A Weekend for Chocolate Delights
By Jennifer Lloyd
An experience at a “Chocolate Boutique” not
only sounds enjoyable, but it tastes delicious. During
two weekends in September approximately 552 Hispanic ladies
from around the state ate their way through the “Chocolate
Boutique” weekends at Jenness Park Christian camp.
Another 290 women attended the Jenness Park program held
at Camp Alpha Chai in southern California.
The chocolate theme connected to the Bible by comparing
God’s extravagant love and grace to the extravagance
of chocolate. This year’s conference had a totally
different format from other years. Women who entered the
main sessions were seated in circles of 15-20 women in “grace
groups.” Rather than having one keynote speaker,
women from the leadership team presented the Bible message,
and pastor’s wives and volunteers were facilitators
of the small groups. While in these groups, the women participated
in interactive activities, discussed Bible lessons, and
spent time in prayer. One of the activities required the
women to allow a Hersey’s kiss to melt in their hand.
This illustrated what happens to our lives when we hold
on to things that only God can resolve. We make a “mess” of
our lives and it can impact all those around us.
The topics for the sessions included: Trusting the Lord,
God’s Extravagant Grace, and Celebrating the Grace
of God. Along with the tasty morsels from God’s word,
the women were treated with musical selections from Rebecca
Inciarte, a soprano from Venezuela, and special music from
Irma Martinez from First Baptist, Bakersfield.
The seminars offered at the Jenness Park Chocolate Boutique
focused on various “sweets.” Sweet Communion,
Taste and Laugh, Extravagant Relationships, and Sweet Tasting
and Eating were some of the choices. The craft time centered
around making chocolate gifts and cards.
According to Lennie Guerrero, the director of the Hispanic
Ladies retreats, “The new approach for this year
brought many blessings. It is a privilege to watch new
leaders develop through small group facilitation. We are
also blessed by the eight women at Jenness Park and five
women at Mt Chai who accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.”
The Hispanic Ladies Leadership Team also extended an invitation
to the participants to join a mission trip to Columbia
for the dates of February 14-24, 2008. While in Columbia
the women will focus on women’s ministry, children’s
ministry and evangelism. It is a chance for the women to
share with others about the delicious flavor of God’s
extravagant grace.
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