Uniquely Made

Today was our final day of Bible Adventure Camp and Love Conference, and it was bittersweet in every way. It’s hard to put into words how quickly our hearts become connected to the kids, families, and communities we serve each year. Saying, “See you soon,” never gets any easier.

Even before we arrived at camp this morning, the emotions were already settling in. Around the breakfast table, our conversations naturally turned toward the kids we’ve grown to love this week. We found ourselves talking about their personalities, the things that make each of them so special, and wondering how this day had somehow arrived so quickly. We couldn’t wait to spend one more day with them, but we also wished time would slow down just a little.

We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning in Belize. There was a warm breeze, the birds were singing, and the rain had finally given us a little break. We gathered around the rooftop breakfast table as our little Belize team family before heading to camp. For breakfast, we enjoyed fry jacks, eggs, ham, beans, fresh fruit, and juice. Fry jacks are always a team favorite, so everyone was excited to see them on the menu for today!

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner have become some of our favorite parts of the day because they’ve given us the chance to slow down, laugh together, and truly get to know one another. Looking around the table this morning, it was so easy to see why God brought this particular team together. Each person has served with such joy, humility, and purpose, and it has been a gift to watch everyone’s unique strengths come together throughout the week.

Before heading to camp, we had a little time to shop a little pop-up stand that had been set up outside the hotel. The same sweet woman joined us last year, so it was fun to see her back again and pick out a few treasures to bring home.

After a little shopping, we spent time with the Lord through our devotional before gathering everything we needed for one final day of Bible Adventure Camp. We huddled together on the front steps for a quick meeting, loaded up the bus, and headed to the school.

By now, the routine felt like second nature. We unlocked the classrooms, opened the windows, hung the team flags, arranged the tables and chairs, and turned on the fans. Not long after, the bus pulled in and the kids came running into the Party Room. The energy on Day 4 of camp is always something special, and this morning was no exception.

At our opening session, we spent some time reviewing everything we had learned throughout the week. One of my favorite parts of camp is hearing the kids confidently shout out each Bible Point and Bible Verse. They really do remember them so well – they’re all so smart! We had more than 85 kids at camp today, and hearing all of those little voices fill the room was something we’ll never forget.

Samantha led us in our final worship dances of the week, and the kids were completely locked in. There’s a group of little girls who look forward to learning the songs every single year, and they take mastering every dance move very seriously. Watching them worship with so much joy is one of my favorite parts of camp.

Today’s Bible Point was, “God is wonderful. He made me unique.” Our memory verse came from Psalm 139:14: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Throughout the morning, every station pointed the kids back to the truth that God created each of them with purpose and that they have a unique place in His story.

At Activation Station, we brought out a camp favorite, the parachute! The kids laughed, ran underneath it, and played games together. It was loud, chaotic, and absolutely perfect. The sound of their laughter is something we’ll all miss.

At Creation Station, the kids made fingerprint necklaces as a reminder that God created each of them uniquely and intentionally. Each kid got to choose the color of ink pad that they wanted for their fingerprint. I loved seeing the individual choices!

Snack time at Hydration Station is always a highlight. While enjoying peanut butter crackers and water, the kids passed around a beach ball filled with fun questions. Wherever their thumb landed when they caught it, that was the question they answered. It was such a simple activity, but it led to lots of laughter and sweet conversations.

At Investigation Station, the kids learned about DNA by extracting DNA from a banana. They’ve loved the science experiments all week, and this one was the perfect way to reinforce today’s lesson that each of us is wonderfully made by our Creator.

Finally, at Bible Exploration Station, the kids learned about the unique purpose God has for each of their lives. As they watched a slideshow filled with photos from camp throughout the week, they were reminded that they are part of God’s story and that He has created each of them for a reason.

Before saying goodbye, we had one last surprise waiting for them. Throughout the week, we’ve been giving “For God So Loved Belize” tote bags to families at Love Conference, and we wanted every camper to receive one too. Along with the tote bag, each child received bubbles and a special keychain that had been donated by another group of missionaries who visited the school this week. Watching them open those simple gifts, you would’ve thought we had handed them the moon and the stars. 

Then came the hardest part. One by one, we hugged the kids, told them, “See you soon,” and watched the bus pull away. No matter how many times we do this, saying goodbye never gets easier. Our team stood along the bus and waved to all of our campers. It was such a bittersweet “see you soon”. The relationships matter. The conversations matter. The hugs matter. The investment matters. We’re so grateful that God has entrusted us with these friendships and the opportunity to point these kids to Him. While saying goodbye is never easy, we know this isn’t the end of the story. It’s simply another “See you soon.”

After saying goodbye to the campers, we pulled ourselves together enough to head back inside and begin taking down all of the camp decorations. Somehow, they always come down much faster than they go up! As we packed everything away and locked the classroom doors one last time, it was hard to believe that another week of Bible Adventure Camp had already come to an end.

We loaded up the bus and headed back to the hotel for lunch, where we were greeted with pizza waiting for us. It was exactly what we needed after such an emotional morning and gave us the chance to refuel before one final afternoon of Love Conference.

We had a little time to rest before heading back out. Amy and Maddie made a quick coffee run for the team, and the canned coffees were a much-appreciated surprise. It’s amazing how something so simple can bring so much excitement after a full week of ministry!

Around 2:00 p.m., we gathered our supplies one last time and loaded up the bus for Hope Creek. As we planned this year’s Love Conference, we heard over and over how excited the people of Hope Creek were that someone was intentionally coming to their village. It made arriving there feel even more special.

We set up inside a local church, and it wasn’t long before every seat in the room was filled. We had our highest attendance of the week for the conference portion of Love Conference, and it was so encouraging to watch the room fill with people eager to worship, learn, and spend time together.

Once the conference ended, we transformed the church into our final Love Center of the week. By now, everyone knew exactly where to go and what to do. Tables were moved, stations came together quickly, and before long our Helper Team was walking families through each station. We had the privilege of serving more than 45 families in Hope Creek that afternoon, closing out an incredible week of Love Conference.

After spending the afternoon meeting families and loving on the people of Hope Creek, we packed up Love Conference for one final time and headed back to the hotel for dinner. The drive home gave us an opportunity to soak in the beauty of the valley. Seeing this view of the valley was a reminder of the people God has entrusted us to know and love. What an incredible privilege it is to serve here.

Dinner tonight was baked chicken, herb roasted potatoes, salad, rolls, and banana cake. Needless to say, everyone left the table with very happy bellies! As we ate together, the conversation naturally turned to our favorite moments from the week. Story after story, and it was so sweet hearing how God had uniquely met each member of our team throughout Bible Adventure Camp and Love Conference.

Later that evening, we gathered once again for team worship and shared our final “Don’t Miss This” moments from our week of programming. These evenings have become such an important part of our experience. They’ve given us space to celebrate what God has done, encourage one another, and end each day with our eyes fixed on Him. Watching this team grow into a family has been one of the greatest gifts of the week.

As we head to bed tonight, our hearts are incredibly full. While Bible Adventure Camp and Love Conference may be over, our time in Belize isn’t finished yet. Tomorrow evening we’ll gather with our Belizean brothers and sisters for our annual Night of Worship on the football field in Pomona, and we can’t wait to see how God moves. If you’d like to pray alongside us, we’d love for you to visit the Prayer Hub on our website where you’ll find specific ways to pray over tomorrow evening. Thank you for faithfully praying for our team and for the people of Belize throughout this week.