Vinga kids at camp

13 of the youth from Vinga went to summer camp last week. We integrated with two other groups. Integrate is a good word here because I brought "The Gypsies". Some of the volunteers and staff were apprehensive, as were the other campers. There were some of the usual under the breath slurs when we arrived but it was OK. The first night my kids misbehaved and did not respect the authority of the adult assigned to their tent or wagon. This camp has big Indian Tee-pees and old western style covered wagons as bunk areas for the kids. The staff have rooms that are like a western storefront. Pretty cool actually. Matthew, Lorraine, Adi and Tabita did a wonderful job in administration and keeping all the kids fed etc. A team from Alabama came and did the programs - they were awesome! A group from Scotland also volunteered.

The kids had a wonderful week. The gospel was presented to them in ways they had never heard. Many people learned that they are just kids, culturally different perhaps, raised differently maybe, but kids all the same. There were 9 kids that made a decision to become Christian, and 8 if them were my kids - how great is that!

We knew that when they returned to Vinga it would not be easy - they would be made fun of etc. I was afraid they would think that this was just a summer camp experience and not a life changing decision...so I invited the whole team to church on Sunday in Vinga! There were 23 of them. They bought our kids a ping pong table too. The church was told how special our kids are etc.