Day 6 and "Goodbye"
"Friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them.
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime is not too long to live as friends.
- Michael W. Smith, "Friends"
On Saturday we took time to celebrate the week with our Campers. After worship, Bible reading, and a shortened English class, we had a final banquet. The Hotel Kudowa staff outdid themselves as always with serving wonderful food, and the camp leaders presented certificates to the students and gifts to the translators and volunteers. We invited some of the hotel staff to appear so we could cheer for them - they have provided excellent service and made our stay very comfortable. The banquet was also a last chance for each conversation group to enjoy time together and share how much the week meant to them.
The banquet was the last "official" camp activity, but many people continued to spend time together throughout the evening. Several groups hung out in the hotel lobby to watch Croatia defeat Russia in a World Cup match. Many of the teens stayed up extra late to play games and enjoy extra time together.
Sunday morning was probably the most difficult part of the camp as we watched our campers pack up and leave. The hotel lobby was packed with campers and camp staff saying goodbye. Many hugs were given, a few tears were shed, and contact info was exchanged. It was a joy to hear how many campers said, "I'll be back next year." We're never sure what the next year will bring but we hope that every goodbye is really just "see you later" - that one way or another, God will allow us to see our Polish friends again
This concludes Family English Camp for 2018. Stay tuned for one more post about the camp as a whole.
If the Lord's the Lord of them.
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime is not too long to live as friends.
- Michael W. Smith, "Friends"
On Saturday we took time to celebrate the week with our Campers. After worship, Bible reading, and a shortened English class, we had a final banquet. The Hotel Kudowa staff outdid themselves as always with serving wonderful food, and the camp leaders presented certificates to the students and gifts to the translators and volunteers. We invited some of the hotel staff to appear so we could cheer for them - they have provided excellent service and made our stay very comfortable. The banquet was also a last chance for each conversation group to enjoy time together and share how much the week meant to them.
The banquet was the last "official" camp activity, but many people continued to spend time together throughout the evening. Several groups hung out in the hotel lobby to watch Croatia defeat Russia in a World Cup match. Many of the teens stayed up extra late to play games and enjoy extra time together.
Sunday morning was probably the most difficult part of the camp as we watched our campers pack up and leave. The hotel lobby was packed with campers and camp staff saying goodbye. Many hugs were given, a few tears were shed, and contact info was exchanged. It was a joy to hear how many campers said, "I'll be back next year." We're never sure what the next year will bring but we hope that every goodbye is really just "see you later" - that one way or another, God will allow us to see our Polish friends again
This concludes Family English Camp for 2018. Stay tuned for one more post about the camp as a whole.
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