RETO Week 3

Well, EL RETO Week 3 was another success. This week was our GLADIATORS week, which is always a blast. Not surprisingly, it rained most of the afternoon. Apparently it has rained every year on GLADIATORS week...go figure. It doesn't matter much though because in Gladiators, the kids have to run through an obstical course while one team at a time takes turns throwing water balloons...so one way or another they spend the afternoon very wet!

Again, we kicked off the afternoon taking attendance and then with a short devotional time led by the team Sargents.

 

(left) The Warriors getting ready to pray at the end of their devotional time; (right) The Israelites during their devotional time.

However, before sending them to practice their Military Chants, we called them back to formation and proceeded to hand out some punishments that were not handed out last Saturday during Armageddon. Several teams had members who tried to cheat during Basic Training and the banquet, so those team captains had to choose their punishment out of a little black bag. Most lost points...anywhere from 100 to 200 points; however, one team picked out a slip of paper colored red. This piece of paper symbolizes grace, and Luis took the time to remind all the kids participating that God's grace has removed from us all punishment that we deserve as a result of our sin. Because they picked this slip, that team was free from punishment. What a great teachable moment, and believe me they got it!!

 

(left) Royer receiving his punishment on behalf of his team; (right) The Israelites practicing for their Military Chant

Once their practice time was over, we loaded everyone up in the trucks and headed to the church facility in Arrayanes. Earlier that morning, we the planning team went out there and filled 1600 water balloons and set up the obstacle course using table, metal supports, a tarp, and tires left over from Basic Training (week 2).

 

All of us filling balloons (L-R): me, Mily, Mary, Luis, Horacio, Martin, Chuy

   

Setting up the tables for the obstacle course (left) and the ring where the teams throw balloons (right).

   

Setting up the tarp for one of the obstacle course elements.

When we arrived in the afternoon, the first thing we did was give each team one tube of black face paint, and one tube of their team color. Their mission: to come with a design for their team and paint everyone's faces with that design. Then the captains were given the chance to tell our three judges what their design represented before being judged. The winner of this mission received immunity from chores later in the afternoon.

 

(left) The Favored; (right) The Israelites

 

(left) Conquerors; (right) The Lord's Squadron

 

(left) The Powerful; (right) The Banners

 

(left) The Warriors; (right) THE Conquerors

Once the face-painting was over, they headed out to the sports court/obstacle course to begin the Gladiators mission! Each team was given three buckets of water balloons to throw at the seven remaining teams who took turns running the obstacle course one at a time. The teams running the obstacle course were given up to one minute to pass 6 of their team members all the way through the course. Time was marked with a portion of music taken from "Saber Dance" by the Henry James Orchestra. I'll post video soon, but for now here are some pics...

 

 

Then when Gladiators was over, while we some of us headed back to Cofradia to prepare for Armageddon, the teams debriefed in Squadron Time with their Team Parents. I'm told that all of the teams had some really excellent conversation about their experiences that day and there were some great teachable moments that came out of that time. We the planning staff are looking forward to hearing from the Team Parents in the staff meeting this coming Saturday afternoon.

We ended the afternoon with Armageddon as usual. The teams were called in one at a time, and then Medals of Honor and punishments were handed out. After this, Luis shared a short word about our theme verse this year and what it means to "Fight the Good Fight". Finally, the teams were called in to the voting room one by one as resounding music from Glory, The Last of the Mohicans, and Legends of the Fall played in the background.

 

(left) The voting room; (right) Staff ready to hand out torches to the teams as they enter silently

The Favored won the face painting contest, so they were granted immunity from chores on Sunday. However, in the rest of the voting, it seems that some alliances have started to form between different teams; as a result The Banners received SIX votes and was therefore granted the privilege of doing the chores. This week, their mission was to clean up all the trash from the water balloons, sweep the sports court, the Sunday school palapa, and the church office in Arrayanes.

(left) The Israelites casting their vote; (right) The votes...6 for The Banners (Los Estandartes)

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