SPEAK Success

I am beyond dumbfounded.  We just finished a six-day camp at a secondary school way out in the village.  I have eaten more rice and beans, and more cassava, than I ever thought possible.  I drank so much tea my eyeballs are still floating.  I shocked some African girls by carrying water on my head.  And I am now, officially, a Squatty Potty Pro.

But none of that comes close to being the highlight of the week that was the SPEAK Student Leader Camp.  Twenty-six youth from schools and neighborhoods.  Even as they were arriving at camp on Saturday, our team really had no idea what was going to happen.  For all we knew, this week could be a colossal flop.  But the Holy Spirit moved… and never really stopped.  Two students we’ve loved and prayed over for over a year chose to follow Christ.  Students learned Bible stories and got excited about leading discussions.  They spent time studying the Word on their own, many for the first time.  Some are asking questions about believer’s baptism and what it means to be a man or woman of God.  They, and we, have been challenged to change the way we think and act.  The leaders of the existing story groups at Crane, Mandela, Vurra, and Ushindi schools have made plans for how they will move forward with their groups in the next few weeks, and other students are planning to start four new groups in their schools and neighborhoods.  And, better yet, these students want to keep meeting together, to encourage and pray for each other, and study the Word together—sounds sort of like a church!

When we first came up with this hare-brained idea of a camp ten months ago, I honestly thought we were all crazy.  We had virtually no leaders on our campuses; Kelli and I were doing it all.  We really weren’t sure if we would even have any students to invite.  But God got them here.  He created the interest.  He helped them learn the stories.  He made them bold.  And He did more in a week than we’ve done in almost two years.  These kids are fired up.  They’re asking God to speak, and they’re listening when He does.  They’re writing songs.  Making changes.  Stepping up.  Falling in love with Him and His Word.

I know none of this is about me.  God has done more in six days than I ever imagined was possible.  I’ve seen changes in Carol, Joann, Macklyn, Joe, Kenneth, and Arnold  (yes, even ARNOLD!) that I never expected.  I’m just thrilled that He invited me to be a part of what He planned to do all along.

He doesn’t need us, but He lets us put our hands in.

                        -Caedmon’s Call, “Two Weeks in Africa”

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and marvelous things which you do not know.

                        Jeremiah 33:3