home from camp

pardon my typing on this keyboard. some of the keys are different. after 29 hours of traveling ... we are here. we arrived safely and went to a camp the next morning with 70 - 6th graders. we spend 2-1/2 days ministering to the kids and spending time with them. on Friday night we put on a program called 'you are valuable.' we shared bible verses, natalie shared her testimony and we played games, sang songs and led small groups. during my small group, one of the questions i asked the kids was 'how do you know god is real? how do you know he loves you? some of their answers were heartbreaking

• i have gone 3 days without food before. i know god is real because he kept me alive during this time and gave me energy
• many nights i go to bed without food. i know god is real and loves me because sometimes my mom finds bread

it is in those quiet, honest, candid moments when your heart breaks. you want to help. you don't know how. 'just being' will have to do. loving them and giving them the confidence they will need to the obstacles they will face in their lives.

the weekend was amazing. i am overwhelmed with thoughts and have not fully processed everything of course.

we spent an afternoon at the beach with the kids. it was pouring down rain but they didn't care. the Indian ocean is beautiful.

our host family is amazingly giving. we have a beautiful room and our own bathroom. we are back at their house ... home from camp and getting ready for church, then dinner at church.

tomorrow is spent all day with the babies at ithemba lethu ... then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at a local camp with the kids.

pictures will have to wait until i get home as i have no where to download them.

loving and missing you all .... but feeling at peace and not home sick one bit :)