Our kids were so blessed to attend a camp for missionary kids the last week of July. This was the first time this camp has been hosted, so the kids were glad to have heard about it. It definitely took some coordination by those hosting the camp because there are no modern conveniences. For snacks, several moms volunteered to bake cookies. The directors picked up sodas and other things in the city to supply a "canteen" for the week. Fortunately, they had an excellent location - Musana Camps, a branch of New Hope*. They are right on the shore of Lake Victoria and already have all the facilities needed for a camp - kitchen, pavilion, tents, cabins, etc. They also have a challenge course.
It might seem like such an odd thing to share about on a blog. After all, don't kids all over America go to camp every summer. Well, that's exactly the point. Moving to a third world country to serve the Lord requires a lot of everyone involved. No matter how gladly you go to the field or how much you love the place you're serving, there are still things that you miss. There are still sacrifices. I don't think this is ever more true than for the missionary kids.
Did you know that many mission organizations won't let a family enter a foreign field when the children are over a certain age, commonly 12? That's because the adjustment can be too difficult. They are so accustomed to their own culture that the change can be too much at such a stage of life.
We thank the Lord that our children have always been on board with moving to Uganda, but no matter how "on board" they are, they are still giving up a lot of experiences to be here. Yes, absolutely, they are getting experiences that most people would never imagine. They've seen more of the world than many people every do. There lives are being changed forever.
But this camp was for the specific purpose of giving these missionary kids a little taste of what they're missing back in America. They also got a week of bonding with other kids that they can relate with in so many ways that others just can't understand. This truly was a blessing!
So, here are a few photos for memory's sake:
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| They made a slip and slide |
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| Of course they have a gaga pit, but they have some different rules and a Luganda name. |
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| They had great sessions of teaching |
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| Even a talent show. Tyler didn't know these guys before they went, but they worked together on a song for the show and got 2nd place! |
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| New friends and great memories!! |
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| The winning team for the week got sodas. |
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| Some children accepted Christ this week and others had their fire stoked. |
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| This team of girls got everyone up the wall by working together! |
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| I'm jealous that I didn't get to hike these water falls. What a beautiful location! Do you think these kids know how fortunate they are?! |
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| Apparently this giant ball was weighted. The kids loved this game. |
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| Another view of the falls! |
To be honest, for Raegan it was a challenge to agree to go. She is the only person near her age where we live and she is an introvert. The idea of going to a new place to meet all new poeple and socialize for a week is not completely exciting. The possibility of ending up at camp with a bunch of younger kids only adds concern. We gave her the choice and my only advice was: "go once, if you don't like it, at least you gave it a chance. If you make friends or enjoy it, you'll be so glad you went. If you don't try, you will never know and you might miss out on an amazing adventure full of blessings." She agreed to go and hoped for the best.
When we picked them up on Friday, she said, "mom, I'm so glad you told me to give it a chance. This was amazing!" She made friends, she devoured the time of Bible study and worship, and she enjoyed the activities. Even the cold showers and latrines were worth it!
Now, we just have to remember to treat them for bilharzia in 3 weeks. The disease is common in the waters of Lake Victoria. It can take up to a few months to have the symptoms and reaction, but you can treat it as a preventative measure 4-12 weeks after exposure. :)
On the map to camp, there is a note of a beautiful overlook along the road. Here's some pics of that:
*The name New Hope may sound familiar to some of you. Back in 2013 when we came to Uganda for 2 months, our arrangements fell through just weeks before we were to arrive in Uganda. Through an old college friend of Leslie Patterson and Chris Phifer, we ended up staying at New Hope's Kasana Childrens Center. It was a huge blessing to us. One of their ministries is Musana Camps but we had never been there.
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