By Beverly Ventriss – 

Over Labor Day weekend, 500 delegates from Latino corps gathered at Mt. Crags and Gilmore camps for the first camp ever held there in their native language.

Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Alfred R. Van Cleef reminded participants at Friday night’s worship and praise session that they were present not because of the commonality of language and country but because God had called them. “Let us be attentive to God’s voice and let him change our lives during this weekend.”

Esteban, son of Majors Fernando and Nancy Martinez, gave the first of many moving and powerful testimonies regarding God’s miracles. Martinez recently had successful surgery to remove a tumor from his stomach. “God has done a miracle in my life. I am here because he is a merciful and loving God.” Lt. Lorena Otero from Lincoln Heights shared her story of personal struggle and how that struggle beckoned her and her husband to work in the Lord’s ministry.

Workshops conducted through the weekend emphasized the importance of developing the habit of praying together as a family and how to be better parents and positive role models for their children. Showing respect to one another within the family structure and the importance of incorporating God into their daily lives were main themes woven throughout the weekend.While parents attended workshops, the children enjoyed games and songs and learned Bible verses around the campfire, led by Cadets Oscar and Edith Tippol.

On the last day of camp, Sunday morning’s devotional topic of “Family Awareness,” led by Captain Elizabeth Delgado, provided opportunity for families to share time together and to reflect on how to be a family in Christ. At camp’s close, expressions of joy and happiness were shared among the many delegates and the hope that the weekend’s Latino Family Camp would become a tradition.