Saturday Post -- 14/07/12

When I think of summers in Canada (yes, this is Amanda typing) I think of summer camp. I think of two to three weeks at overnight Bible camp in July going straight into day camps at our church in August. I remember being a camper for years and then as I got older receiving more and more responsibility and becoming a counsellor. I love camp. I always thought it was weird how much I loved  camp, considering I was quite an insecure person and meeting new people all the time was difficult and nerve-wracking. But somehow, every summer, I made new friends and loved summer camp. I was never a big fan of the sports time and I hated the all-camp game of capture the flag. I used to loiter behind some building pretending to be guarding it. It got worse when I was a counsellor and had to actually make an effort to do something during the game. I used to secretly hope some kid would receive a minor injury and I would have to sit out with them. Never really happened though. But, despite this, I loved camp. 

My first experience with camp in Bolivia was quite a wake-up call, mainly because it was in Spanish and I had only been here five months. It was awkward to not be so involved and just watch from the sidelines and I clearly remember being challenged to teach one of the verses and the kids looking a bit confused due to my rough Spanish. That was in 2010. I have not participated in a day camp since then due to my work in health until this past week and you'll be glad to hear that my experience was completely different. If anything, my enjoyment of it and involvement in it reminded me a lot more of years at camp in Canada. 

So, this past week was the 5-Day Club that the Sports department at the Foundation runs during the 2-week winter school break. Various other members of staff were asked to be support staff and lead small groups, including Craig and I. However, the 5-Day Club sadly became the 4-Day Club when a civil protest was announced for Tuesday the 10th and no-one was allowed to work that day. Every day of the week we looked at a Bible story that taught us how we can react to Jesus -- we can celebrate, love, follow, believe and talk about Jesus. There were also accompanying memory verses and crafts as well as sports and games. One of the crafts which I thought was great was a card with John 3:16 written inside. The theme for the day was following Jesus and they heard the story of the last supper and betrayal of Jesus. The kids were challenged to take these cards that they'd made and show them to as many people as possible. Every person who read the verse in the card was to put their signature on the card and the next day they were to show their small group leader how many people they had shared the verse with. The kids got right into it and we hope that some of the families from which these kids come got the chance to hear a bit about what their children were learning at the 5-Day Club. 

Craig led the music every day and developed an alter ego named Choco Loco (Crazy White Guy), a rock star who talked in such a gruff voice I was worried he might be a chain-smoker. But the younger kids especially loved it and shouted "Choco Loco" all over the place. He also supported the games session for the younger kids and led the small group for the boys of 12 years and older. I, along with Elizabeth, led the small group for the girls of 12 years and older and was really encouraged with such a large group. By the end of the week there were at least 4 girls who came regularly who previously did not have any contact with our church and we're praying that they decide to come out to the girls' Bible study and youth group. I also helped support the older kids' games time... I realised how much more I enjoyed games time when I could lead and support and no one was forcing me to play. 

I also really enjoyed the fellowship among all the leaders. It felt good to be surrounded by a group of people who love God and are devoted to sharing Jesus and His sacrifice to others. As you'll know from previous blogs, working in health at the Foundation does not necessarily mean working with other Christians and I found it so refreshing to work closely alongside believers with a united goal. We're praying as leaders that these kids (there were 82 on the last day), choose to come to the Saturday Bible Club and church as well. We pray that we will continue to develop friendships with them and get a chance to see where a lot of them are in their personal walk with God. 

From helping at the Club, I have realised the importance of long-term involvement with people here. If a child were to attend a day camp in Canada coming from a non-Christian family there is a good chance that this child will not know who Jesus is or the major events of his life, death and resurrection. They will probably not have read the Bible and will not understand the concept of salvation. However, working in a Catholic culture is a very different thing. I would say that the majority of the kids know who Jesus is, recognise him as the Son of God, recognise the Bible as the Word of God and know that Jesus died and rose again. Sounds great, but the majority of these kids will have been taught salvation by works over and over and over again, and in 5 (really 4) days you cannot sort through who knows and believes what, and undo the teaching of salvation by works. 

In my small group I asked the girls to put up their hands if they attended a church; all of them did. About half of them attend the church that we attend and work in, and so I asked the other girls where they attend and the answer was the Catholic church down the road. These girls knew all the answers to the questions from the Bible stories that they heard, they probably didn't learn anything overtly new during the 5 Day Club and they probably think that we're on the same page as us leaders. In 4 days, with little one-on-one contact I had little opportunity to learn if we are actually on the same page. I would love to think that we are, but experience would teach me that we're probably not... that salvation by faith, not by works and works as an evidence of one's faith are probably still an obstacle in their minds, and that they think they are saved through their first communion and infant baptism. All I can do is pray that they are interested enough to keep coming out, so I get the chance to know them better and talk about these things with them. 

Prayer

• For the 100 or so children who came at least once during the week and who heard the Good News at the 5-Day Club.
• For Craig as he preaches on Psalm 32 tomorrow at church.

Praise

• For the opportunity to reach so many children in the last week.
• For  the safe arrival of Mark Morris, whom west-of-Scotlanders may know as the assistant pastor at Calderwood Baptist Church in East Kilbride. Mark, who was here as a volunteer way back in 2004-5, arrived here on Monday for a three-week stay, only to break his toe on the football pitch on the same day! He is recovering well but obviously can't get around much, so pray that he will nonetheless feel the benefit of the trip -- at the very least, he's been a great encouragement.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda