6:30-7:00am – Roll out of sleeping bag. Stand up. (It’s all about “baby steps” for me in the morning).
8:00am – Start the day with prayer and worship. Even though we don’t have a guitar, we do have Jenny (who is very gifted in the singing department and does have a “shuffle” option). Also, kids begin to arrive.
9:00am-ish – Start camp with “Celebration!” Lead the kids in songs, scream competitions, and skits. For some hilarious video footage, check out Kelly’s blog.
10:00-11:30am – Small groups. “Small is relative.” Our group ranged from 15 – 25 nine-year-olds. After leading twenty kids my first day, I recruited Mark’s help. (Thank you, Mark, for these pictures!) Our team name was “Thando,” zulu for “love.”
Together, we formed friendships with the children and taught them about God’s love. The topics for the week were “God’s Love is Powerful,” “God’s Love Saves,” “God’s Love Provides,” and “God’s love Protects.” After the second day, the children understood that we have all done wrong and need Jesus to be our Savior so that we can know God and be with Him in heaven. Many of the children prayed to follow Jesus.
The second two days were harder for me to teach. I can’t describe the turmoil that arose in my heart when I realized that we are teaching
these children about provision and protection. Most of them live in dirt floor shacks and do not get their fill to eat. At age nine, they take care of their younger brother’s and sisters. Many of them are orphans, and many of them have been abused and neglected. I had to wrestle with God before coming to a peace that He
does provide for their needs and He
does protect them and stay by their side at all times.
One day, we did a craft activity to illustrate God’s protection, and I asked the children, “What are things that hurt you?” They began with answers like “lions, baboons, and cheetahs” which are apparently a treat in their neighborhoods… 🙂 Then, they began to dig deeper. “Abuse.” “Fighting.” “Violence.” A reality hit me that day. I realized that I cannot imagine the stories of these children’s lives. They have known poverty, hurt, and lonliness that I cannot imagine. It gave me a special joy to teach them, “Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Isaiah 41:10). I
know this is true, and I know it is true for them.
11:30am-12:30pm Rec time! We took our teams into a big open field where other racer’s had set up Rec stations. We played soccer and competed in relays. The kids loved the games, and it is a blessing to just play with them!
12:30-1:00pm-ish Lunch. Refilwe has a feeding program for those in need, and part of camp is a hot meal for each of the children, normally consisting of rice, vegetables, meat, and juice.
1:00-1:30 – Celebration! We closed every day with more songs and review of the lessons. We would hear the children singing the songs for the rest of the day… I think a few of the songs are on constant replay in my head!
1:30-2:00pm Shuttle all the kids home. Every morning, we would pick up kids from several nearby neighborhoods and then shuttle them home at the end of the day.
2:00pm – Freedom! We would stumble back up to the houses for a break. Most days, I would crash for a few minutes, fix myself a cup of instant coffee, and prepare for the rest of the day.
3:00pm-5:30pm – We had our choice of additional ministries! We could visit the local “squatter camp,” Joe Slovo, where many of the kids are from. Consisting mostly of dirt floor shacks, it really opened our eyes to the daily reality of the children’s lives. We could also visit and pray with the foster mamas at Refilwe. Each mother (there are four) has committed to raising 5-6 children in a family atmosphere. These are wonderful, but hurt, children, and these mom’s (ranging in age from 23 to mid-40’s) have their work cut out for them. Another option was to help with renovation projects by moving dirt or laying tile, or we could serve the Refilwe office by putting little reinforcement stickers on bags (they receive income from this project).
5:30-6:30pm Relax! Rest!
6:30pm Dinner. We have eaten extremely well, as we have been cooking for ourselves (and have phenominal, creative ideas!) The rest of the night is free, though most of us go to bed by 10:00pm to be rested for the next day. We spend the evening’s socializing, reading, spending time with the Lord, and whatever else we need to do to maintain our sanity. Though the day’s have been busy, we have been tremendously blessed by knowing and loving these children. For more information on the day-to-day of camp, check out Kim’s blog.
I have learned that I do not have enough arms for Africa. Defensive, aggressive children, hardened by street life, suddenly soften with a little bit of attention and affection. They cling to me, even fight over my attention. And it breaks my heart. I do not have enough arms to hold them all. It forces me into trusting God to provide for their emotional needs and sending more people to love on these precious ones.
What an amazing priviledge to love the children of Africa every day! Stay tuned for more stories, we have two more weeks of camps… I’m yours for the Journey.
