Camp--Ukraine Style

By Penny Winget

"Will we have English camp this year? What are the dates? Please leave a spot open for me." We hear these comments as early as February.

For the past three summers we have held a week-long English day camp. Morning hours consist of formal teaching and workshops in English grammar. Campers are divided into groups to complete English worksheets and play games such as Boggle® which use a lot of English vocabulary. The morning ends with singing and listening to testimonies of students from Cornerstone College in Grand Rapids, MI who come to lead the camp. We teach the campers English songs, some "just for fun" and some praise songs. This is followed by another small-group time where the Bible is discussed following a short devotional story.

During the afternoon, campers are involved in activities with the English speakers. These include scavenger hunts, and tours of the city which the camper must give in English.

The highlight of the week is a cook-out. We don't cook hamburgers or hot dogs. Instead, we have the local favorite shashlik, tasty chunks of marinated pork, skewered and roasted over an open fire. Then it is time for a rousing game of baseball. Many Ukrainians are curious about this strange American game, but they have no clue how it is played. The games generate plenty of laughs and loads of fun.

A few campers have come to the Lord, but mainly the English camp provides contacts. Everybody wants to learn English, and some are willing to attend a Bible study in order to get free lessons. We are always looking for people who would like to use their native English language as a tool to reach others. Come try it for a summer and see how God can use you.