Camp Life

I am now back in Westport from 3 weeks of kids camps. What an amazing time I have had and what wonderful people I have met. God is doing so much around Ireland. The first two camps that I was involved in was in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal. The first week I had girls between the ages of 8-11, the second week the girls in my dorm were 12-14, and this past week in Athlone I had girls between the ages of 9-13. The sun was so bright and hot the very first week of camp. I actually had to put on sunscreen!!! During that week I had the opportunity in telling the missionary lesson each night to the campers. The story was on a girl named Ti-fam who lived in Haiti with her family and whose father was the voo-doo witch doctor in the town. Each night the story was left on a cliff hanger and by the end of the week the whole family had come to faith in Jesus Christ. There was one day that the whole camp goes into Donegal town, and while we were in some shops, the kids noticed that there were these voodoo dolls that were being sold. It's so sad that these dolls are becoming popular, but at the same time, the kids in the camp were saying how wrong it was. The story of Ti-fam was becoming more real to them.

The second week of camp was another blessing to me. There were a few girls in my dorm who were really questioning what it means to be a Christian and how they can be a Christian. One of the leaders shared their testimony and he shared that 10% of our Christian life is asking Christ to come in and take over our life (prayer of commitment/and what a huge part that is!), and 90% is living and doing life for Christ. I pray that these girls will truly walk with God all the days of their lives and that they will bear much fruit. Another reason why I thoroughly enjoyed this week was because of the leaders that were there. It was such a great week of fellowship, fun and laughter! And one of the best things that us leaders did was play American Football!! Even though I got bruised up, it was well worth it!

The first two weeks were with an organization called CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship). I worked with them last year doing the same camps and doing one in Scotland. The last camp was with an organization called BCM (Bible Centered Mission).

BCM camp was located in a placed called Castledaly (in the midlands of Ireland). I was a bit nervous about doing this camp because I only knew one person who was in charge of the camp, but again, God showed His provision and plan for having me there. The girls in my dorm didn't really mesh well at the beginning of the week. I kept asking for prayer in that area at the leader meetings, and then on the second to last night we played a game in our quiet time and that brought them together and then the last day was such a lovely day. There was laughter and no one was feeling left out and these girls were finally talking about the things that they had learned this past week. One girl shared that sometimes she feels lonely and alone, but from the Bible lessons, she now knows that God is always with her and she can just go to Him.

We did this exercise during one of the lessons last week, where we had to write a song like Miriam's song after the crossing of the Red Sea. One line that the students made up was, "With your right hand you made the heavens and the earth and you hold me." I just love that contrast. That God who made the galaxies and earth with his strong hand, He also holds us and cares for us. I will hold onto that truth forever!

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." Psalm 23:1-2