favorite Saturday

Have I mentioned that our Care Center uses the Awana program? It gives kids opportunities to compete in fun games, memorize Bible verses, and learn more about applying God’s word to their lives. Awana is used in many countries around the world, and let me tell you, in this little corner of the world, it is a BIG DEAL.

Yesterday was the “2013 DR Awana Games Competition”.

Rewind a few weeks- our Awana leaders chose 13 kids to represent our care center. These kids were chosen for good behavior, character, Bible knowledge, and…..speed! There have been rigorous practices going on for the last several weeks. The team was pulled out from classes to train, strategize and improve. The kids that were chosen to go range from 4^th grade to 8^th grade, but during the practices they were practicing against our older kids who are 17 and 18 so that they could get even better. I’m telling you- we were taking this really seriously. So day after day, I saw kids running their hearts out around the Awana circle, implementing new strategies from their coaches, and growing in excitement about the big competition.

The kids on the team got picked up Friday night and got to spend the night in our team house in Montellano. This in itself was quite a treat! I’m sure it felt so special, knowing that most of them have probably not been on too many trips or vacations or ever stayed in anything close to a hotel. They got a special dinner, slept in the bunkbeds, got showers, and got up super early for the long journey to Constanza!!

Constanza is a beautiful site up in the mountains where Kids Alive also has a residential center and a care center (similar to ours). And of course, where the big competition was hosted!

Karen and I spent the night with Alberto and Lidia and their extended family so we met up with the team early Saturday morning for the treck up the mountains. Hmmm…how to explain this mountain drive??? Super curvy- not for the faint of heart- or those prone to carsickness! Even though all the kids were given Dramamine before we took off, we still had a few issues. This drive is a little crazy for anyone, but especially for kids who rarely travel. Without getting into too many details, Karen and I tag teamed the vomit cleanup in the guagua ;) Even though there was some nausea, there were also some really sweet moments on that drive. Like sitting next to Chilove and getting to hold her hand while she was so afraid and then being a shoulder for her to sleep on when she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, and being able to listen to her excitement about seeing the different kinds of trees and the mountain scenery along the drive.

Okay…fast forward. We finally arrive at the site in Constanza and prepare to compete! There were 6 teams total who brought their fastest. It was so fun to see our kids walk around and get their bearings in a new place. I wondered if they would be nervous, but I was so proud of them to see how they carried themselves with such confidence and dignity (like they should because they are great!). Many of our kids are of Haitian origin so naturally their skin is darker than others and there were some comments made about our team, but our kids didn’t let it get to them. I was so proud of them.

During the first round of games, they rocked it!!! They were getting 1^st and 2^nd place on every game and the team spirit was amazing. Karen and I decided that we would of course be the cheerleaders and we brought posterboards to encourage them. When we asked them what they wanted their team name to be, they said, “LOS VENCEDORES” which means the winners or the conquerors. So one of our signs said their team name and the other sign said “SI SE PUEDE” which means, Yes you can! It was a blast to cheer for them and see them doing so well.

They won in their first round so after a little break they moved on to the championship round. At the beginning of the championship round, they had a bit of a rough start (who can blame them? They woke up at 4, had a long car ride, had already run a ton in the sun, and it wasn’t time to eat yet). They were looking a little discouraged, but they pulled it together and started gaining momentum again.

One of our 7^th grade girls named Lorena so impressed me. She took the initiative and had her whole team join hands as she prayed out loud for God to help them. They continued to compete, and then she led prayer again. I was really moved by her leadership and boldness.

After the games were over, the judges deliberated and checked all the official scores while the teams waited in anticipation. I was praying, “Lord, if these kids could win that would mean the world to them- You know how much they need a victory in their lives, something wonderful and something meaningful cause they just don’t have a whole lot of that”

So there we are, all the teams around the circle waiting…waiting…4^th place…3^rd place…2^nd place…and 1^st place goes to, CARABALLO!!!!

I can’t even explain to you how much excitement, joy, screaming, jumping, high fiving, and hugging was going on! Our kids were out of their minds! They won 1^st place! And, they beat the team who had won for the last 4 years in a row J So the trophy was awarded, and all the kids got individual medals put around their necks. I’m not a mother, but maybe this is how you mothers feel when your child has a victory of any kind…I was just so happy/proud/overjoyed for them!

I remember when I was a kid and there were Awana competitions and it was a big deal to win, but not this big of a deal. Maybe you are reading this and are confused about why winning 1^st place for games around a circle is such a big thing…its because these kids have such a hard life. Their childhood is nothing like what we would think of as a “normal childhood”. They have to grow up so fast, because of their economic circumstances, or maybe how their parents treat them, or maybe because of abuses done against them, or a handful of other reasons. Also, fighting is such a big part of the kid community where we are and it’s so great to give them other outlets for their physical talents and energy. And they get affirmed and awarded for something so fun/kid like/honorable rather than other things that they could be getting involved in. This was a big deal.

I am so thankful that I got to experience this with them. What a day!

P.S. Find me on facebook to see photos!