Jump for Jesus (Kids' Camp 2017)

The back of the flat bed truck was loaded up with children, their mats for sleeping, and their buckets for bathing when we pulled out of the city and headed to the country for our first ever weekend kids' camp. I positioned myself on a sac of rice between the generator and the ice chest, and I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into position with each bump along the rocky dirt roads. 

All the way - a full one and a half hours - the children sang and clapped at the top of their lungs. As we passed through the villages, people stopped to watch and listen. I think the praises could be heard from a kilometer away, and they were certainly heard in heaven. The excitement only continued to build as we pulled up to one village and loaded more children in the back. Just when you thought no one else could fit, add thirty more! And then when we arrived to our destination, at least two hundred children had gathered and were waiting for us there. 

The theme for camp 2017 is "Jump For Jesus", and it will take place in three different villages, touching every village where children's ministry has been initiated. This weekend was the first of three, all of which will include two full days of teaching, singing, dancing, jump roping, game playing, drum tapping, Jesus film watching, good eating, and very little sleeping.

To say the kids (and adults) loved it would be the biggest understatement of the year. 

Several things touched me remarkably after this first weekend. One was the unity of our national team as everyone worked together and played their role either with the food preparation, teaching, activity directing, transportation, and set up and take down. Each one worked with all their heart and soul, which was evident because everything went so smoothly and everyone had such a great time. They worked tirelessly, and their work ethic and passion really touched me. At the end of camp, we were exhausted because everyone had literally used their last ounce of energy, but we agreed it was a good tired because it had come "for the Word of God." 

Another thing that really impressed me was the joy and enthusiasm of the children. Keep in mind that they've never had an experience like this before, and to have something organized just for them was incredible. They stayed up until 1:00 am not running around playing, but singing and dancing as they beat their African drums rhythmically for the praise of Jesus. Then they woke me up around 5:00 am with the sound of worship again. 

Camp ended with a worship service together with the local church Sunday morning. Having the children there multiplied their congregation by ten times, which meant an extra joyful and powerful service. The neat thing about these village kids' camps is that random people from the village come to see what is going on. Random kids wander their way there and participate. Then they hear the teaching, they listen to the worship. They watch the Jesus film, they end up at church Sunday morning, and before you know it, the children bring their parents to church too because they have been touched by what they have seen and heard. It's not just camp. It's evangelism. It's the coming of the kingdom of God to the villages of Africa. 

I asked Juliette what she thought was the most powerful part of camp, and she said the Jesus film. "Because they were certainly children who heard the story of Jesus for the first time and truly believed." 

A couple of years ago when children's ministry started, someone expressed the idea of doing a summer camp, but at that time we said, that's a good idea, but we just aren't ready yet. We needed more time, more experience, more engagement and participation. I can't believe how much God has done since that time! He has moved among the village churches, established children's ministries in many villages, strengthened our national team, and given us the resources, energy, and passion to finally have our first camp. 

Just like I remember my days of summer camps when I was a child, I know these children will guard these memories in their hearts forever. Some may even point back to this weekend as the moment they met Jesus or truly believed. For me, I will never forget it and always treasure it in my heart. I will never forget how hard the kids laughed when they fell in the sac races, how loudly they sang in the back of the truck, how long they worshipped until late at night, how attentively they listened to the word of God, and how joyfully they jumped for Jesus.