In just one week, our Ghana camp team will be leaving for the third annual Arm of Hope camp. There is excitement in the air here, and I’m sure there is even more excitement in the air there!
Here’s a glimpse into a day in the life of a camper at our camp in Ghana.
Monday morning brings a bus FULL of children. Last year there were about 150 of them all stuffed in one bus. Yes. It is possible.
Everyone is a little shy at first, but then someone will spot a familiar face (like Sir Deavan or Star Master Mike!) and all shyness disappears.
We round everyone up in our large meeting area to divide them into teams. The large meeting room is also where the SINGING takes place! Last year I did an unofficial survey and SINGING was by far the favorite camp activity! And these kids are good at it!
The big meeting room is also where we do morning Bible story teaching and evening assembly. It’s where we watch movies in the evening and where teams get their “stars” for good behavior (notice the team color posters on the wall).
All week long the campers will be trying to impress the Star Master with their Bible memory verses creatively partnered with dancing, motions and all manner of antics. Stars are also granted for kind deeds, waiting patiently, wearing your team bandana and name tags and winning the games. The competition is very stiff and as Star Master Mike says, “Everyone loves me so much all week and tries to get my attention, but on the last day, only one team likes me!” Ha! Ha! (That would be the winner, of course.)
Upon arrival at camp we have a bit of organized chaos as the children are divided into color teams. This year we will have 16 teams with 10-12 children on each team! Each camper proudly receives a camp shirt, a bag, a name tag and a bandana in their team color.
Corey and his Ghanaian buddy, Gideon, led the blue team last year, and Katie patiently led the orange team.
Campers spread a sheet with their team and spend time together learning their memory verses, answering questions about the Bible story, playing games together and getting to know one another. In the photo below, John’s black team is trying to get the hula hoop the whole way around the circle without letting go of each others’ hands.
After the singing, teaching, and announcements of morning assembly each day, the children rotate with their teams to several stations. Craft is always popular, and the kids loved making a “tie dye” shirt last year in this rotation.
Teaching time puts our Bible story into action. Mr. Dennis did experiments to illustrate the point of the lesson last year and the kids were wowed! They though for sure he was a magician!
Etor has been our translator the past two years, but this year he will be taking over as teacher. He does an awesome job with the children!
The game rotation is always full of laughs and competition (and cheating). Ha! Winning is very important, so Sir Philip, the official game master, has to keep a close eye out for disqualifications!
After lunch everyone has a much needed rest. On the first day, our team members always wonder why we have rest time, but by the last day of camp, I’m always shaking everyone to wake them up! Having this much fun is definitely exhausting!
Afternoons hold a more relaxed atmosphere as children can choose what they would like to do. There is always coloring and drawing available as well as other optional activities like basketball, 4 square, and volleyball. Parachutes and faceprinting are also big hits!
For many of the boys, camp is all about “football”. They take their sport very seriously and play hard. These guys were pretty proud to be the winners last year.
There are always football injuries as well as wounds that need bandaged and cases of malaria that need treated. We keep the clinic open each afternoon so that children and staff can receive the medical care they need.
After dinner we assemble again for the distribution of stars by the Star Master, more singing, and a movie! This year we are excited to add a talent show on the last night. The last night always holds ICE CREAM as well. We usually loose control and let everyone be wild after that!
The last day is tough and there are usually tears on lots of faces. After this fun, rewarding exhausting week, we definitely don’t want to say good bye!
Children don’t want to leave behind the plentiful food, the fun activities, the beds, and the relationships that make up camp. Our team is always sad to see those little faces we’ve come to love disappear down the road in the overcrowded bus.
As we see it disappear around the bend with little hands and arms and legs waving out the windows and doors, we entrust all of our teaching and conversations and love into the hands of God as He continues to work in little hearts all year long.
And we dream about next year…
