Dominican Republic Camping Exceeding Expectations

Pico Escondido, Camp in the DR

Excitement

·      78 teens committed and rededicated their lives to Christ in the first week of camp.

·      576 teens attended camp in the DR this summer.  Double the 2011 attendance.

·      4,663 teens attended Club this year in the DR.

·      Jose’s Story and many others like it.

Challenge/Prayer Need

·      Financial support for our 6 in-country staff

·      Prayer support for our 191 volunteer leaders

New Believers from week #2 of camp in the DR

Jose’s Story:

Jose mentoring at camp

As a teenager, Jose lived with his mother and two sisters and worked as a mechanic.  In his free time he liked to be on the street causing trouble.  He was very independent and ruled his house.  His mother and sister were subject to do whatever he asked them to do.  Jose lived for the moment; he lived for the party life.  One night while he was out on the streets he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, got in the middle of someone else's fight and ended up with two bullets in his spinal cord.  While he survived the injury, from that day on, he was paralyzed from the waist down.  This awakened a whole new set of emotions, and lifestyle that Jose had to live.  He became so depressed that he tried to commit suicide unsuccessfully on more than one occasion.  He didn't see what other solutions there were for his life.

Jose was invited to go to Vida Joven (YL) club and was then soon invited to Vida Joven camp.  The first summer he attended, his heart was hard and and he did not allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate.  However, he was invited back a second summer to camp, in 2010, where he was blown away by the Christ-like attitudes of the staff and leaders.  It was because of peoples attitudes that he decided to give his life to the Lord.  

Since then, he has grown a fire and passion for Christ and for sharing his goodness and truth with other teens.  This summer in attempts to get some of his friends to come to camp, he drove his wheel chair around barrio (neighborhood) after barrio, selling donuts to raise funds to send his friends to camp.  This summer Jose brought 7 of his friends to camp to meet the Lord and he continues to disciple these teens throughout the year.  He is also heavily involved in his church and has a dream to enroll in college and continue to serve the Lord as a volunteer leader for Young Life in the Dominican Republic.  Jose is a Champion for Christ.