Camp, Days 1 & 2

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 Day one of camp (above), we signed in the first 45 students and had orientation about the plans for the week.

Soon afterward, we were up and running and the students were learning.

We are teaching them T4T (Training for Trainers).  Since so much of this culture is illiterate, we are teaching the 5 stories to the nationals, and they have to memorize them.

The leaders have been working on these for a while, so we are at an advantage.  These amazing students will be learning a story every 24 hours.

The first day we memorized passages from Luke 9, Matt 28, and Acts 8 about Obedience and Baptism.

Then, the second day...

The students practiced the SPEAK method while having alone time with God.  (S=Sin to Confess; P=Promise that God makes; E=an Example to follow or not follow; A=an Application to change how we live; K=Knowledge about who God is).

Then after discussing their observations as a group, they worshiped.

Fortunate, Thom, and Mawa James

Denae (from Murdock Baptist Church in Florida) observing a group

 The students' morning assignment was to practice sharing what they had learned the day before.  They went out two-by-two (just like Luke 10) and two had to practice leading a group while two were the "receivers."  They do all of this WITHOUT written materials

After an hour, they switched roles.
 

Betty observing Kings, Jack, Ivan, and Molly

The people (those from America and the national trainers) who had trained them, each observed a different group to watch and observe, so we could give tips on how to make their groups better.

John (from Winterset, Iowa) and Taban (a national leader) observe another group

 I was pretty impressed with some of the students.  They REALLY did a fantastic job after knowing the story for only 24 hours.

Dianna (from Winterset, Iowa) observing

After lunch, we got back in our six groups and learned story two on Assurance, taken from John 10:11-42.  We stayed in groups for three hours!  It's quite a process.  We repeat the stories over and over until they want to try by themselves, and then we work through until most of them have it down by memory.

The last hour is spent going over three questions to make sure they process and understand the story.

Today the story was on Assurance of Salvation, and since most of them didn't know what "assurance" meant, it was important to discuss with them that once they are Jesus' sheep, no one can take them out of His hand.

Today, 6 more students showed up at camp.

Continue to pray for all of these students.

I think some of the students realized that they didn't have a relationship with God today after learning the story about God being the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep.  Some of them also heard for the first time that they cannot lose their salvation once they are Jesus'.

There's been so much going on since our summer interns left.  I hope when camp is finished I can fill you in on other things, but right now, your prayers for camp (until Thursday) are greatly appreciated!!

Thanks to all of you!