It may seem that things have been a bit quiet on the Arm of Hope home front, but nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, some very exciting advancements have been made for the new year, and I can’t wait to fill you in on them!
Every December and January Arm of Hope receives new applications for the Ghana camp team for the upcoming summer. 2019 is our sixth year of camp in Ghana! Camp is an amazing two weeks of intense relationship building and Jesus sharing with the children who are sponsored by Arm of Hope. It’s a much anticipated vacation for these children with very difficult lives. For those two weeks, they don’t have to worry about where they will sleep or what they will eat. They receive a comfy mat to sleep on, three big meals a day, a free shirt to wear, and all of the fun and love they can imagine. It’s a dream come true for kids whose everyday life is a constant struggle.
But back to the team…
Each year in the past it has been quite the task to put together the team we need to make this camp happen. My dream each year is to have some returning members who can continue to build ongoing relationships with the children of Arm of Hope, some new team members who can begin new relationships and spread the vision for the ministry with new supporters, some men, some women, and some young people. To me, that would be the perfect team – a team coming together with varying gifts and abilities, each member willing to selflessly and tirelessly serve at camp. Well, this year came as a huge surprise to me. Within two weeks of applications being available, there were more than enough applicants for the team, and those applicants fit every one of the above credentials. It was like God handpicked this team and did it quickly as a special gift to Arm of Hope. Having the team in place early, leaves so much more time for relationship building and trip planning. I couldn’t’ be more excited about what God is going to do in Ghana this year.
Another huge blessing is that at our Arm of Hope banquet last year, someone attending from another church asked if we would cater the exact same meal for the dedication of the new addition on their church building. Last week our team had the opportunity to do just that and raise the first money for our camp trip coming up in the summer. Before our team even had its first meeting, some of us were able to meet over dishwashing and doughnut making and food serving.
It was a beautiful thing – seeing the young people on our future team laugh and work together. It was a beautiful thing – seeing another church in our community give Arm of Hope the opportunity to serve and raise funds for Ghana. After the meal, someone at the church expressed thanks and said they hoped they could bless us back, to which I quickly responded that the feeling was mutual. What an amazing feeling to be blessed and be a blessing, all in a weekend’s work.
So as things move along quickly this year, I am so grateful for the reminder from God that He is truly going before us. He picked the team before I had a chance to blink. He started to provide for us before we even had time to meet. He goes before, and I’m certain He is already in Ghana making a way.
So here’s to another remarkable year of serving and of watching what God is up to next. Faithfully we rest in Him, because His ways are so much higher and his plans are the best!