Jawntily Make Like a Banana and Split

Adio Granada!

We may not be sharp as tacks today, but we're gonna make like a tree and leave anyways.

Though the past 48 hours have been filled with many goodbyes and some tears of both team members and English campers - including myself, the temperature of our team remains hopeful. After all, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. And, we have seen faith renewed this week in having so much fun with campers and learning about and from them, meeting families and laughing together.

The company in Granada were amazingly gracious as our hosts in helping us before and throughout the week to have lesson plans prepared and lead the camp. They kept us fed with some of the best food I've ever tasted - and I don't mean candy, though it definitely tasted like it. We love them and they loved us well on this trip fo sho.

Thanks to all of you who were *with us* on the trip in remembering tough obstacles to overcome. They dissolved and fell away from us, and we were free to just have a genuine and joyful time with kids and parents too. You rock the planet, yo.

We are still more than 3000 miles from home, but I'm personally really excited to see friends and family again. It will be a joy to share a lot of pictures and some sweet stories of one poppin' English Camp.

Well I'm gonna put a cork in it and tie a bow on this blog post. See y'all on the flip jawn.

~ Steve

Hola from Granada!

We are recharging after day four of classes and looking forward to splitting up and going to the students' houses and eating dinner with their families.  This a great opportunity to bond with the parents of the kids and build stronger relationships. The teen camp spent Wednesday at a waterpark on top of a mountain, having a great time bonding with the students. That really helped us turn a corner with students and progress from teachers to friends. That helped us today, despite being tired, to really love the kids and have a lot of fun with them.  It was a highlight for me walking into the school this morning and having students run up to me to say hello and give me a high five. Tonight's dinner will be huge in really cementing our relationships with the students. --Andrew

Personally, I had an amazing time with the kids at the water park. I really connected with a girl named Alicia and her friends. She wanted to talk to me and not just in Spanish but in English.  I got to learn about her family and different traditions they do. This week has been such a blessing in getting to know these kids from another country.
-Michelle

Sweet, Simple Things

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."

As I strut through the slender streets of Spain, sweating, yet savoring every single thing, these words of Laura Ingalls Wilder resound in my head.  From gourmet rooftop dinners to the echoing halls and glorious gardens of the Alhambra, from late night helado runs to the raw, real wisdom of friends, I have been continually surprised by the sweet and the simple in Spain. I expect explosive symphonies, but instead I am given a front row seat to a beautiful bilingual singalong. I hope for cymbal crashing change, but in its place the slow song of change gently graces my ears.  I long for words that will shake my bones, but Andrew gently speaks to us of faithfulness. I want to feast on the fattest of foods, yet I am given bread of humble service that satisfies beyond mere sustenance.

Our time here has been full of grace, and we are thrilled to begin camp tomorrow!  We are hoping for smooth transitions, grand connections with the children, rest this evening, and surprising joy! Thank you for you sweet support, which reminds us of the real things of life.

Joys,

Janae

English Camp- KIDS CAMP

Hola!!
Today we began our training for camp! Some people will be working with teens while others will be working with kids.  Some people have different jobs within camp.  There will be people doing crafts, sports, and teaching. Everyone will be using their own talents to teach children in various ways. Along with all those other jobs there are a few people who have very special roles. Mac Holcomb will be leading the music during our group time in the morning.  Tim Hessels will be a male cheerleader. (Pictures will be posted!!) And Becca Brockman-Wenger will el Torro.
More posts will come! We hope everyone is enjoying their times back in the states!

~Becca

Hola from Granada, Spain! Well, not quite. But Hola from the bus to JFK Airport which will fly us to Madrid which will get us to Granada Spain! There is a midst of excitement throughout the bus as we begin our quest. Our driver Abraham is taking good care of us and assures us that we will arrive safely at our destination. We are Super pumped.  We are hoping to sleep through the plain ride and see the beautiful sunrise over Granada once we finally make it there. We can't wait to get the training started on Friday so that we are all ready for camp next week!

We miss you all already but we can't wait to share in all our adventures in the upcoming days! Woo! GRANADA 2014 HERE WE COME!!!

(written by Tim Hessels and the Gorbeys)