Camp Hope

Last week I and several friends put on "Camp Hope" for the island secondary students. At the end of the term there are usually a few "free" days after the students finish their exams and before they go home.

For a long time we at SHIM have wanted to utilize that "free" time to keep the students busy and to teach them something new and beneficial. Finally, God provided enough people and resources to do it this term!

This was the backdrop for our main sessions, drawn by one of our Senior 4 students.

"Hope" was the overall "camp" theme, which we weaved into Bible and life application lessons about having good role models, making good life choices and setting goals. I was so blessed to be joined by Vanessa and Manuela, who work in Jinja and teach life skills to adults and students, as well as SHIM interns Jesse and Nathan, who were a huge help, and Omollo and Grace, graduates of Lingira Living Hope, who have since gone on to higher studies.

Photos are worth a thousand words so this post will be filled with photos from our camp, held on the school compound Aug. 12-15.

Almost all of the camp leaders, including Manuela, above, were able to share life testimonies and all were involved in teaching the various lessons.

One of the most popular camp activities was this fun relay game, organized by Nathan and Jesse.

Using only a sheet, cardboard and 2x4s, each team had to get all of their members from one end of the field to the other, without touching the ground!  It was a lot of fun to watch their teamwork!

After being beaten at least twice, Jesse's team finally wins!

Another popular relay game, using beach balls and soccer balls was played inside due to "cold" weather. 

Grace, daughter of Papa and Mama O, shares a testimony with the students.

Listening and learning...

"Camp Hope" concluded Thursday evening with a "Talent Showcase" as the students demonstrated what they learned during the week in skits, songs, and even an original poem.

Jesse's group performs a skit about a young man having to choose between going to the disco and going to church.

Manuela's group presented an original poem about role models.

Grace's small group performed a skit about the challenges a young woman faces at university.

A funny but close-to-real life drama about a polygamous family's challenges was presented by Omollo's group. 

My group sang the song "I Have a Hope" by Tommy Walker.

A grandson of one of the school's cooks gets in on the fun and dancing. :)

Hope is a dominant theme throughout the Bible and it was exciting for me personally to share with the students the hope that God has for us, how that "hope" was incarnated in Jesus Christ, and how because of Christ we can have hope of an amazing eternal life in heaven.

Our God is a God of Hope!

Our theme verse for the week:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11