camp 2011 -- week 3

   God is good, all the time! 

We are praising Him for finishing another week of Camp. Actually for finishing up another year of Youth Camps in Tanzania.  This week we were in the village of Ilemba in the Rukwa Valley. The village is right in front of Mount Memya.

On Friday, we spent time after the last service with our staff.  It is always sad to say good-bye.  And yet what a blessing to work together as a team and to make new friendships.

 

 

Noah and Benito had the job of teaching all the campers how to play volleyball.  Some groups really caught on, while other groups had a hard time.  But they all had fun.

 

 

 

Friday night, I had a chance to visit with many campers before dinner. Everyone was kind of hanging around, saying good-byes, sharing phone numbers, etc…  A couple of older boys pulled me aside for a secret meeting. Actually it was their entire group who wanted to have a meeting with me. They told me that they had had the best counselor in the world. Every time I look for staff, I need to find guys like this. He was a great teacher. He could answer all their questions in the Bible. He encouraged but never pushed them. He was always there with them during free time.  So congratulations Peter Simtowe! (He’s the guy holding the shield)

 

Each Tuesday we joined with the Gideons to hand out New Testaments to each camper.  Then throughout the week we worked with them on using the Word of God in their lives.

 

 

 

As Camp Director, I wear lots of hats. There are staff devotions and meetings, sending kids off to their various activities, helping fill in when staff is sick, hanging out with campers, making decisions about what to eat and when to put it into the menu, etc… I have to know what is going on at all times and make sure that everyone is doing their job.

This past week went very well. We had 50 campers from at least 8 different villages.  Many had never come to camp before, but kept telling us they wouldn’t miss it again. Others were long time campers and came ready to have fun and learn! We are praising the Lord for 25 souls that came to Salvation.

 

 

The camp drum plays better after it has warmed up in the sun. So each morning we sit it out. If it was on the ground last week, all the village little kids would start banging on it. That makes it hard to have staff meetings. So sitting in the church window kept it warm while out of reach.

These guys are long time campers and really know how to sing and dance with energy! They bring joy and excitement to camp!

An entire class of guys practicing evangelism with each other!

We are praising God for a great host church as well as campers with wonderful attitudes. 

We praise God for strength and energy to see us through our 8th year of camps.