In February, 2008, 15 people from the United States and Canada travelled to Chimaltenango, Guatemala, for a 10-day mission trip. Most of their time was spent at Camp Canaan, a Christian camp for children, where the group built a multi-purpose seven-foot retaining wall dividing the edge of the camp soccer field from the road that ran alongside it. While most of the group worked on this project, Laurina VanderSloot and Rosanna Klok focused on working with the children who came to camp that week. Rosanna has agreed to share her experience with us.

Monday – When the busses arrived today it was hard to reconcile the first pictures in my mind with the clean, well-dressed children running up and down the green forested hill and field of the camp, filling the fresh mountain air with their happy, excited voices. They seem to have found a place where they can leave their tough lives behind and become children again. Although the two groups are from different villages, they have been mixed together in their cabin assignments. Suddenly, Orfa and Jose Luis, the camp directors, have 75 new sons and daughters to love!

Campers wash their dishes after a meal.

Tuesday – I am beginning to get to know the children. I am reminded that when you get to know them, children are the same everywhere. I have picked out the different character types that you find among all children. There’s the outspoken comical Florencia. “Yo puedo hablar ingles,” she loudly claims, with a twinkle in her eye. Then she starts to speak Spanish with an English twang, pretending that she is speaking English. And there’s the attention-loving Claudia. She has to be in every picture, and leading every game. In the background I see the reserved, tender-hearted Brenda. Her big brown eyes follow everything and her shy smile becomes my daily goal and reward. Here’s the bright-eyed, inquisitive Oliver, who wants to know everything about us—where we live, our jobs, our families. I can almost see his mind whirring as he tries to take it in and imagine it all. I know that behind each of those 75 pairs of brown eyes lie many more stories that would take more than one week to learn.

Wednesday – Every morning this week, I’ve stood before them to teach a 30-minute Bible lesson in Spanish.

Rosanna and an AMG interpreter deliver the day's lesson on the steps of Camp Canaan.

All 75 children and their counsellors fill the front steps with their wiggling bodies. Again this morning my stomach was in knots with the same questions. Will I be able to find the right words? Will it be clear enough for them to understand? Will they see the importance of the message? Will they turn to God and follow Him? My heart is filled with the desire to clearly lay out for them the precious gospel—the hope in Christ, His amazing love, God’s law to guide their life, and the comforting peace they can find through trusting in God. And suddenly, the words of 1 Corinthians 3:5-11 became a calming balm, “...but, God gave the increase.” Yes, God has brought us here, called us to share the gospel, and He will give the increase.

Thursday – As I taught this morning, I became aware that many of these children are familiar with the Bible lessons and stories, having been taught them at the schools they are attending. One girl even knows about the “Trinity”! Wow! Through sponsorships they receive a Christian education where they are taught every day about the gospel message. Again I am reminded that I am not the only one to “plant” and “water”. There are many teachers and pastors in these children’s lives, whom God is using to work in their hearts. I am in awe of the sovereignty of God’s work.

Friday – Today was departure day for the children, full of tearful hugs and repeated goodbyes. After a group picture, they boarded the buses that would take them back to their homes, their backpacks and blankets piled up and strapped to the roof. With God’s strength, we have reached out this week and shared the love of the gospel with these children through hugs, smiles, and shared laughter. These children have entered our hearts and taken hold. We’ve only been a part of each other’s lives for one week, and it seems so short. I couldn’t help wondering, as we waved goodbye, “What will happen to these children? What will their lives be like in five or ten years?”

Campers have their picture taken before they board the bus home.

Monday – With some sadness we have boarded the plane that will take us home. Yet, what gives my heart strength and hope at the end of our stay is that we are able to leave the children with the certainty that God will never leave them; that He will watch over them while we can’t. So we leave Guatemala with the knowledge that the Heavenly Father has His children all over the world, and His tender arms will never let them go.

Rosanna Klok lives in Beamsville, Ontario, where she works with school-age children as a YMCA Childcare Supervisor and volunteers with the Migrant Worker Ministry. She and her husband Jacob attend Vineland Free Reformed Church.