Day 1 of Camp

This post was written last week so 'last night' was actually last Sunday.  'Today' is actually last Monday. 

Last night I knew exactly what I was going to write today. I was going to give you a full schooling on Zambia-isms. It was going to be fascinating and witty. And then today happened...

Today we woke up on fire and ready to go and then we stood up...hello jetlag. We were determined though and nothing could stop us from our mission. We put on the full armor of God along with our camp shirts and sunscreen.

We knew ahead of time that today would not be a normal first day of camp. Last week the past president of Zambia passed away and today was his funeral which meant respect and national holiday (i.e. be quiet). While we were waiting to get our day of camp started we were blessed with the opportunity to go on a tour of Zambia. I thought I had seen everything when we came back in November but there is always more. We went to various compounds and another community school.

We were walking up to the community school when our eyes locked and I thought, "Isn't Michael Jackson dead?" I bet you weren't expecting me to say that. Apparently MJ is living in Zambia in the flesh.

This was incredibly random but such a ray of light in this dark place. How fortunate I was to meet these boys.

After our tour we rushed to our campsite to see our little ones. I ran to my group and oh how precious those 10 little faces were! These are my 10 boys. They are ages 6-11. I also met my Zambian partners Steve and Victor.

                                       

As I said before today we had to be quiet out of respect and we were actually fortunate to even still have camp. From the moment I saw their faces and for the rest of the day I had a flood of mixed emotions.

Why was I born in America with privilege and they were born into devastation?

Why are my children sleeping peacefully in their comfy beds while they sleep on sacks on the dirt floor with nightmares about witch doctors?

I thought we were all God's children. Does he love me more than them?

Will anything I say or do be able to give them hope in such a place of anguish?

In some ways I started out feeling a bit detached. Everything here seems so surreal eventhough this isn't my first rodeo. I feel a certain distance when I drive past them to rubberneck and take pictures. I feel sadness in my soul but it still feels like I am watching it on television. Yes, even when I hug them and touch them. When we arrived at the campsite it all collapsed in on me. You can't feel distant when there are 750 little eyes clearly in despair looking back at you. There is no denying the daunting task at hand.

After our prayer and worship time we went outside to get aquainted with each other. It turns out I have a rowdy group of little boys. They are busy, busy, busy! I am excited about their energy because the alternative is that they just sit and stare at me and I would have to pull everything out of them all week long. Rowdy children in Zambia can actually be considered a good thing because it means they are healthy.

Since we had a short day I only had time to pull 2 of them aside for "blessing time" (one-on-one time). Each day I want to share with you what they share with me so you can be in prayer for them. Yes, your prayers do travel across the ocean and they make a world of difference. Miracles happen here. We think that miracles are rare because we are so busy with our daily tasks that we fail to recognize them in our daily lives. There is no missing miracles here. God wraps you up in them every single chance He gets!

This is Gift.

He is 6yrs. old.

When he grows up he wants to be in the military.

He eats once a day.

He lives with his mom and dad.  His dad leaves to go work in the village (bush) frequently.  His father gives all of his money to the grandmother and does not provide for his children. Mom sells at market so she can provide food and schooling.  When his dad is home he beats mom.  Gift says he hates his father. 

Gift lives in a 2 room house with 5 people.  He has 4 older siblings that live with friends because there is not enough room or money to provide for them.  Gift says this is a good thing because they used to beat him. Gift has 2 younger siblings at home.  He sleeps on wood with his younger brother.

Gift goes to a community school just like the one pictured above.  He enjoys Social Development Studies.  He says he has good friends to play with.

Gift is afraid of dogs and witch doctors.  He has dreams that witches are flogging him and he wakes up with pain.  He says he feels loved by God but is not sure he is ready to accept Christ.

This is George.

He is 7 yrs. old.

When he grows up he wants to be a police officer.

He eats once a day.

He lives with his mother who beats him.  His father lives at a farm. His father brings food when he can. He loves his father and misses him.  His mother sells cigarettes to help. His older sister pays for him to go to school.

George lives in a 2 room house with 9 people.  He has 3 younger siblings and 4 older siblings. He sleeps on a bamboo mat on the floor.

He goes to a community school.  He enjoys math but would like prayers that he learns to read.  He says that he has good friends to play with.

George is afraid of snakes.  He has dreams about witches.  He feels sad when others are unkind to him and threaten him.  He says that he feels loved by God but isn't sure he is ready to accept Christ.