Help End Human Trafficking and Poverty

Want to help end human trafficking and poverty? None of us can do it alone, but together we can make it happen! On October 1, 2016 Natalia Mahaffy & I will be riding with Cycling4Change to raise awareness and money to bring justice and healing to people around the world, and we want to invite you to join us! You can register to ride 5, 20 or 60 miles, or, even if you can’t ride, you can donate to this great cause started by our good friends Santhosh and Rajdeep Paulus! Small things done with great love make a BIG difference! Let’s give hope, because hope changes everything!14310482_10209340115912695_5459634129921892659_o

Natalia’s First Over-The-Fence Home Run!

Natalia has had several home runs over the past few years, but this one takes the cake … her first over-the fence home rune! A 175 bomb over the right center field fence! She narrowly missed her coach’s car, and she told Natalia, “I park over there because I’ve never seen a 14 U player hit one that far.” lol! Way to go Big Squig!

Camp Stuff Week Day 4: Games

Below are a few games that are camp favorites as well as some good game idea websites.

Greased Watermelon Football
Football with a greased watermelon in shallow water.

Materials: Swimming area, watermelon, Crisco, two baskets

How To Play:
Take a watermelon and put Crisco on it until it is nice and slippery. In about 4 feet of water, place two buckets 100 feet apart or so. Weight the buckets to the bottom with rocks.

Divide the players into two equal teams. The goal of the game is to get the watermelon into the opposing team’s bucket. Players try to grab it and move through the water with it while other players try to tackle them/rip the watermelon away. The team that scores the most points in the given time period wins.

It can be helpful to have an extra watermelon (or 2 or 3) just in case it breaks.

Some helpful rules are:

  • No holding anyone under water (FACILITATORS WATCH TO MAKE SURE NO ONE IS DROWNING OR GETS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS IN THE WATER)
  • No biting/scratching/kicking
  • No going in less than 3 feet of water (watermelon can break easier when out of water)

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Kiddie Pool Kickball

Materials and Setup:

  • We used 2 boxes of plastic sheeting 6mil 6’X100′ from Home Depot that we bought online for 33 bucks a box.
  • Roll out 50′ and fold under pool.
  • You never have to cut anything because the pool filled with water weighs it down.
  • Pull it tight as you fill the pools and it won’t go anywhere.
  • Repeat to each base.
  • We use the cheap bouncy balls you always see stacked high at a Walmart or Target.
  • Make sure to use tear free soap.
  • Use a little league baseball field instead of a lawn if you don’t have enough yard.

How to Play:

  • 3-5 innings
  • 3 outs per inning.
  • Students in the field can have pool noodles to beat the runners as they round the bases.
  • To be safe on base you must sit down in pool.
  • Can’t run from base until ball is kicked, must slide into home for the run to count.
  • No bunting.
  • Best scenario is 15 to 20 on each team.
  • You will need to continually fill pools during the game.

Important: Lots of slipping and falling involved. Please play safe and at your own risk.
Credits: This video was originally created by Andrew Martin Kolstee for EPIC Student Life a youth ministry in Russell, Pennsylvania and then edited by REMIX Ministries.

Tic Tac Toe Relay Race

Materials: 9 Hula Hoops; 5 bean bags/t-shirts/other objects of one color; 5 bean bags/t-shirts/other objects of a different color

How to Play: See Video

Water Balloon Capture the Flag

Materials: Tons of water balloons; 2 flags (can be bandanas or other); field lining paint; buckets, trash cans; or large coolers 1/4 filled with water to put the balloons into; flag football flags (optional); garbage can lids or the like for shields (optional); referee shirts; whistles; garbage bag for cleanup.

Setup: You will need lots of time to fill up enough water balloons. One idea it to send each student home with a pack of water balloons to fill up and bring to the game with them. You will need to create a mid-field line and end lines using field liner, a long rope, or similar.

How to Play: 
Divide into 2 teams. Put a bandana or similar behind each endline. Teams are defending the flag as in Capture the Flag. Each team has some players playing offense and some playing defense. Offensive players are trying to score by running into enemy territory, grabbing the flag and returning to their territory with it. These players are safe when they cross the endline of enemy territory or when they are in their own territory. If using flag football flags, when a player takes a direct hit (not splash) one flag is removed. When they are hit a second time, their second flag is removed. Once both flags have been removed, they are no longer allowed to cross into enemy territory, and must stay on their side and play defense. Repeat game as many times are desired. Referees will have to determine “fresh” hits for ensuing games.

 

Websites for Great Game Resources

DownloadYouthMinistry

CampGames

Pastor2Youth

TheSource4YM

Basketball Trick Shots

Had some fun on Saturday shooting some trick shots. Dropped these ones within about 3 minutes. Fun! Thanks to Rebekah Tanas for capturing them on video.

4 Corner Dodgeball with a Twist

About a year ago my daughter Natalia, who was in 8th grade, introduced me to 4 Corner Dodgeball, which she had learned at school. Since then, we simply cannot play regular dodgeball if we have more than 20 students. The idea is simple. You have 4 teams, each in a quadrant, and they are all against each other. Having to defend balls being thrown, not just from in front of you, but also from your sides, adds incredible excitement to the game. Then, recently, I decided to try a twist. In the middle of the game, I yelled, “Rotate!” and teams had to move over to the quadrant to their left. Everyone started running to their new area, all while trying to avoid being hit while switching. The insanity of people moving while still playing was awesome! The students loved it and it kept them on their toes and the game exciting.

Family on TV … You’re Welcome Mets Fans!

A couple of weeks ago our family went to the Mets game. Although we’re Yankees fans, we always enjoy going to baseball games, especially when we get free tickets. I’m also a sucker for free t-shirts (I am a youth pastor, after all!), and it was t-shirt night. It was a tough battle that went into extra innings. During the bottom of the 12th inning the Mets finally show us Yankees fans on TV (:07-:10 in video), and wouldn’t you know it … 2 pitches later, Flores hits a walk-off home run to end the game. It was a very exciting finish, and it was fun to be there. Our Mets fan friends call us good luck charms. You’re welcome! lol!

Full Court Basketball Shot … 1 Take … Filmed by Drone

Admittedly a short court, but still fun. Just one take for the Drone at Camp Shiloh last week.

Yankees vs. Mets … Got A Ball in the Bronx!

On Saturday Natalia and I went to the Yankees vs. Mets Subway Series game for a Daddy-Daughter Date. During batting practice I caught a ball! Natalia actually had one hit her glove, but she saw it at the last second and unfortunately it hit the palm of her glove and bounced out. (She did get one last season, though.) Although the Yankees lost, they did take 2 out of 3 in the series, so we retained bragging rights. 🙂

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Pickup Basketball Stereotypes

This is absolutely hysterical! If you’re a basketball player, you’ll recognize these guys. So funny!