God is Here:)

Everyday that I'm here I couldn't be more thankful. This place is so full of the Lord's love, it's incredible. These campers' hearts are beautiful and the conversations I've been able to have with them have been so encouraging. It's amazing to see students seeking the Lord amongst everything they battle daily within school, the media, and the overall influences of the world. I am blessed to be able to lead Bible study for the girls' camp every morning and the discussions and questions that the girls offer are proof that though it may be getting harder to see, the desire to connect with each other through our Savior still reigns among this generation. The Lord is dwelling within this place and it's never anything less than incredible to be able to see so that clearly within the students here.

This picture took place at the lake. Later in the day it started to rain a little bit but that didn't stop Katherine, Allison, Maddie, and I from having a great time. Those girls are very positive and so much fun! The lake is always a wonderful time to spend with each other amongst the Lord's beautiful creation. The campers rode the jet skis, went wake boarding, went tubing, rode on the paddle boat, made bracelets, read, and just hung out! I love the lake and all the activities we do here but these campers are the reason why I continue to come back to this place. God is good!

Lake, Rock, and Serving the Community

Our 3rd term of campers are having a great time.  Here are some random pictures from the past few days.  It has not even been a week and we've been to the Lake, climbed some amazing rock cliffs, swam in some fresh mountain water pools, and reached out into the Durango community to learn more about what it means to love and serve those around us.

Olympic Party!

Term 3 has been awesome! The energy has been off the charts. We held the Kivu Olympics party on Wednesday and it was super fun. Even after an hour of dancing, jumping, and running around campers were still requesting songs. Here are some pictures from an awesome night!

Going for the Gold

Last night was our Kivu Olympics party-- what a blast! The United States was definitely the most widely represented in costume, but the neat part about this term is that we have a quite a few campers from foreign countries. It's been so neat to talk to them and see the differences in our lives while also seeing the uniting factors, specifically the love of Christ! We're grateful for opportunities to talk about life while having a blast in the beautiful mountains.

For the Olympics party, we get decked out in our athletic apparel of choice and compete in activities like power walking, wheelbarrow races, and a softball throw. It's a blast to play and to watch! Before the games, though, we fuel up with a breakfast of champions because everyone knows that an athlete is only as good as the dinner in his tummy. Once the games are played and the winners are announced, we head over the to the "training complex" to celebrate our gold medals with a dance. These campers have brought SO much energy into camp, and we are excited to see what the second week brings!! Thanks for making this party a success, term 3!

Some of our champion hula-hoopers. Look out London 2012!

A few of our ladies dancing the night away.

These fellas are proud of their gold medals!

Nothing like a dance to polish off a great evening!

Backpacking Kivu Style

Backpacking is one of the many activities that students get to choose while here at Kivu.  We are surrounded by the Weminuche Wilderness which provide some of the most beautiful spots in the nation to hike.  Each term students have been exploring the backcountry with our guides.  

Enjoy the glimpses of the beauty and majesty of creation that surround us...and come join us for a trip!

San Juans near Silverton, CO

 

Our backcountry guides...Chase, Lauren, Josh, & Derek

(They are A-mazing!!!)

Campers Ethan and William near the Continental Divide

Group Photo at the trailhead

 

On the trail again

Dreams come true...making mini snowmen in June 

Hammock time with friends

Smiles at Ice Lake

Breakfast in bed...so why not dinner in sleeping bags, too?!?

Parents, come join us on a parent/child backpacking trip this summer.  You don't have to miss out on the fun this time!  Call Julie at 970.884.1100 or e-mail her at julie@campkivu.com to get set up for your experience of a lifetime.  See you soon!

Term 2 Camper Awards

We have the most amazing campers here at Kivu.  The following received special awards voted on by peers, leadership, and staff.  Our campers are the best!

Thanks term two for making the two weeks great!

We miss you already!

Learning to Serve

Here at KIVU we give students a chance to experience 'community service' in a different way.  Most students see community service as a thing you do when you get in trouble or something you have to acquire in order to graduate.  Here, we show students that it is simply something we do as Christians.  We involve ourselves in our community, and where God has gifted us, in order to be a part of something greater than ourselves.  We joined a Habitat for Humanity project this term and allowed students to frame up a duplex in the Bayfield area.  It was a day in the hot sun and hard work, but there is nothing more rewarding than giving yourself to something greater.