Sports Camp

Sports camp was last week. Prior to camp I was feeling a little bit useless as I am not the most athletically inclined. I just asked the Lord to give me a place and to use whatever gifts I have.  The last minute before camp I was switched to a different cabin with different girls. As it turned out, I was put in a cabin with one girl who came from an abusive home situation and another who was demon possessed. The first twenty-four hours was a little eventful. More than anything, I had to take time for an attitude adjustment. Even though I prayed about being useful, my cabin situation was not exactly what I had had in mind.

Yesterday we had solitude which was just a good time for me to reflect on everything that happened over the course of the week before.  The Lord gave me so much from 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16. So during sports camp, there were a few moments where God gave me the ability to do things in the spiritual sense that I would never be able to do on my own. When I think about it, it enlarges my heart because even though we were handed some tough obstacles, and even though by the end we were physically wiped, God equipped us with all that we needed to face each challenge with truth and grace. I think I have written more in my journal in the last two weeks about all that God has taught me than I have the last several months. Lots of miracles.

-amanda

Some of the XC runners. 

The whole camp. 

African sunset. 

our "normal" here in South Africa

I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as a “normal” week at camp Eden, but these past few days have been accompanied by a certain calmness. The year long trainees left last Thursday and the campus has taken on a new feel. 

The crew watched a movie the other night called Ragamuffin, and it seems a general consensus that everyone was most impacted by this statement in the beginning of the movie  

“I am utterly convinced that on judgment day, the Lord Jesus will ask one question and only one question: Did you believe that I loved you?”

Monday morning everyone spent three hours in solitude with God, I think all the interns really enjoyed it. I know I did, I felt so pumped afterwards, like I had spent the day at the amusement park. 

Today we begin preparing for sports camp, for kids in grades 8 through 12. It’s going to be nonstop action until nest Wednesday, so we will not be posting until the 8th. Until next time!

-Melissa

Not long ago Africa was divided under an apartheid. This means that whites and blacks lived segregated lives. As is common with many of these systems, the whites had better education and all governmental control. Today we visited a district of Johannesburg called Soweto, which is where the initial riots broke out. Not twenty years ago this district was under the apartheid. In doing so we mingled with the people, visited a museum on South African history, particularly the apartheid, and shopped through many street vendors. It was an great experience! The community has a long way to go, but I for one was amazed at the integration of whites and blacks.

Braai on the Soweo Street Side

Nelson Mandela's House

-joshua

Hello all! This past weekend we hosted a camp for kids in grades 1-7. Over the past few days I have been realizing more and more that ministry isn't just what we say but also is what we do.  This became clear while trying to communicate with the kids this weekend.  Most of them only spoke a little bit of English, and a lot of Zulu, so I had to use a lot of actions.  The kids loved when you did even the smallest things like playing a game with them or even just smiling at them.  Whenever we were going from one place to another there were two or more kids by my side or holding my hands.  

I also learned a lot about team work.  If we, as leaders had not been able to work together, everything would have fallen apart.  There were some rocky times where plan A wouldn't work so we had to use plan B but everything always worked out and we all learned to be very flexible.  

Friday was the day the kids arrived, so the morning was crazy trying to get everything ready for them. When they arrived we played games, hung out and got them settled into their dorms.  

Saturday was day two and we had tons of fun.  We did different things like, worship, aerobics, skits, games, activities, and sports.  Sunday was our last day and we had a few more station for them and then it was time to say goodbyes and clean up.  

Overall the weekend was super fun and I learned a lot.

Hanging out after the kids arrived

I got to help lead the 4th grade small group

-Whitney

Reality Check

Hello from South Africa! 

I wanted to stop by to give an update on a special experience we had the opportunity to participate in last week.

On Tuesday evening our leaders told us to go to our rooms, put on warm clothes and grab our bedding and our Bibles. All of us girls moved into one dorm and the guys did likewise. For the next two and a half days we were going to be living in a way that reflects the daily reality of many Africans. We would each be assigned a new identity to personify during the experience. Mine would be that of an unwed mother; which meant I would be carrying around a sack of sand for the next 48+ hours. Just a few of the things we experienced were...

- Using a small amount of money for 5 meals

- Paying for "rent" and a "taxi"

- Walking to a nearby grocery

- Cooking over a fire

- Preparing all of our meals

It's never been very difficult for me to embrace challenges like this. For us the "reality" would end. We could count the hours until we had access to showers and hot tea again. We knew we would be able to change clothes in a few days. We had no doubt that we would be well fed again soon. For the people whose reality this is they have no such confidence. The hardest part about the experience was knowing that my "suffering" would end and there are millions who do not know the same. Having to "care" for a "baby" added a level of difficulty for me. As a nanny I know how difficult it can be to cook lunch or clean up with a little one to watch out for. This time I could simply leave the sand bag on the ground next to me while I worked or did the dishes, which would never happen with a real child. It would be so nerve-racking to try to keep a little one safe and entertained in a harsh environment and still do daily chores. The long walk to the grocery was twice as hard having to carry the extra weight and would have been three times as difficult if I would have needed to keep the child happy and safe. 

The biggest reality that hit me through this experience was that people who live these realities daily have no time for anything but to survive. The Western culture is so obsessed with entertainment; we dump resources into the pursuit and there are humans spending their entire day simply going to the grocery store and cooking with what little food they have.  At the end of the experience, a few of the year long interns shared their stories. Some of them had a hard time with the African Realities because it really was the reality of their past. Normally, hearing the people I love talk about the struggles of their past would shatter my heart. Although I did break, the reality of our Savior's salvation, provision and preservation was so much greater. 

Instead of coming out of this experience emotionally upset and disturbed - the Lord guided me to a place where I became even more aware of what He's been telling me all along; you've been blessed to be a blessing.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24

God is so much bigger than even the harshest of living situations and I am confident He's preparing our team to make Acts 20:24 a reality in our lives.

Imperfectly compelled by His perfect love,

Hannah

                                                Preview of kids camp 2015. Update to be posted in the next few days.

An Amazing Race

     Part of our internship includes traveling around to different churches, sitting in on their youth programs, and observing different strategies. Friday night we went to a church in Joberg. We had a great time playing games with all the kids. 

     Saturday morning we went on “The Amazing Race: Heidelberg, South Africa.” The year-long trainees and the six week interns were mixed and broken up into three groups. Starting in Extension 23, we were given a series of envelopes that contained puzzlers and riddles that led us all over the city. Each challenge required effort from every member –incredibly team building.  After successfully completing all the challenges (with group selfies at each destination) we ended at a host family’s house where we ate Chili over rice. So much fun!!!

Our accommodations at Camp Eden are much nicer than this but I did give it a try for the experience. No toilet paper. No flush. A window in a door that doesn't shut all the way. 

Extension 23.

Siphiwe and Simbonile love Jesus. I felt very safe with them.

One of our challenges landed us at the police station. On good terms of course.

The old prison. So much sass. 

The whole crew. My team won ;)

-amanda

We Have Indeed Arrived!!!

The first day and a half of our teams travels didn’t seem to be a complete failure, but it most defiantly didn’t feel blessed.

• First Whitney and I were told in Chicago that we didn’t have the correct documentation to enter South Africa.
• In London Josh got chewed out by a subway attendant.
• When we re-entered the Heathrow airport Hannah and Amanda were told that they both would have to pay to check their carry-on luggage.

All things we had tried our hardest ahead of time to prepare for, all things meant with unfair adversity. It seemed things were getting out of control. It was these moments that God used in the first part of our trip to teach us something. We didn’t have control to begin with. Not even a little. God did, has, and will. He wasn't surprised by snappy airport employees or blindsided by the technicalities of international travel documentation.

But it’s easy for us to forget. We get caught up in doing what we think God wants us to do and forget to pray and listen.

It wasn’t a matter of letting God be in control of this trip, He already was, it just took us a few ups and downs to remember and to sincerely pray:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 139:23-24

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

-Melissa