Graduation Week is Done...

Graduation and closing programs at SCCLC went very well. The week started off with Carlin & Hannah Epp arriving on Sunday, May 18. They are former students who came back to spend the week with friends and visit Santa Cruz one more time. Unfortunately, Carlin left his backpack, including his passport, in the back of a taxi that first day. So for the next few days, he and I worked on getting an emergency passport before their departure on May 25. It was an adventure, but through a series of miraculous events, we had a new passport in hand by Wednesday afternoon.

I preached at the English church for their youth service that Sunday morning and then joined the congregation for a cookout.

On Monday, we had our closing high school youth group with about 80 people. We enjoyed sharing lunch together, signing yearbooks, and I also shared a brief challenge about stress and how God wants to walk with us through tough times...On Tuesday, we did the same with about 40 junior high youth.
Wednesday, Carlin and I made a quick trip to La Paz to get his passport at the US Embassy.

On Thursday, we had our closing program with the secondary students and then I was in charge of the Graduation rehearsal and dinner that followed for the graduates, their parents and special guests.

I was also in charge of Friday's graduation, which thankfully went very smoothly.Although it was an incredibly busy week, it went well and I enjoyed the last few times of fellowship for this school year!

SCCLC 2008 in Review...Video Slide show...

8 minute video slide show of the school year here at SCCLC...

Last Bible Study for this School Year...

Tonight, there were 50 in attendance for our last Bible study of the semester and school year. We talked about allowing God's power to change our lives from the inside out. It was a great time of fellowship, study & prayer.

La Pajcha...

Over the weekend, Tim, Paul, Kyle, David and Danny joined me on a trip to the mountains. We enjoyed the great outdoors camping near this waterfall, La Pajcha. After our day "roughing it", we returned to Samaipata, a mountain village, and stayed in a cabin for the second night...not so roughing it...
Danny (right), gave us questions to ponder on Saturday evening and then shared our Sunday devotional. We all shared about the questions and challenge that he gave us and our time together lasted about an hour and a half.
Tim and Kyle wrote me about planning this trip last year, but this was the first chance we had to get away. It was worth it and I believe they'll remember this time together for years to come.

Day with the 6th graders...

Thursday, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the sixth graders of the Learning Center. Their teachers, principal, chaplain and I spent the day sharing, playing and just hanging out. It was a great way for me to get to know them before they get involved in the junior high activities next year. After breakfast at my place, I shared a little of my testimony and what the youth ministry was all about. We then took off to another home and did some team building activities, sports, etc. I don't think they minded the day off, and I enjoyed getting to know each of them by name...