Four short days together, yet the Americans have already witnessed boundless generosity from our hosts, driven from the plains to mountains of Slovakia, and learned a bit of the vibrant history here. On Sunday, the team traveled to the town of Levoča where we participated in a beautiful church service celebrating the 390th anniversary of the first published protestant hymnal (Cithara Sanctorum) available in this area of Europe. The service tied perfectly to our camp theme of hope using the story of David. The pastor shared that the introduction of this hymnal was powerful for the people at that time because they understood that the most beautiful songs are sung by the man who recognizes his sinfulness and his total dependence on God’s forgiveness and mercy. Just as David wrote the psalms, the hymns we sing today are songs of hope. May our song not be an empty noise but rather resonate the faith and hope in our hearts.

Monday morning, our true work began! Many curious glances greeted us as we walked into the church where families were gathering… some slightly timid and others gleeful with anticipation. The opening program consisted of a humorous skit depicting Samuel anointing David as the next king of Israel (with a spray bottle in lieu of oil.) Pastor Mark and Vic also introduced the daily theme, “hope in God’s plan” and rounded everyone up for a camp photo.

Following opening, we made a short trek to the nearby elementary school. Throughout the morning, teachers and students learned each other’s names, encouraged one another to be brave when speaking English, and began forming friendships. Each of the seven groups read the story for the day, with the youngest group enjoying a puppet show reenactment and the older students boldly reading aloud in English. We were reminded that while people may judge each other based on outward appearances, God cares about what is in our hearts. Students enjoyed making Morse code bracelets in crafts, playing tag in sports, and singing “Radical God” in music.

God blessed us tremendously on this first day of camp. Several teachers shared that as nerves faded, the laughter and joy they heard from their students throughout the day gave them a preview of what a wonderful week of camp this will surely be. We gratefully praise God that hearts are already being opened, children are engaged, and “hope in God’s plan” has become so much more than mere words on paper. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in sharing the message of salvation throughout the week, that any remaining worries are calmed, and for continued health among students and teachers.