Trip Summary
Tour de Africa 05
Coles thoughts
It is probably a good thing that Jen and I found out about my opportunity to tour Africa only a couple of days before departure. I dont think I could have prepared myself for what God was about to show me. It was an incredible trip that I will not ever forget. It truly is an eye opening experience to be able to witness first hand how God is bigger than camp, Texas, and even the U.S. I get so self-centered that I forget that He is working throughout the world. This trip certainly served as a refocusing of my thoughts on how such a big God is not nearly as limited as I set Him up to be in my mind so many times. It was such an encouragement to me to see the things that we have passed on to our friends in Egypt and Zambia still affecting kids on a daily basis. It is such a testimony to me that T Bar M Camps make it a priority to pass on the things that the Lord has blessed us with. Here are my thoughts on the individual stopsI was blessed big time!
Egypt:
Man, I dont think that I have ever experienced Gods grace in such a waynot only by seeing how lives are being changed at Camp Wadi, but also in a little Honda Civic on the streets of Cairo. I think that is the scariest, legal driving that I have ever been a part of. With a lack of street lawthey dont concentrate on street safety, to them it is simply street survival. So true also in their lives. In a city of over 14 million people, Camp Wadi and the church are helping individuals come to know our Risen Savior and to continue growing in their relationship with Him.
Maged seems to be doing a good job training and empowering his volunteer leaders to love on kids. It was awesome to see the group of camp leaders so excited about camp. This group of trainers ranged in age from about 13 to 30 and everywhere in between, but they were all there for one reasonto better equip themselves with ways to teach kids. They could not get enough team building and initiatives while we were there. We could have done low rope elements 24 hours a day and it still would not have been enough. They could not fill their cupsthey were so hungry for the knowledge. I joke about the 24 hours a day, but at times that is certainly what it felt like.
Keith and I found out on Wednesday that we were the programmers for the retreat that started that eveningwelcome to international camping. We also received the retreat schedule at that time and we noticed a couple of things. First, there were only about 4 or 5 hours of the day taken up by the speaker. Second, the schedule started at 7:30 am and went until midnight (Maged told us we would end early because we would be playing so hard and needed good rest??!!??). The third thing that we noticed was that we were responsible for everything else in between.
I finally got to see Keith in his missions modeit was awesomedeep down in there he has a programming side and it came outin a hurry!!! Without much time or preparation, God blessed us with an effective plan. We were able to teach many large group games, team building initiatives, and even some new theme night ideas to these guys. They were super appreciative and I feel that we left them some quality stuff to continue building on the firm programming foundation that Johnny, Tommy Connell, John Turpin, and Jimmy Wood laid some years back. The high ropes course was where the most room for improvement seems to be for Camp Wadi. With a lack of training or accountability on the course (physically and operationally), there seems to be a great chance for error. However, Gods grace has been huge and they have not had any major accidents.
That was my first opportunity to experience Biblical geography. To know that I was in one of the areas that are referred to in the Bible was awesome to me. It was also very disturbing or at least disappointing to bring this up among those who live there and to see them very unimpressed. I was honored and would have loved to have had a Biblical scholar (or to have done some homework before going) and to have had specific scripture to apply to the different areas we visited. It was incredible to be therebut you knowwe always want more.
Zambia:
Here is an e-mail that I sent back while in Zambia that you may or may not have already readit explains a lot of my thoughts:
WOW!!!!...I have heard stories and seen pictures, but Zambia is now in my blood...pumping through my heart...this place is a huge ministry opportunity. I met Joseph briefly back when they came to the states back in the summer of 2001. Now, after spending some time with he and Derrick (Sports for Christ Action Zambia leaders), it is very obvious to me that God is using them to change kids' lives here in Lusaka.
It is humbling to see what these two guys are doing with what they have to work with. In 2001 when Keith and Johnny prayed with them that the government would allow them to use their sports center, none of them would have ever dreamed the access that SCAZ would have to the property. They are basically in charge of all the scheduling of the sports center and they have the priority. They are doing great things. They have started an after school program for about 50 kids to go along with the programs that they do for kids on all the school holidays. They had several functions this summer and they also are doing some Saturday sports programs.
The opportunities here are endless. They property has huge potential. It is very obvious that they are in need of some help with the grounds.
Things are grown up and projects are going undone because of a lack of time. It would not take much to have a first class facility. We are here at the end of the dry season and the land is very dead. They have water for irrigation but the guys are using the field so much and then there is no one to take the ball on watering consistently...these are only a couple of things that are keeping their soccer field from being great. The rest of the facilities are here, they just need some updating. For example...they have a great gym with a good hardwood floor that needs to be refinished...which needs to be done relatively soon so the wood is not ruined while it is down to being almost naked, as far as finish goes. The fence around the tennis courts starts about 5 feet up and goes up to 12...this doesn't help keep balls in very well. The list of little things needed is a long one...the good news is that the facilities are here...they just need a little face lift.
The opportunity to use the sports center to generate revenue seems to be an option with a little updating of the gym, locker rooms, and squash courts. For the time being the guys have bought the program two buses.
One is actually a van and they are using these vehicles to make good money in the taxi business. This seems to be a lucrative business and is helping to pay the bills...however while we have been here the van has broken down and we are unsure what it is going to take to get it fixed.
Action International mission organization has taken SCAZ under their wings and has been a huge help in providing leadership and accountability for this program.
Keith and I are doing great...it is amazing to come into a country that could be so depressing with the HIV epidemic and poverty stricken society, the problem is that we have not been able to quit smiling. The people here are so hungry and anxious to be invested in. The do so much with what would be "not enough" for us...it has been a big time encouragement for us both. We were talking about why God had us coming through Zambia...maybe to encourage the guys at SCAZ...no way, it was for us to be blessed and encouraged in what God is continuing to do here in Lusaka.
We are looking forward to getting down to South Africa, but this has been such a great couple of days! The internet use at ISLS could be slim...we will update you if we can. Thanks for the e-mails and prayers...
God is good...even in Africa--
Joseph and Derek are doing great things. Their love for kids and desire to serve were very apparent. These guys are making a lot out of not much.
South Africa:
Ahhhhfinally something familiar, except of course that we were staying in a different guest house, the students were all different, the schedule was not the same as years before, and now I was not a helper with Johnny, but I was expected to help carry some of the load of teaching. So much for experience. Actually it was experience that helped us in this teaching role. Once again working with an international group, we found out the morning that we started teaching exactly what our schedule was and what the expectations and desires of the ISLS leadership were. And once again, that programming animal that is tucked deep inside Keith Myers body came out.
The first day we talked a lot about the philosophy of camp and then I took the reigns and discussed staffing, investment in staff, and training and empowering your workers. This set us up for teaching on how to construct a schedule and what to incorporate in a schedule the next day. It was so exciting to feel confident in what God has shown us in our scheduling. These were two long days of lots of teaching, but we did definitely break up sessions with group games and plenty of hands-on exercises.
The final day of teaching we allowed the students to come up with their own schedule for the 25 to 30 kids and sponsors that would come to the ISLS property on Saturday. They did a fairly good job and with a bit of coaching the schedule turned into an adequate plan.
It was apparent that as we finally made it to Saturday and the kids arrived for our 5 hour mini-camp, that these ISLS students were hungry to use all that they had been learning. The energy level rivaled a camp opening and the staff really fell into their giftings. You had your guys who wanted to be up front who were on the microphone and leading the charge, the group who kept us on schedule and adjusting as problems arose, and then your folks who did a great job behind the scenes. Overall they did a great job of lovin on the kids they had the opportunity to love.
This was a quick trip in South Africa, I was glad that I had already seen the sights a couple of years before. God allowed me to be focused on what he had for us on the Island where we did all of our instruction.
The 29 or so hours of traveling home almost did me in, but as I think back to what God allowed me to experience the two weeks prior made it all worth being crammed into a middle seat on a huge airplane without personal entertainment systemswow, arent we so spoiled to expect such a luxury.
Plenty of other details, plenty of other stories, and a few pictures to look through, but I am sure the I have lost you after four pagesthanks a ton for the opportunity to go and share what the Lord has blessed us with.