Thank you to all of you who have contributed, and just a reminder that the deadline for donations is April 15! Every dollar helps! $20 means 1 child gets to go to camp. $10 buys an orphan a pair of shoes! Please consider this cause!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Weeks 6&7, here I come!
I received official confirmation that I am signed up for Weeks 6 and 7. Somebody had to drop out of week 6 because they were unable to raise enough money, so I get their spot. I thank the Lord for this opportunity...but it also makes it that much more important that I find the funds, because now my contribution will be accountable for ensuring that 80 kids get to attend Camp LIFE! 80 kids whose lives will be forever changed by the knowledge that they are loved, and that they will have eternal life with Him who loves them so much!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
In Christ I am Loved
Wow...Today was my first training meeting and I am feeling very relaxed about the trip, the country, the AIDS epidemic...but I'm more nervous about the potential impact I will, God willing, have on these kids. Pretty powerful stuff.
The training session started with lots of information on HIV/AIDS - what it is, how you get it, how it's 'treated'. I don't think really any of the information was new to me, but it was comforting and shocking to hear again. The hardest thing to understand is that living in a world torn apart by AIDS is what these kids do every single minute of their lives. We watched a video of a skit they did, and they talk about it, and it's just every day truth. "AIDS took my mother" "AIDS took my brother" "AIDS took my family". 10 year olds have to live with that, and with no true sense of hope that it won't take someone else near and dear to them the next day. It was heartbreaking to watch on video, and I'm just praying that I'll be prepared to interact with these kids in person, to know their stories, and feel their pain and loneliness. We were told how the AIDS orphans that attend Camp LIFE aren't all necessarily orphans the way we think of the word. Some of them have only lost one parent, some haven't truly lost either, but have been sent away to live with relatives b/c their parents can no longer care for them. These kids are sent away and they feel that it's because it's easier than trying to love them and care for them. They're sent to their relatives who usually don't care either. Many of the people in Zambia believe that families that are hit by AIDS are cursed, and that the kids are cursed and aren't worthy of love. So our job is to love on them and to let them know that in Christ they are loved. Each day of the camp will focus on a different theme as follows:
The training session started with lots of information on HIV/AIDS - what it is, how you get it, how it's 'treated'. I don't think really any of the information was new to me, but it was comforting and shocking to hear again. The hardest thing to understand is that living in a world torn apart by AIDS is what these kids do every single minute of their lives. We watched a video of a skit they did, and they talk about it, and it's just every day truth. "AIDS took my mother" "AIDS took my brother" "AIDS took my family". 10 year olds have to live with that, and with no true sense of hope that it won't take someone else near and dear to them the next day. It was heartbreaking to watch on video, and I'm just praying that I'll be prepared to interact with these kids in person, to know their stories, and feel their pain and loneliness. We were told how the AIDS orphans that attend Camp LIFE aren't all necessarily orphans the way we think of the word. Some of them have only lost one parent, some haven't truly lost either, but have been sent away to live with relatives b/c their parents can no longer care for them. These kids are sent away and they feel that it's because it's easier than trying to love them and care for them. They're sent to their relatives who usually don't care either. Many of the people in Zambia believe that families that are hit by AIDS are cursed, and that the kids are cursed and aren't worthy of love. So our job is to love on them and to let them know that in Christ they are loved. Each day of the camp will focus on a different theme as follows:
Monday: In Christ I am Loved
Tuesday: In Christ I am Accepted
Wednesday: In Christ I am Secure
Thursday: In Christ I am Significant
Friday: In Christ I am Victorious!
This week I will be working to memorize scripture that tells us that no matter what we have done, no matter what others tell us, when we accept Christ as our Saviour, we can rest in the knowledge that we will ALWAYS be loved. John 3:16. John 15:9. Romans 5:8. 1 John 4:18 are the verses I will be starting with. I'd love any input into others that are appropriate. I will be doing my own study to prepare me for my time with the kids on Monday, and for those of you looking for how you can prayerfully support me this week, it'd be that I am diligent about studying the Lord's word, and that He will show me the verses I should know so that I can best serve my kids.
Thank you to all of you who have donated to assist in the expense of my trip. So far I have raised about 1/4 of the cost. The funds are due April 15 - only 3 weeks away! - but I am still encouraged that God will provide what is necessary to make this trip a reality for me and the 40 orphans that get to attend camp as a result of my fundraising. I will keep you all updated on my progress! I continue to pray that God blesses all of you for your prayers and support!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
A Call to Serve
Hello to all my fabulous friends and family! You may get tired of hearing this, but THANK YOU, for your prayers and financial support. I will keep this page updated over the coming months and through my trip to Zambia, so that you can keep up to date on my prayer requests, my thoughts, concerns, excitement, etc. Please check back whenever and leave me a note if you wish!
As a first post, I wanted to give you all a little more insight into my personal decision to serve in Zambia. I received some feedback that the original letter many of you received didn't sound like me, and pretty much came as a giant surprise. So, my apologies! I'm new to this Mission thing, and asking for help is something that I've always struggled with, and I think I felt so compelled to share all of the information with you about the trip that my personality and personal conviction for the camp were lost. Anyway, I definitely want you all to know that this is something I have put a lot of thought and prayer into over the past several months. Four women from my Bible Study served at Camp LIFE last year, and their testimony of their experience moved me and I felt drawn to participate. I grew up babysitting, and was a camp counselor at the YMCA of the Rockies in college, and I just basically love working with children...this seemed the perfect opportunity for me to serve. But I was hesitant too...I don't often feel equipped enough to even discuss my faith with my friends, let alone travel to Africa to work with children who may not even speak English. I spent a lot of time in prayer, and there were many times when something would happen that made me kind of look up and say "I know, i know, you want me to go to Zambia...but really??!!?" I started this process before knowing much about Zambia or the people, all I really knew about was the Camp experience of the women in my Bible study. So I spent time researching Zambia, reading up on FLMI and Camp LIFE, and talking with the women who attended last year, as well as some more of my friends that were signing up each day to go this year. I finally came to the point that the conviction to go couldn't be pressed out by any of my dwindling concerns, because the only ones left were pretty selfish...I'd be using up time that I had planned to relax before going to b-school, it would probably cost me a lot of my own money, I don't know if I'll be able to make a difference...I just finally answered God's call and so I'm going. I'm excited but I'm also nervous, so I'm just spending a lot of time in prayer that God will equip me as neccessary, and I would appreciate your prayers for the same!
I feel that God has laid this on my heart and I am so excited to have the opportunity to serve Him internationally during my break before going to get my MBA. Along those lines, I really appreciate all of you who have decided to support me financially on this Mission...The $4000 is a financial burden that I am prepared to tackle as much as God requires of me, but since I'll be heading to Zambia after beginning my educational leave, I won't have an income (for 2 years!) So...anything you can do or have already done is very very appreciated! (By me, and the orphans who will benefit from your donations) Right now I am signed up officially for 1 week, but am on the wait-list to serve a 2nd week.
Please feel free to email me or leave me a message here if you have any questions about the trip, FLMI, or Camp LIFE. Next weekend I have my first orientation meeting and will probably have lots of things on my mind after it, so check back here for an update! Thank you again to all of you for your support and prayers.
As a first post, I wanted to give you all a little more insight into my personal decision to serve in Zambia. I received some feedback that the original letter many of you received didn't sound like me, and pretty much came as a giant surprise. So, my apologies! I'm new to this Mission thing, and asking for help is something that I've always struggled with, and I think I felt so compelled to share all of the information with you about the trip that my personality and personal conviction for the camp were lost. Anyway, I definitely want you all to know that this is something I have put a lot of thought and prayer into over the past several months. Four women from my Bible Study served at Camp LIFE last year, and their testimony of their experience moved me and I felt drawn to participate. I grew up babysitting, and was a camp counselor at the YMCA of the Rockies in college, and I just basically love working with children...this seemed the perfect opportunity for me to serve. But I was hesitant too...I don't often feel equipped enough to even discuss my faith with my friends, let alone travel to Africa to work with children who may not even speak English. I spent a lot of time in prayer, and there were many times when something would happen that made me kind of look up and say "I know, i know, you want me to go to Zambia...but really??!!?" I started this process before knowing much about Zambia or the people, all I really knew about was the Camp experience of the women in my Bible study. So I spent time researching Zambia, reading up on FLMI and Camp LIFE, and talking with the women who attended last year, as well as some more of my friends that were signing up each day to go this year. I finally came to the point that the conviction to go couldn't be pressed out by any of my dwindling concerns, because the only ones left were pretty selfish...I'd be using up time that I had planned to relax before going to b-school, it would probably cost me a lot of my own money, I don't know if I'll be able to make a difference...I just finally answered God's call and so I'm going. I'm excited but I'm also nervous, so I'm just spending a lot of time in prayer that God will equip me as neccessary, and I would appreciate your prayers for the same!
I feel that God has laid this on my heart and I am so excited to have the opportunity to serve Him internationally during my break before going to get my MBA. Along those lines, I really appreciate all of you who have decided to support me financially on this Mission...The $4000 is a financial burden that I am prepared to tackle as much as God requires of me, but since I'll be heading to Zambia after beginning my educational leave, I won't have an income (for 2 years!) So...anything you can do or have already done is very very appreciated! (By me, and the orphans who will benefit from your donations) Right now I am signed up officially for 1 week, but am on the wait-list to serve a 2nd week.
Please feel free to email me or leave me a message here if you have any questions about the trip, FLMI, or Camp LIFE. Next weekend I have my first orientation meeting and will probably have lots of things on my mind after it, so check back here for an update! Thank you again to all of you for your support and prayers.
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