Camp 2009

I have just returned from a week of camp...a wet and muddy week but one in which God really challenged all of us in so many ways.

This was the first year that we combined the boys and girls for camp ( as we have so many girls now 34) and we had around 150 at junior camp and 100 at our senior camp.....plenty children many of whom have never had this experience before of going to camp...thankfully not under canvas !!We had as our theme "Lead Others to Christ" and lead the children through a series of studies and discussions on Judging, making choices, making a difference in the word they live in, sharing their faith and encouraging others...all to help them as they start to think about transitioning out of the ministry and back into their communities to make a difference.The lessons were all practical and at whatever stage the children were they could all relate.Each morning the Nigerian Uncles led Praise and Worship and gave a devotion, this is always a highlight for me to see our kids worshiping so enthusiastically.

We had a team from Moody Church in Chicago come to help us and they did an awesome job of relating to our kids.

Each afternoon we did activities either hiking, sport or making sandals...(something we hope to be able to start to produce for sale in the future) I stayed with the 8 oldest girls in our ministry and that was great....they gave me such a hard time with my clumsiness !!! There was so much mud it was a challenge for me to stay clean but they seemed to manage it no problem ....in the end they made sure there was always a bucket of water outside the room for me to wash my feet in before i entered....

I introduced them to pillow fights and showed them how to have fun !!! they have had so little opportunity to relax in their lives....and have fun :) So even though I am tired it was an amazing week for all concerned, for me i was stretched in many different ways....and was amazed with how God used me a weak vessel to make a difference in the lives of these children.

Check out the pictures .....

girls fighting back !!!

worship

two of the team
early morning devotions...6am
making the sandals

the food...

A new lodger moves in...

Jana..... a crazy Texan has arrived....along with her peanut butter, crackers, diet coke and power bars....and crates and crates of stuff in my spare room !!! she did bring chocolate though so i let her in :)

She has been here before...about 10 times but always with a team and now trying to see what missionary life is like on her own... However housing is in short supply so she was staying in a place which had been empty for a while, that had no generator and as our electricity is practically non existent was in the dark a lot.....along with furry rodents and slugs and so had a melt down and took pity on her and allowed her to come and stay !!!!
Its funny living with an American ( Texan i should say .... everyone tells me they are a breed all of their own ) the cultures are very different even though our skin colour is the same :) Good job Erin broke me in.....

She moved in and i left for camp....and she survived....on her peanut butter and crackers and bottled water ...good job i am back to cook some decent food...:)

Seriously it is really nice to have someone staying, to talk to and share with, there is so many things to learn as we minister here...one of the main ones is we all need each other, we all need encouragement and God doesnt want us to struggle on through alone....
Praise God for the good community life we have here and for the many different people he brings along our paths for us to learn from.
Pray for us as we live together for this next month, that we will learn all that God is wanting to teach us both from this experience.....

here Jana with Erin in Texas...

Swimming

I am a bit behind with my blog i am sorry.....we have had so little electricity that it is difficult to keep the internet connection...but i will try and show you a few glimpses of what we have been doing this last very hectic month..!!
We had a donation of swimming costumes when my Dad came and so we had many excited little girls all wanting to wear them and try out the swimming pool....so we aunties braved the rainy weather and went ....

The girls so rarely get the chance to be totally in water as they usually bucket bath with warm water so to get into a cold pool is quite the experience... see below...

Good fun was had by all even though it was freezing.... good job i am used to the cold water in England....such a little thing an outing to a swimming pool but one that brought so much pleasure to theses girls many of whom had never been swimming before.

Praise God for the donors who made this possible.