Heart full of love, Head full of lice

First Week Campers Group Shot

Abigail coined that phrase to describe her first week of Children's Camp.   In that one phrase, she captured the realities of Gypsy Children's Camp from the beginning.   "Hearts full of love" loving even when there is "Head full of lice."   You can get rid of the lice but the love lasts a life time.

Since the last post, transition day happened.   The 51 Apalina children return home on the bus that brings the 45 children from Gornesti, Glodeni, and Csavas to camp.   Zozo and Alina brought the second group.  The pictures are mixture of the Apalina children's last day and the new groups first days. 

Water Balloon Volleyball!  Let the games begin!

Drama practice makes for a great performance

Sarah Grace's week of drama coaching pays off in with dress rehearsal

Abigail share her testimony for the first time as Adela translates

The weather has changed some with rain for new campers.  But, they are having a great time.   Bonnie's science experiments have really captured their attention.  Hopefully the next post will give you a picture of them.

 

ROLE CALL FOR THE NEW CAMPERS AS THEY ARRIVE. 

Zozo and Alina lead in singing to open 2nd week camp

Paul and Zozo hooping it up during recreation in week two.

Second week boys getting into the crafts!

And The Fun Continues...

Full speed ahead in Week 1 of Gypsy Camp! Arts, crafts, Bible stories, recreation, music...too much to tell, so we'll let the photos do the talking. Please pray that God's love shines through as we wrap up all of these activities this week.

 Bonnie shares the Bible story for the day

as Adela Nagy translates.

 Craft time allows the children to show

 their creative sides.

 It wouldn't be Gypsy Camp without 

a competitive game of soccer taking place.

The children enjoy the arts and crafts session

 led by first-year team member Abigail Dover.

 A fun-filled water balloon fight helps 

cool the hot days.

Sarah Grace Dover hasn't let language 

barriers keep a good song from being sung. 

  

The children have fun putting

their new crafts to good use.

And God Sent the Rain...

We had a bad rainstorm yesterday, and while that can often mean quite a disruption to the activities, we were happy with the cooler temperatures after the storm.

For most of these children, this is the first time they’ve been away from home for this long and this far. It’s been interesting to note, though, that none are sleeping past 6:30 a.m. Perhaps they’re just excited about all the fun each day holds!

Included in the rotation of activities are crafts, dramas, science lessons, soccer matches and recreational games. Each day also includes “big group” time with songs and Bible stories.

We ask for your prayers as we work through all the weather changes, activities and full days of energetic children!

Attila helps lead the singing during group time.

The children enjoy hearing the Bible stories.

Leaders have the children divide into three lines

for the start of a recreational game.

First Week of Gypsy Camp Off to a Hot Start!

We are on the third day of the first week of Gypsy Camp! The heat is almost unbearable. In fact, the country is under a heat warning. Needless to say, we are all thankful that the river is so cold so the children can get extra swimming time to stay cool!

There are 51 children from Apalina attending this week’s camp. And while the actual summer temperatures are proving to be a bit of a challenge, Abigail and Sarah Grace are doing a great job adjusting to this challenge.

Abigail is leading the crafts session which are set up in the woodshed again. Sarah Grace is leading an afternoon rotation developing dramas and teaching an English song for each drama. They will be presented on the final evening of camp.  The children all love them, and the boys think they are beautiful. 

One little girl is struggling to under the language barrier. She keeps telling Abigail to stop speaking English because she cannot understand. She tells Abigail to speak Romanian or Hungarian. When the translator told the little girl that Abigail could not speak Romanian or Hungarian, she asked, “Were you born this way?”

Thank you for your continued prayers as we share God’s love with the children.

Abigail gets a little help prepping 

for the next crafts session.

Sarah Grace demonstrates one of the options

for making a "take home" craft.

The children gather around an outdoor table 

for the next round of activities.

Two Continents, Different Cultures, Pursuing the God-given Dream

Separated by 4500 miles, on two continents, different cultures, but living and pursuing God-given dream.    Bonnie Parker with Sarah Grace and Abigail Dover outside of Sibiu, Romania (Supra de Sus) along with Attila Toth, Paul and Katie Crook, Adela Nagy, Orsi Nagy, and over 50 others from the Apalina Roma Church for Children’s Camp, July 7-18.   The weather is extremely hot (over 90 F).   Bonnie reports that they kids are doing great.  All is going well.    This is Abigail’s first time in Romania and serving at Gypsy Children’s Camp.   Pictures hopefully will come later—a few technical issues with internet.  

  

Floyd Parker and Bill Kenny are in Nyeri, Kenya, July 8-12, with Bernard Kabaru Mwangi, Robert Muteithia, and Charles Wambui working on two new corporations formed for the advance of the Gospel.   Life Empowerment for Transformation International (Non-profit) and Life Change Investment (Limited Corporation) are the dream to reality of Bernard, Robert, Charles, and Bill.   The team is working hard on finalizing the mission, values, and business plan.    The weather is cool.  Morning temperatures in the low 50’s (high 40’s) and afternoons in the low 70’s.    The team is having way too much fun.