Some stories are never meant to stay on the pages of Scripture.
Each day at I AM ART Camp, the girls gather to hear the story of Ruth—not as a distant historical account, but as though Ruth herself were telling it. Through first-person storytelling, Scripture, and reflection, participants journey with a young woman who experienced loss, uncertainty, courage, and ultimately the redeeming faithfulness of God. As the week unfolds, Ruth’s story intertwines with the five I AM ART themes, inviting each participant to discover that God’s work of restoration is still unfolding today.
This summer, Guatemalan volunteer Ivette Alvarado led these daily sessions at both Oasis Residential Home and Opal House School. But somewhere between telling Ruth’s story and watching camp unfold, she realized she wasn’t simply teaching Scripture.
She was witnessing it.
While assisting in the Creative Writing Workshop, Ivette noticed a young mother participating alongside the other girls while her daughter attended the preschool workshop nearby.
“As the week came to an end at the Oasis Home for girls, I found myself reflecting on something really special: for the first time at an I AM ART Camp, I watched two generations together experience the beauty of art and the Gospel.
“It touched my heart so deeply to see a little girl’s first experience with creativity and the Gospel happen alongside her mother’s own journey of healing. At the same time, it was heartbreaking to realize that this opportunity came because her mother was living in a girls’ home. Watching them both embrace the camp and grow through a process of healing was incredibly moving.”
As Ivette reflected on the week, the connection between Scripture and the lives unfolding around her became impossible to ignore.
“As I shared Ruth’s story, I was reminded of how God wrote something beautiful through her life. Everything Ruth experienced had a purpose, and God used her faithfulness and obedience to bless future generations—even making her part of Jesus’ lineage.
“Then personally seeing a young mother and her daughter together made that truth feel so real. This young mother has walked through painful seasons so her daughter could encounter the Gospel in a meaningful way. My prayer is that both will carry that hope forward and share it with generations to come.”
That moment became a quiet reminder that the story of Ruth was never only about Ruth.
It is the story of God’s faithfulness echoing across generations.
And this week, in a small room at Oasis, that story was still being written.
Read the Full Impact Report for Oasis I AM ART camp here.
Read the Full Impact Report for Opal House I AM ART camp here.
