling up their plates with yummy food!

Everyone was responsible for washing their own table service after each meal. The eating area had this long row of sinks for just that purpose.
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Following the meals, and in the afternoons, we had "silly" and group games. Our students & staff were divided into 4 teams. These teams competed together during game times, as well as worked together on meal prep & clean up and cabin cleaning.

These girls were the "small" people on each team. They got to wear the sweatshirt that was then stuffed with balloons, making them each look like an over grown Pillsbury Doughboy. Sarah (the second from the right) and her team won the "Most Excellent Stuffing" contest. Elisabeth is the second from the left, the third place winner.

Elisabeth blows the cotton ball across the floor, in this game.

Dennis, Stew, Trevor & Karen, four fearless leaders, prepare to shoot a mini-marshmellow from their noses.
Seemed a bit wasteful since you can't get those here, but it was a hysterical game.
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Since bananas are so plentiful around here, they got used for several different purposes on our retreat. Not only did we eat them for breakfast every morning, they were awards for winning a game, and they were used in games.

Here is Elisabeth showing us how we passed a banana to all our team members. If the banana was dropped, it had to start over at the beginning of the line. Two of the teams had the banana make it all the way to the end of the line, where the last team member had to eat it. My team and another one, had to start the passing over so many times that the banana was complete mush before making half way down the line. When the banana started squishing out the peal (ick!!), we decided to forfeit.

Kim & I were the "Top Bananas" for completing a name contest fastest.

Free time was filled with many activities including Dutch Blitz, the ultimate MK card game, swimming in the refreshing pool, and hanging out.

Down at the Pool!
This pool was created by damming up a natural spring and putting up walls around the swimming area. It was refreshing, clean, and tons of fun.

Mackenzie & Elisabeth enjoy the clear water of the pool.

If you want some organized chaos, try this game of soccer. Four teams playing in opposite directions on a square field with two different balls. We played girls vs. girls and boys vs. boys. Not only were you trying to get goals for your team, you were trying to prevent the other 3 teams from scoring any goals. To make things even more chaotic, whenever the whistle was blown, the goalies had to switch goals and the playing changed directions. Great fun!
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Another totally hysterical game of soccer we played was couples blind soccer. Everyone had a partner who was blindfolded. The seeing partner had to direct them to the ball using hands on shoulders. Let's just say that there was an awful lot of running and not so much kicking of the ball that went on in that particular soccer game. :o)

Team Water Balloon Volleyball was a refreshing game of fun
(and far less chaotic than the soccer games)!
Catch it Nathanael & Mackenzie!
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Then there was, of course, the spiritual side to the retreat. Dennis led us all in some very good lessons on putting on the Armor of God.

Large group meetings in the Tabernacle.

Praise Band!
This group is the students that led our worship times throughout the retreat. They did an awesome job! Mr. Collazo (third from the left) is the director of this group.

Nathanael, Nathalie, & Mishaela were one small team of the Praise Band.

"Lean on me, when you're not strong..."
Lots of great songs were sung during our worship time.

Here is my small group,
(from l. to r.) Mishaela, me, Darlene, Kim, & Jessica,
the 10th -12th grade gals.

Lots of interesting critters out there in the wild.
This gigantic ant is a large leaf cutter ant. He had some whopper chompers on his head.

Keila shows some of the other gals some tarantula eggs that she found on the soccer field.

Mr. Stewart, who loves all things creepy and crawly, was in his element out there. He rescued this lovely tarantula from the kitchen area one day.

Elisabeth & her Daddy enjoy a few moments together.

It was an incredible weekend of seeing these kids of different ages, languages, and nationalities grow together as a group. They learned valuable truths about wearing the Armor of God that the Lord gives to us as Christians. Our lessons were put into practice when one of our 9th graders was bitten by a poisonous snake on Saturday night and had to be rushed to the hospital. The students immediately began praying, trusting in the Lord's protection for Josh, and for peace in a potentially tragic situation. Praise the Lord that Josh is fine and healing from that frightening experience. God is Good!
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Our weekend showed us once again how blessed we are to be here at AVA doing the Lord's work.