Reactions of the professors the first time they saw the entire set of CCI/LA publications

When the team of Latin Americans arrived to Pittsburgh, our first activity together, after having spent a couple of days with their host families, was to be presented with the entire set of CCI/LA's written curriculum for which they were being prepared to take over. Even though many of them had been teaching several of the manuals for years, these were the latest editions. Moreover, they had never seen all the materials together, not to mention the statistics of the fruit God had borne.

Evelyn Umana, El Salvador
Look at these books, there is far more than paper here, far more than ink, far more than attractive covers and layout, there are thousands of lives, even 1.3 million lives impacted for Christ. These book have evolved from the first time I received them as a student in 1993 into something I see now like a cadillac.

Norma Canales, Honduras

 I was greatly impacted by the statistics shown on the pyramid. I started serving with Lisa when she arrived in Honduras in 1990 and have taught those very courses over 40 times since I began an instructor. It was like God said: “Norma, your name is not only in those books as a contributor, but the names of thousands of campers are in the Book of Life as well! I was so moved that I started balling and the images of hundreds of camp counselors and program directors I have trained with those materials flashed through my mind. In my mind, I fell down and worshiped the Lord for giving me the privilege of serving him in Christian camping for the last 23 years. 

Alvaro Cordero, Bolivia
 I have worked with a number of non-governmental organizations to help the people of my country. One thing I can say of CCI/LA is that it provides a better way for the church to teach and impact lives for Christ. These publications are so complete that you will find something for everyone.

Analu Cornejo, Peru: 

What I see in this presentation is obedience to a call from God on the life of Lisa Anderson-Umana to equip the Latin church for the work of the ministry through Christian Camping. Glory to God! 

Rixy Leiva, El Salvador

 These materials are ours because we have helped to form them. Our lives are written on each page; our steps in leadership are illustrated there; our spiritual formation has taken shape with the turning of these pages. It has not been easy first to be students of these courses, then instructors of these courses, and now professors teaching the instructors. 

Duglas Aguilar, Guatemala

I have worked with Lisa for the last 10-12 years in graphic design, lovingly laying out the pages of each of these publications but as I see them all together and hear our testimonies, I am amazed at the breadth and reach in each of our countries they have had. 

Alfredo Umana, Honduras: 

"I remember the first time I saw these training manuals in 1992. They were in their first editions and now, more than 20 years later, I can barely recognize them. They are very impressive, well diagrammed, with written, and continue to change lives just like they changed my life so many years ago."

Karina Zara from Argentina con nuestro profesor, Jim Plueddemann

I am amazed at the extensiveness of Christian Camping International, Latin America's curriculum. As a professor of this material, I ask myself: Can my teaching do it justice? 

Safwat y Pearl Habashi

 I attended Lisa's presentation and we were overwhelmed by the immensity of what Lisa has done during her 30 years with CCI. The video clips give you a glimpse of the magnitude of the work. So far 1,300,000 children have benefited from their efforts. The testimonies I heard from the leaders she brought to Pittsburgh were very inspiring. These were all professionals in various fields who pledged their free contribution to maintain the programs in their countries.

Roger Rumer from Memorial Park Church (man in the black tee shirt) Thanks for passing along the video from Lisa Anderson-Umana. I watched it earlier this morning and it set the tone for my day. I too am praising God for the work that He has done through Lisa’s faithfulness. I also noted that Lisa was impacted by Naomi Sauter’s witness as a missionary and inspired to do something. What began as a “mustard seed” of Lisa’s first mission trip to Native Americans was grown into a fruitful tree of the ministry to Latin America. God is magnificent! Roger Rumer 

(see the links below if you haven’t been able to watch the videos)

  

Links to English video clips

Publications video, part 1

Publications video, part 2

Publications, part 3

Publications, part 4

My part in the written curriculum is complete.

This is the testimony of Safwat & Pearl Habashi, long-time friends of George & Bobbie Anderson, and faithful supporters of Lisa and her family.

“The day you presented the entire curriculum you and your team have written over the last 30-years I was stunned. I have tracked with you over the years, carefully read your newsletters, and yet had no idea of the breadth and depth of writing you were involved in. I am impressed with the professionalism of the materials. It is like you have an entire university curriculum completed for Christian camping, with college level professors prepared to teach it as well. These folks have chosen to belong to this team, they each have full lives, have their own jobs and families to take care of, but here they are with a long-term commitment. It’s obvious they look beyond themselves to the next generation of Christian leaders these materials will help them shape. They came as learners, with a vision to impact their sphere of influence in Latin America. They are not one-time camp counselors trained for one summer of service, they are being trained for a lifetime of service.”

The team of professors who are assuming the responsibility to teach instructors how to use these training materials to develop leaders in Christian camping all over Latin America.  

“Lisa, regarding your particular role in CCI’s publications. I see it like this: Once a house is built, the residents often celebrate with a house warming. That is what we did during the party held at North Way Christian Community—we celebrated. In a manner of speaking, you have built the house; the curriculum is completed. Now it is up to the residents of the building to maintain it. Let them make corrections, tweak, and improve it. Beware of the tendency to dependence, don’t become a nanny to the professors. Keep coaching them but don’t hold their hands, let them fly.”

This trip to Pittsburgh granted me many opportunities to listen to wise counsel like this.

You can view a series of 4 video clips on youtube.com where I present CCI/Latin America's written curriculum:

Publications CCI/LA English 1

Publications CCI/LA English 2

Publications CCI/LA English 3

Publications CCI/LA English 4