2006 Winter Orphan Camp
60 campers + 14 Ocean Hills Covenant Church short term team members + 5 Bridges of Hope staff members + 2 full time cooks = a crazy, fun-filled, life changing 4 and a half days!!!Let me give you a snapshot of this years camp...
A time for crafts and games! Above is one of the younger orphans who attended camp this year, Thandile. She, along with many of the other kids, really enjoyed the free time where they could work on beading projects (notice Thandile's necklace!), paint, rest, or play outdoor games in the field. 
Above is a photo of the back of this year's camp sweatshirt. The Ocean Hills team came to South Africa with bags packed full of games, books, crafts, lessons, candy, "agape letters", and these cool sweatshirts for each child to have. This camp was a time where the love of God was really lavished love upon these underprivileged kids. I noticed how much this meant to them (many of whom have never received such care, attention, and affection).
A time to deepen relationships! This is a picture of Nontombi and I before dinner one night. I really connected with Nontombi at camp and cherished the opportunity to be with her not just for an hour or two on Friday's at support group but day and night for almost 5 days straight. Camp was an opportunity for me (and the others) to deepen already-existing relationships with the kids and spend much desired quality time with them in an environment where they felt safe, loved, and protected.
A time for the kids to bond! Our vision for the orphan support group has always been that it would be a place where the kids would really connect and form a "family" of brothers and sisters that could support each other, encourage each other, and understand more of the hardships that they are going through (we are so limited in our ability to truly relate with the kids and understand the pain and suffering that the deal with). Camp was a time for the kids to grow closer together and share deeply about topics and issues on their hearts and minds. In this photo the boys are really getting into a fuse ball game (most of them had never seen such a table before)
Pillow talk! It was fun for us to be with the kids at night and tuck them in and sing bedtime songs (though our voices aren't nearly as nice as theirs are!) :-) One night in particular I got the chance to be in one of the older girls rooms (pictured above) before bed and start asking questions about their lives and hearing more of their stories. It was a real bonding time for us to share and learn more about each other.
A time to celebrate!!! At the end of camp there was a big party for all of the campers. At the party we enjoyed a talent show (all of the talent coming from the kids!) and had lunch, cake, and passed out presents (a new hat and scarf) to each person. We also had a dance party at the end in which the kids showed off their great moves (all dressed in matching hats and scarves)! It was a great way to conclude a fun, truly life-changing four and a half days! Praise God for the ways that he worked in the kids lives (and in the leaders lives as well) and showed His DEEP, UNCHANGING, LOVE. Pray that the kids will not leave camp and forget about all that they learned and experienced but that they would hold these memories close to their heart. Below I have included some of the specific prayer requests that the children wrote down during camp. I left the spelling and grammar exactly as it was written on the sheet of paper. Please join us in praying for these precious kids and for some of their specific needs in the weeks and months ahead. Thank YOU!
A time for crafts and games! Above is one of the younger orphans who attended camp this year, Thandile. She, along with many of the other kids, really enjoyed the free time where they could work on beading projects (notice Thandile's necklace!), paint, rest, or play outdoor games in the field. 
Above is a photo of the back of this year's camp sweatshirt. The Ocean Hills team came to South Africa with bags packed full of games, books, crafts, lessons, candy, "agape letters", and these cool sweatshirts for each child to have. This camp was a time where the love of God was really lavished love upon these underprivileged kids. I noticed how much this meant to them (many of whom have never received such care, attention, and affection).
A time to deepen relationships! This is a picture of Nontombi and I before dinner one night. I really connected with Nontombi at camp and cherished the opportunity to be with her not just for an hour or two on Friday's at support group but day and night for almost 5 days straight. Camp was an opportunity for me (and the others) to deepen already-existing relationships with the kids and spend much desired quality time with them in an environment where they felt safe, loved, and protected.
A time for the kids to bond! Our vision for the orphan support group has always been that it would be a place where the kids would really connect and form a "family" of brothers and sisters that could support each other, encourage each other, and understand more of the hardships that they are going through (we are so limited in our ability to truly relate with the kids and understand the pain and suffering that the deal with). Camp was a time for the kids to grow closer together and share deeply about topics and issues on their hearts and minds. In this photo the boys are really getting into a fuse ball game (most of them had never seen such a table before)
Pillow talk! It was fun for us to be with the kids at night and tuck them in and sing bedtime songs (though our voices aren't nearly as nice as theirs are!) :-) One night in particular I got the chance to be in one of the older girls rooms (pictured above) before bed and start asking questions about their lives and hearing more of their stories. It was a real bonding time for us to share and learn more about each other.
A time to celebrate!!! At the end of camp there was a big party for all of the campers. At the party we enjoyed a talent show (all of the talent coming from the kids!) and had lunch, cake, and passed out presents (a new hat and scarf) to each person. We also had a dance party at the end in which the kids showed off their great moves (all dressed in matching hats and scarves)! It was a great way to conclude a fun, truly life-changing four and a half days! Praise God for the ways that he worked in the kids lives (and in the leaders lives as well) and showed His DEEP, UNCHANGING, LOVE. Pray that the kids will not leave camp and forget about all that they learned and experienced but that they would hold these memories close to their heart. Below I have included some of the specific prayer requests that the children wrote down during camp. I left the spelling and grammar exactly as it was written on the sheet of paper. Please join us in praying for these precious kids and for some of their specific needs in the weeks and months ahead. Thank YOU! Orphan Prayer Requests
Dear Lord, Would you please make me trust you. I need to feel your love. I want the sadness and anger in my heart to be gone, Lord. I give my heart and life to you. Lord, fill my heart and life with love and joy. With Love, Nono
For Sonwabile and that he may have a miracle recovery. (Sonwabile is HIV+)
Dear God, please forgive me on all my sins. I ask you, Lord, to please lend me your hand so that I can get strength to become a better person. Amen. Zakithi (Nolusinsido)
Lord, please help me grow old and protect me from all the bad things.
God, I offer myself and I my life to you, and I ask that you may use it as a tool in your service in anyway you want. Sinathemba
Keep us in your warm hands, Holy Spirit.
God help me. I have no parents and I'm only have grandmother at home no one working it's a stand only we got money only for food that way.
Dear Lord, It's me, your child again. I just say thank you for the nice food and please can you make me a nice child and I promise you I am going to change and I am going to my shape because I love you and I need you love too and I don't want to lose you just because you know my status (Thembakazi is HIV+) so I need your help. I just want to say thank you for everything can do for me. From: Thembakazi
Dear Lord, it is me again, your child. But what I know you know my status so I want to tell you I have a lot of sins but you are the only one who can help me in my sins. I want you to treat me in my pain because I have pain and I don't know a Doc for can help my pain, so I came to you. You are the only one in my heart. From: Thembakazi
I want God to help something for me because are not have parents.
Dear Lord, Yesterday we talked about ideals and now my ideals are to find myself, to trust you in everyway. I want to be able to cry because my heart has too much grief and anger and to believe in my self I want to change people's life. I want to change the students of my schools negative life living. I believe with your help anything is possible. Love, Nono.
Lord, can please look after me, I lost my parents and I need love that I got from them.
I want some things you can help me every time I pray to you because I want you to help me each and every time I pray. Thank you, God, you promise me you can help me.
I need to be look after till I finish school. Lunga
Jesus, I want you to help me about my cousin. She shout at me everytime and she threaten me everytime at home so I want you to help me about that. Ernest
Thank you, Lord, for keeping and protecting us in your hands.
