2008 FCC Mission Updates

CROATIA - DAY 1
Today was the day we we've all been waiting for...DAY ONE OF CAMP! Around 2:00 the Croatia Camp Staff entered a very hot gym with about 60 campers to do the demo. After spending all day yesterday touring the city of Split and preparing for camp, we were all very excited to finally meet the girls we would be hanging out with all week. Despite the language barrier, the staff is already connecting with the campers. We had a successful day in stunt class, seeing many stunts go up and come down safely. They have almost mastered the camp cheer and the pre-games. These girls are awesome! Despite the intense heat in the gym, the girls seem eager to learn and excited to be here. So far, Mindy's full basket has been the highlight for the campers.

During Prime Time tonight we focused on team unity. The staff demonstrated a squad lacking unity through a skit, and we quickly demonstrated a squad with unity. The skits were followed by two of the instructors sharing personal stories of how team unity has affected their squads. Please pray that as a staff we would communicate clearly, and God's truths would be evident not just in what we say but also in how we are living our lives. Continue to pray for safety for the staff and the campers. And of course, pray that the Lord prepares these girls' hearts for the gospel. As a staff, we are really excited about what God has in store for the camp.

CROATIA - DAY 2
There is no doubt the camper, coaches, and staff are all tired from a packed day 2 of camp. Today ran very similar to a camp that would run in the States. Just like everyone else, the campers participated in an FCC warm up, jump class, stunt class, and cheer class, all before lunch. The campers have been quick to pick up on material and fine doing their cheers in English.

After lunch there was an hour of private coaching. This was a great time to work with the girls and continue building relationships with them. It was encouraging to see the progress from private coaching to final evaluation that occurred later that night. The instructors were certainly challenged to coach with more than just words due to the language barrier. By the time Final Evaluation came around, the teams were able to pull themselves together and perform in front of everyone. It was so great to see them out there working together in their teams.

The focus of tonight's Prime Time was Encouragement vs. Discouragement. Again, the staff performed a skit to illustrate the difference between being an encourager and a discourager. A couple of the staffers shared personal stories, and Mickey even surprised the camp with a round-off tuck. Each night the goal is to go a little deeper with the girls to prepare them for the gospel presentation. The staff is excited about tomorrow's Prime Time, and they are all anticipating God to work in the midst of obstacles. Please pray for seeds to be falling on fertile soil. Pray that the staff is able to live out who Jesus is throughout the entire day. Our heart's cry is for Jesus to be known in Croatia...in this day...in this time. And we believe it will happen. Please believe with us.

CROATIA - DAY 3
Another camp day is completed! The girls arrived close to on time this morning with bruised bodies and sore muscles, but they were ready to get the day started. With another packed morning, the campers and staff pushed through the exhaustion and intense heat of the gym. The squads worked on pyramids and baskets during stunt class, and that went surprisingly well. The campers have improved so much since day one.

After lunch, the staff private coached their buddy squad in preparation for their final performance tomorrow. About twenty minutes into electives, a news crew showed up to do a story on the camp. The staff performed their demo twice, and from there, the afternoon was filled with stunts, tumbling, and cheering from both the campers and the staff. It was an exciting time for the campers to show off everything they had learned at camp.

Staff went into Prime Time with great expectations. The theme for the night was "Trust." Christina applied this to the cheerleading world, and then Smiley shared his testimony and how trust applied to his personal life. It was a powerful night, and God definitely moved upon the hearts of many. Seeds were planted in their hearts, and now we can pray for God to bring people along to water them. There are still questions, doubts, and confusion, but God is so much bigger than all of those things. The staff believes that God will complete the work He has begun in these girls. Please pray that God will continue to break down the walls around these precious hearts. Pray for God to bring people into their lives to speak truth. And pray for them to experience the powerful love of Jesus in a real way.

The staff will be leaving the camp in Split tomorrow and heading to Slovenia. Please also pray for safe travels for the staff traveling to Slovenia and the rest of the Slovenia team that will be traveling out from California and Atlanta. Thank you all for your wonderful support and prayers!

CROATIA - FINAL DAYS
What an end to an amazing camp! To see how the teams improved from day one to day four would be a massive understatement. After a bit of final private coaching, the teams performed for pre-evaluation and final evaluation. Families and friends of the campers came out to see the girls perform, and it was an exciting time for everyone. It appeared that the girls really understood the value of working hard on their routines and took pride in their accomplishments.

The camp hosts, Mario and Slavica, did a great job helping the staff put together a great awards ceremony. It was a time to honor campers, clubs, and coaches. Mario and Slavica blessed the staff with gifts and sent the staff on their way. After spending all week together, neither the campers nor the staff were quite ready to say good-bye. After several pictures and hugs, the staff packed their things to head to Slovenia.

The Croatia camp went so well. It was evident that trust was built between the staffers and the campers. As the staff prepared to leave, the campers voiced their disappointment, wanting a commitment from each staff member that they would be back next summer. And in those moments the staff knew in a greater sense that this week was about so much more than cheerleading. Yes, staff trained the campers how to cheer better, but their hearts were the number one concern. They may not remember the camp cheer or the pre-games, but they'll remember their buddy times and the Jesus they encountered in the staff. Please continue to pray for Jesus to be made known in Croatia.

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