PRBI - Grande Prairie

July 11-16

The HSOS kicked off the summer with a week in Grande Prairie at the PRBI hockey camp.

The team took a two-day road trip from Vancouver with no air-conditioning in the van to get to the camp, it was sort of like a team building exercise. But they toughed it out, and no one complained about the lack of conditioned air. Instead, they used the time to get to know each other, and to sleep.

After arriving in Grande Prairie, the team eagerly prepared for the 19 campers to arrive. Campers signed-in on Sunday and everyone headed to the rink for the first ice-session of the week. Glen served as head-coach for the week, and Brian assisted. The 19 kids were split into two age groups, but they all shared one ice time.

One of the highlights at the PRBI camp was seeing how the kids all came together in one tight-knit community despite age differences. The campers ranged from an 8-year-old to a 16-year-old.

After the ice time on Sunday the campers all gathered for a campfire back at the PRBI campus, a tradition that continued each night of the camp. Dale shared his story with the campers that night, and they sang some awesome silly songs as well.

On Monday the campers started their first ball-hockey games, headed up by Finny. Again the teams were a complete mix of ages, but the kids loved it. The camp also featured a daily chapel time in the morning featuring YWAM's very own, Brian Peters, as the camp speaker.

After brunch and cleanup each day, the kids headed to the rink

for two on-ice sessions and dry-land. The campers returned back to PRBI for supper, and a wide-game followed by the campfire and a testimony by one of the leaders. Debs, Jeremy and Finny all shared their stories at the campfire during the week. On Thursday, the last day of camp, many of the campers also shared their own testimonies with their small-group.

All in all it was a week packed with new hockey skills for the kids (and Debs), lots of laughter,

and lasting friendships. The HSOS team left the camp feeling a bit sleep-deprived, yet totally refreshed by the relationships and memories they built with the kids. Brian did an amazing job speaking to the kids at chapel, and the kids all seemed to have a blast.

The daily bus ride to and from the rink was actually one of the highlights of the week for some of the campers.... especially the kids in the blue van. Click HERE to watch some interviews with those kids.