Freedom rarely arrives all at once.
More often, it begins quietly—in the courage to trust again, the freedom to express what words cannot say, the laughter shared around a table, or the simple realization that you are finally safe enough to create.
That spirit shaped every moment of I AM ART Camp at Oasis Residential Home.
From June 23–26, 2026, Athentikos partnered once again with Oasis Residential Home in San Lucas, Guatemala, continuing a relationship that has grown over more than a decade. Oasis provides a safe home for girls and young women who have escaped abuse and exploitation, surrounding them with legal advocacy, trauma-informed care, education, and spiritual support. Through I AM ART, Athentikos joins that ongoing work by creating spaces where healing, identity, and hope can emerge through creativity and community.
Over four days, thirty girls between the ages of four and seventeen joined more than ten Oasis tías and a volunteer team representing Guatemala, the United States, Dominica, and Scotland. Together they explored the story of Ruth through the five I AM themes—I AM ART, I AM CONNECTED, I AM BROKEN, I AM RESTORED, and I AM LOVED—discovering that God’s faithfulness offers a future greater than their past.
Every workshop became another step along that journey.
Creative writing gave participants space to express thoughts that were difficult to speak aloud. The Textures Workshop invited them to slow down and discover beauty in ordinary things. Wooden dolls reminded each girl that she was intentionally created with dignity and purpose. Recycled art transformed discarded materials into something unexpectedly beautiful, while the youngest children discovered joy and belonging through a playful Bear Birthday Party created just for them.
Yet the deepest moments weren’t found in the artwork.
They were found in the relationships that formed around it.
Between workshops, volunteers lingered over shared meals, laughed together before dinner, prayed with one another, and simply chose to be present. Again and again, they witnessed a quiet truth: healing often begins through community long before it can be seen in a finished work of art.
Volunteer Christa reflected,
“This week reminded me that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.”
Her words echoed throughout the team.
Jen described one of the greatest gifts of the week as “the lessons the girls taught us.” Julia found herself moved by “the love the girls have despite everything they have experienced.” Gemma discovered unexpected friendship within the volunteer team. Noé treasured the laughter shared around the dinner table. Irma remembered the spontaneous hugs from the girls, while Kristin celebrated watching God faithfully guide every detail of the experience.
Together, their reflections revealed something impossible to measure yet impossible to miss:
Freedom grows through relationships.
It is discovered when people feel safe enough to create, courageous enough to tell their stories, and loved enough to believe their past does not define their future.
That is the heart of Athentikos’ partnership with Oasis.
Because of your generosity, thirty girls experienced far more than a week of creative workshops. They encountered a community that celebrated their gifts, honored their stories, and reminded them they are deeply loved by God.
Together, we witnessed freedom taking shape—not all at once, but one conversation, one act of encouragement, one work of art, and one relationship at a time.
Read the Full Impact Report for Oasis I AM ART camp here.
