On Monday night, we had the opportunity to go to the last night of Africa Jam’s camp. This camp was for teenagers from the townships in the Cape Town area. They gave the kids the opportunity to share a testimony of how God had changed them throughout the week at camp. The first boy stood up and shared an amazing story. John (actually, I changed his name…) is 21 years old. For reasons that he didn’t share, he was kicked out of his extremely unstable home at 13. When that happened, he became depressed, but masked that depression with anger. He severely mistreated anyone that tried to love him. John hadn’t cried for 8 years before this weekend at camp. He stood in front of his peers, and, with tears in his eyes, he pulled back the sleeve on his left arm to reveal where he had been cutting himself for years. He admitted to trying to commit suicide several times, and, until this weekend, he never understood why he lived. Now, this tough guy who had hardened himself to the world was finally allowing himself to feel the emotional pain. He said he never knew that there was a God out there who genuinely loved him, who made him to be exactly who he is for a specific purpose. Now, he can’t stop crying.
After John’s courage, dozens and dozens of other teenagers stepped up to the front of the room and told their stories. Almost all of those kids came from broken homes, and will return to broken homes. This camp, it was about healing for them. This camp showed kids, many for the very first time, that they are unconditionally loved. This camp showed these kids that they can find healing in God from abuse and from rape.
That was a powerful experience. It was amazing to watch those kids find acceptance and love for the first time. I don’t have words to describe what it was like to see realization flood those kids faces, the realization that they are who they are for a purpose, and that their lives have value. Pray for these kids and their families. Pray that they find it within themselves to rise above their circumstances. Pray that the kids can take the lessons they have learned farther than the boundaries of the camp, that they can demonstrate the love of God in their daily lives, even when it is not around them.
