And the highlight of this month is always camp.
Loloma Junior Girls Camp at Kabompo River Bible Conference Centre.
Happens over the Easter weekend for about five days, up to 160 girls come from all over the Kabompo / Manyinga District, our goal is to share the Gospel- the Good News of Jesus Christ and of salvation from sin, and also to help teach them important topics about growing up.
Most of the camp is sitting listening to speakers, but there are also several discussion groups/ quiet time and those times are such a great opportunity to get to know the girls and hear some of their struggles, hopefully answer some of their questions- whether about the Bible, about salvation and following Jesus Christ, or about STI's and other sexual health topics, or about life and the impact they are women can have on the people around them. Its a great opportunity to build relationships and to share Christ.
I had the privilege of working this camp alongside a camper I had the very first time I went to the Loloma camp. It was quite an opportunity to see this sweet (slightly precocious) girl share her faith with the younger girls we were sitting in with, and talk to them about life and what was important. It was really cool to see how the camps had touched her life and helped cause her to grow into a strong young christian woman.
One of my girls from Chito also came along with me and it was great to see her bonding with other young women who share her faith. And hopefully, these three young women will be in Kalene nurse school together this coming August- we are praying! What a great gift from God it will be of the three of them to study together and help keep each other in the way of God. Its not easy leaving the place where one has been most spiritually nourished. I am praying these three girls will be able to study together and encourage each other to keep the faith.
The highlight for me at camp tho is always the first day. Everyone is so excited, setting up the camp site, getting the tents ready and the cabins, registering the girls, everyone is busy with something. But as each truckload comes onto the site and counsellors pile out, the excitement grows. Shouts across the site. A flurry of yitengi when someone runs. Greetings. Warm hugs. Exclamations. "I have missed you." "how have you been?" "How is home?" "Its so good to see you." Excitement and laughter and joy and rejoicing!
Its hard to explain it all. But I kind of imagine that its a bit like heaven will be, when we all finally arrive there. All the dear ones who love the Lord who have gone on before will be waiting there, working their work, but waiting, waiting to greet the new arrivals, waiting to give warm hugs, to bring out that old joke, or the pet name, waiting to hear all the things that have happened, waiting to share what's happened with them. And there will be so much excitement and laughter and joy and rejoicing. Seeing friends after so long a time not seeing them.
The best part of heaven tho, will be the Lord will be there. At camp we know His presence is there with us, His Spirit that lives inside each of His children. But in Heaven He will actually be with us in body. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
Camp has always seemed like such a privilege to be a part of. And this little thought of how it might mirror that first day in heaven just makes it all the dearer.
Anyway, I'm back now to Chito. Big changes are in store here. Will get to those one day soon!
