Last Day of Kids Camp
Yesterday we celebrated the last day of kid’s camp with jumping castles, obstacle courses and hot dogs! Our kids could hardly contain their excitement, and we literally had to pull them off of the bounce houses to move to the next activity. All of our stations were action packed, from soccer (football) to volleyball to kickball, and by the end of the day our kids were worn out! For lunch, we were so blessed to have Parmalat and Zambeef donate hot dogs and juice boxes for our kids. We took this time sharing one last meal, talking to our kids about accepting Christ as their Savior and passing out beautiful cross necklaces that the Shaw family brought. It has been inspiring to see these kids learn about having Jesus in their hearts and trusting Him for provision even in their tough situations. The joy in the faces of our kids was contagious!
After we said our goodbyes to the children, the Americans and Zambian counselors took time praying for each other and reflecting on an amazing camp experience. We would not have been successful without the help of the Arise Africa staff as well as the Zambian counselors, who spent countless hours helping the Americans translate to our kids as well as bridging the cultural gaps with ease. Although we were sad for kid’s camp to end, it is encouraging to know that our Zambian staff will continue to love on these kids and help them grow in their relationships with God.
After a few hours of rest, we headed over to the Showell’s house for a celebration braai (cookout) with the American team, Zambian staff and their families. The Showell’s have been amazing to us during our time here, and we are so thankful for their hospitality. Alissa decided to bring a little kid’s camp with us to dinner, so we blew up a bounce house right there in the Showell’s backyard! It was a huge hit with the staff kids, and also a few Americans! Brenda, a member of our Zambian staff, jumped on the bounce house for the first time in her life! We also had the pleasure of watching the Zambian Vocal Chorus perform for us before dinner! Our Zambians know how to sing and dance beautifully, but that does not mean the Americans don’t try!
After dinner, the American team headed back to Baptist Mission for one final round of a Nertz card game. We drew teams out of a hat, yet somehow the power team (Alissa and Charlotte) still ended up on a team, hmm? In a final game of “winner takes all” Joseph and I pulled in from behind and won it all, at least according to us!
We were sad to say goodbye to Holstein last night, who headed to South Africa early this morning. We pray for her safe travel and time spent loving on orphans in South, she was an amazing asset to our American team! Half of the team headed to Victoria Falls early and the rest of us will be heading home late tonight. Our time in Zambia has been such a blessing, and we feel that God is doing amazing things in this country and with these young children. We pray that hearts may continue to be opened to the Lord, and that Arise Africa will continue growing and making a difference in Lusaka. We want to thank all of you again for the constant support and prayers!
In His name,
Carly