Week of Hope 2012



Week of Hope 2012 in Las Vegas started!!
week one = 35 campers w/ adults.
week two = 75 campers w/ adults.
week three =  no campers due to July 4th.
week four = 45 campers w/ adults.

Wes works all year long finding a lodging facility that will accomodate the campers, space for the evening program, tables for meals, and a kitchen. This year Week of Hope is at Oasis Baptist Church. It's a church plus a Christian school...with a huge gym for basketball! The facility fits our needs...minus the kitchen. We keep saying..."It's a mission trip people!" Doesn't have to be comfy-cushy with a full blown kitchen...although that'd be nice when doing dishes and preparing meals!! No indoor showers either...portable showers for all! :)

Wes also sets up community service partnerships in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City. He contacts, coordinates, contacts, and coordinates some more. He works so hard to make sure the community service projects that the students are going to be involved in for the week are meaningful for all.
The students (middle school & high school aged) are loving on people at:
Boulder City Senior Center
Club Christ
Family Promise
Las Vegas Rescue Mission
St. Jude's
Green Valley Library
Raised Arm Ministry
Women's Medical Resource Center
Del Mar Gardens

Sundays...Wes grills up dinner for the arriving campers.

Monday-Thursdays....the campers go to community project sites from 9am to 3pm

Tuesdays...the campers have the night off to hang out in Vegas. The summer staffers...Jamie and Alli come to our house to use a real shower and then they too have the evening to them selves.

Thusdays...we go for dinner at the camp, talk to the campers & leaders, get feedback and hear God Sightings. God Sightings is a time during the evening program where the campers share how they witnessed God working during the day at their site. It's pretty amazing to hear.

Fridays...the campers head home & the summer staffers have the night off and stay in a hotel room. Usually for Week of Hope they use Cysco to order food and supplies. Since we have 3 weeks this year it wasn't cost effective. So, I take the Jamie & Alli to Costco on Friday to stock up for the next week. The first week it took us 3 hours, 2 flat bed carts, and 1 cart w/basket (Colton was there too!). The second time we shopped for the group of 75 we took 1 hour, 2 flat carts and 1 basket cart (Colton is such a big helper!!). We got smart the second time around...splitting up the shopping list is wise!!

Saturdays...the girls come over to do laundry and end up hanging out with Colton and me. It's so much fun feeding these two college aged women and hearing their life stories. They are so grateful for the comforts of a home--who knew how lovely a shower & laundry & homemade muffins could be?

during the week we stop by the camp to see how things are going...Wes sometimes fixes something...I chase Colton out of the food supplies...we chat with the girls about the week.

and then it's Sunday again and we go again!

It's such a blessing to us to bring Week of Hope to Las Vegas each summer.
Our prayer is that the students would leave changed. Changed in growing closer to God. Changed and ready to impact their community at home just like they impacted our community this summer.

Bob & Karen Holder.
The Holders live in Brigham City, Utah and came down to be Hospitality Team Members for the week. They served the campers as the campers were serving the community.
Wes and their son, Joel, have been buddies since school. So, it was nice to catch up with them as we popped in and out for the week!

Colton is helping do paperwork. He's a big help!!

Colton with his buddy, Alli.
She's from Pennsylvania and is working the Week of Hope camp with Jamie (not pictured yet).

Colton and Bob playing with the camp's cups.