Cam and Claire Porter traveled to Guatemala on behalf of Christian Horizons (CH) to assist with a camp project that was a collaborative effort between CH, Children's Homes International (CHI), and the Guatemalan group Strength of the Most Fragile (SMF). The partnership between these 3 organizations resulted in a very successful program.  The following is Cam's report.

25 individuals and 38 volunteer staff attended the three-day; two-night camp located about 1.5 hours from Guatemala City. The camp was near a small village and surrounded by some beautiful mountains and rolling countryside. The property itself was once the estate of a wealthy farmer, but is now a retreat center complete with comfortable accommodations, dining hall, a pool, sports field and meeting hall.

Some of the parents were quite concerned about their sons and daughters going so far away for this length of time. And for many it was the first time apart. The campers had a great time. Participating in drama, crafts, recreation and singing. The guys had fun one morning serenading the women at 6:30AM ­ to our ears it sounded like a band of roaming soccer hooligans. But the girls politely acknowledged the amorous overtones later at breakfast, with a much more tuneful reply. For most the time went by too quickly. Many new friends were made and 6 campers responded to a gospel message presented around the campfire.

It was a new experience for many of the volunteers too. One young man named Kevin had traveled 4 hours to Guatemala City to be a part of the camp. Thelma from SMF had made a presentation to his Church a year ago and challenged the group to commit to doing something for people with special needs in their community. Kevin accepted the challenge and took one of the rings that Thelma had brought to remind people of their promise. A year had passed and Kevin realized that he still hadn't done anything. When he heard about the camp he knew that God was providing him the chance to follow through with his commitment. Kevin enjoyed the experience so much that he's planning on coming back to the camp next year.

On our return to the city the bus was filled with songs, laughter and fun. Getting off the bus, the previously anxious parents could tell by the smiles and excitement that something very special had happened over the last few days.

Guatemala is a developing country that is recovering from a long civil war and the recent effects of Hurricane Stan. There is a sense of hope and stability in the region now with lots of construction and social programs being started. People with special needs have recently been granted the right to attend schools, but many in rural areas are still poorly treated and abused. There are many social hurdles to overcome. We hope that camps like the one held in December will become an important part of the work that CH is doing in this country, and this in addition to the training and other programs will bring real hope and lasting change for people with special needs in Guatemala.

Cam Porter

Christian Horizons is working in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Russia, Ecuador and with people from the First Nations community in Canada. Please pray for Christian Horizons Global Projects