God Answers Prayer

 Thank you so much for your prayers.   The Holiday Bible Camp went so well Tuesday—great day!   Total number of children today was 252.   From beginning to end, everything just flowed so smoothly.   We had enough rice and beans for everyone—even the Mzungus (Swahili for white people).   The theme today was hearing.  

The crafts that were prepared for 150 stretched to provide for the 252—it was amazing.   Part of the craft today used glitter.   By the time the teens came through they faces were covered in glitter.   They were really sparkling.

The most amazing time today came during the “debriefing” session with the local children’s leaders and pastors.  One teacher said, “I was amazed how we are using a theme for the day that is covered in every area even crafts and recreation.   Every activity focused on hearing.”   Two women shared that they had never heard using teaching on physical hearing to teach spiritual hearing.   One children’s leader said, “We have taught Bible verses and stories and sung songs.  Never did we think about using crafts or recreation as a part of the children’s camps—especially using them to teach the children.  The children are having fun and learning.”   The sum of the comments were that the teaching approach that we brought to them was so new and “out of the box” that they had a hard time picking up on what we were doing.  Today, they could see how it all works together.  

After the meeting, Pastor Peter encouraged the Bible Camp workers to keep on working with the camp.   When they work, they are not picking their tea, and they are not getting money.   Most of the workers, the tea literally provides their daily bread.   I was really struck by the sacrifice that they were making to participate in the camp.   Pastor Peter said, “I have a bag of potatoes at my house.  If anyone does not have something to cook tonight—stop by my house for potatoes.”   Pastor Peter like all of the pastors does not earn his living from being a pastor.  They all do different jobs to provide for their families while doing fulltime pastoral work.

If you would like to be a part of life changing service, the opportunity is wide open.   This Holiday Bible Camp was three years in the making.   Our goal is to do one camp per year in areas like Gatunguru.   Actually, we hope to return to the area something next year.   The children are out of school in April, August, and December.   We are looking at a possible after Christmas trip in 2013.