Campo Alegria Summers ....

Every Summer we invite North American volunteers to come down and work beside Campo Alegria for summer break ... (our busiest time at Campo Alegria). This year Jonathan Levis has returned to camp once again to help keep everything from coming unglued along with our 7 other volunteers. We have built a zip-line and Internet tower together already this year, and that was just the first two weeks! He is an awesome asset to our organization, he has incredible energy and most of all loves kids.

Below is a write up by Jonathan Levis about his experience last year working at Campo Alegria.

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"Campo Alegria, Summer 2008

My eyes slowly lift open revealing a yellow light just beginning to spill through the windows. A rooster sings a morning symphony somewhere near by as a cool breeze blows about the cabin, bringing in the fresh scent of morning rain. I flip my sheet off the bed and sit up, rubbing my eyes. Stepping out the door I am met with one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. A thunderhead hangs over the summit of Conception, one of two volcanoes rising from the lake right outside the cabin. The sun splashes around the clouds, warming my face. Bright oranges swirl with deep blues, nothing short of breath taking. And to think, I have an entire summer of this! Wow!
I start here because everyone will wake up to an equally if not more spectacular beginning to their Nicaragua. The following weeks and months however will be unique to every person. At Campo Alegria the routine was ever changing, organic if you will. In fact, I don't think there ever was a routine. I was never bored. There was always a new group to welcome, or a surprise project to tackle. Not to mention the unplanned trips into the capital city, Managua. Everyday presented a new and exciting challenge. Allow me just to touch on some of the reasons why I loved volunteering my time at Campo Alegria.
We spent the majority of our summer preparing and hosting camps for children from local towns as well as children from La Chureca, the city dump in Managua. The children seem to rise and fall with the sun. Needless to say, mornings arrive very early at Campo Alegria. We start the day with a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast. I have grown to love guyo pinto y queso frito, (rice and beans and fried cheese). There are several other dishes that are just amazing! After breakfast, we gather the children for chapel. We learn several Spanish songs, songs such as, “Yo tengo Christo en mi corazon,” and “La nina de Tus ojos.” The rest of the day is a wild mix of activities ranging anywhere from English in the shade of the dinning hall, to baseball in the sand down on the beach. And then there is swimming! The children absolutely love the water! Let's be honest, I really enjoy playing out in the waves with them. There is almost always wind blowing heavily across the lake from the direction of the volcanoes. I throw child after child into the air, and they splash face first into the cycle of on coming waves. We are all completely exhausted by the time dinnerrolls around. I can't remember the last time I wanted to go to bed at 8pm but I certainly welcomed it then! If there was a daily routine, it probably looked something like the mentioned above.
If you spend more than a couple of minutes at Campo Alegria, you are sure to run into Oscar. He and his family live and work at Campo. I spent many evenings with Oscar sitting side by side in hammocks on one of the porches, doubled over in laughter. He tries to play to the fool, but we all know that he understands English better than he lets onto. Oscar also has a big heart. About mid way through the summer, I grew very sick. After two sleepless nights, it was time to see the doctor. It was a rainy day and all the vehicles were out of camp. Oscar volunteered to take me into town on a motorcycle. So, I climb onto the back of the bike, placed a hand on his shoulder, and we took off down the beach. Oscar smiled and waved at everyone, as we bumped and jostled our way through the pouring rain. All the while, the sick and scrawny American clinging onto him for survival. We made it to the doctor in record time. They drew blood and ran some tests, and I crashed into a bed. Oscar never left my side the whole three hours we were there. Oh yes, He was even there to laugh at me when the nurse gave me a shot in el trasero!
Going into the town of Rivas with a list of items, was one of my favorite things to do during the summer. This is where you really experience the culture. Very quickly I learned to dive right in, not worrying about grammar and sentence structure. It was all about engaging the people andlearning from them. Listening and practicing the language. I love walking through the market. I'm talking about hitting La Competencia to pick up baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, swinging by Pali, for meat and cheese. Then making several other stops all over town trying to hunt down various difficult to find items. Even filling the van up with diesel was an adventure. On the way back to Campo, sometimes I would stop the van under a tree, climb onto the roof and pick fresh mangos. Finally arriving home with all the items checked off the list, new words in my vocabulary and assorted memories from various people.

There are two amazing people that live permanently in Nicaragua. Adam and Rachel are the reason that it is possible to volunteer at Campo Alegria for the summer. They invited us into their lives and we became a little family. Living and working along side Adam is a riot. The most absurd things happen to him, but he takes them in stride. Then quite animately retells the tails for all to share in his adventures. Even when crazy things are happening all around, Adam is very real. One more than one occasion he gave me incredible pearls of wisdom. And wow, just when you need it the most, they invite you to their house for chicken wings and french fries, good ol' american food!
I spent almost three months in Nicaragua, so I can not possibly describe all of my adventures. I can't even touch on all of my favorites. But after living it, and loving it, I can tell you that it was very challenging and rewarding. You will meet incredible people. You will have astounding experiences. And you will have fantastic stories to call your own."

- Jonathan Levis

Brandywine Valley Baptist - June 09

Brandywine Valley Baptist

Brandywine arrived late at night on Sunday, so we headed straight to our accommodations in Managua.  The team wanted to spend time with the kids in La Chureca prior to the camp, so the next two days were spent in the dump.  We arrived at the school in time for recess.  In less than a minute, each of the team members had found a kid to talk with or play with.  They seemed to connect immediately with the kids.  Several of the guys watched intently as a group of kids played trumpo (tops) in the dirt at the playground.  That same day, all of the guys picked up trumpos from the market, in hopes of learning  how to play before the kids arrived.

With a roll of plastic and a bunch of nails, the team shared the love of Christ in the dump.  Because of the rainy season, many families have rain water running straight into their houses.  The team was able to help three of these families.  We saw several of kids from the day before, and everyone was really excited to have the kids out for the weekend.  

We finally headed out to Campo Alegria in the middle of the week.  When the kids finally arrived Thursday afternoon, the team was so hyped up that the energy was contagious.  The camp went really well.  Each of the kids wore a hat indicating their group.  The team came prepared with all sorts of activities.  They made silly puddy, tie-die t-shirts, volcanoes, and so much more.  One of the favorites from the weekend was the four way tug of war.  The kids screamed and shouted from the sidelines as their leaders struggled to reach their goals. 

After an incredible four days of camp, the team was ready to relax.  They spent a day on the Pacific Coast, soaking up the sun and playing in the waves.  They explored Granada, one of the oldest towns in Nicaragua.  Volcano Masaya was also on the list, an active volcano that spews sulfur and smoke.  Finally they visited the market in Masaya, a shoppers delight. 

The next week was spent at one of the local schools.  They had a 

few maintenance projects, but more importantly they offered specialized classes and games for the students.  The week wrapped up with a celebration here at Campo Alegria.  Such a celebration called for a Campo Alegria special, the water slide, a now perfected operation.  Afterwards, the team sent the kids home with loads of sugar in hand.  

Thanks for coming down Brandywine.  Everyone one on the team brought so much to the table making the last two weeks a blast. We enjoyed sharing these experiences with you and we look forward to working with you again next year.

Campo Alegria

Four Square - June 09

Four Square returns to Campo Alegria for another great weekend of camping.

The teamed arrived late Wednesday night and had the following day to gear up for the kids from La Chureca. They brought down various items for arts and crafts, and even created custom t-shirts for each child at camp. They were well prepared Friday afternoon, when the kids finally arrived.

Immediately after stepping off the bus, the kids were quickly lined up and brought into the dining hall. Rules and expectations were layed out clearly and concisely. And then the team led the kids through dramas, songs, and prayer. The kids were broken in groups and the rest of the day was packed full of activities.

The following two days flew by as the team engaged the kids in activities such as english, chalk drawing, dance for the girls, and sports for the guys. One of the big hits, as usual, was the beach. The waves were strangely non-existent, but everyone loved the warm bath water.

The kids surprised the team with a talent show. Three boys stepped to the middle of the floor. The music started thumping and they started break dancing. They sprang up on their hands, flipping their feet over their heads. One shot upright onto his head and spun around. The kids were nothing short of amazing. Following the talent show, was a time of prayer. Group leaders prayed for their kids, and the kids prayer for their leaders. There were many hugs and a lot of tears.

Four days later, on Monday afternoon, it was time to leave. This camp was a day longer than normal, but everyone on the team would agree that it was well worth it. To send the kids off, the team setup a water slide, cascading down the sand dune. Some kids were frightened, but it only took one brave volunteer. After that, the line seemed to be never ending. The teamed literally had to pull the kids away. They had two pinatas waiting for them. One last hoorah, before loading the kids onto the bus.

Thanks for coming down Four Square. We loved having you out here, and we look forward to seeing you again next year.

www.pdx4.org

Chop Point Feb - March 09

We had another great year with Chop Point this past March. We did two camps with Children from the local communities surrounding Campo Alegria. One from Tolas Miadas and another from Santo Domingo, two returning schools from last year.

Photos are posted online at:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/CampoAlegria/ChopPoint0902

You can visit www.choppoint.org for more information on Chop Point.

Maine Street - Feb 09

Last February Maine Street Baptist Church returned for their second annual mission trip. They started off with a work projects and built a "pulparia" (a small store for Campo Alegria), which was a huge blessing and will be opening in the fall as a way to help reach the community around us by selling small items and distributing donations.

We also ran our second annual ESL course for locals in the community to attend and learn english.

You can see more about Maine Street Baptist Church at: www.mainestreetchurch.com