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For the second week of being in Africa, our team was divided up in half. One part of our team continued in their
ministries in the morning and in the afternoons. The other half of our team helped UCSA (the
place where we reside) run a Christian camp for high school students. I was part of the group who was picked to
help with this camp. At first, I had a
very sour attitude about having to move out of my bunk and into a cabin where I
would be all alone with high school girls that I didn’t know from all over the Eastern Cape. I was nervous about my stuff getting stolen,
about the girls plotting against me in their home language (that I of course do
not know), not bonding with my own team, not having any time to myself, and so
much other stuff. I was mad at myself
for being so bitter about helping out with this camp when I know I am here to
serve God and that was where He needed me for that week. So this camp starts out on Friday and it was
freezing cold and the wind was blowing so hard. We were standing outside waiting for buses to arrive between 11 and 3,
so I was miserable standing there freezing my toes off. There were 301 students attending this camp
along with 125 leaders/teachers, so there were 426 people squeezed into a very
small camp ground. My job, along with most of my teammates, was to be a small
group leader. We picked our groups and
then headed off for worship after waiting in line for an hour to get
dinner. 
The next day was much better when
we actually got to be in our small groups and get to know our students. As time went on God started changing my heart
and I was happier to be working this camp. It wasn’t until the Sunday that God really showed up and told me that I
was supposed to be at this camp. We each
took our small groups out into town and did an ATL (Ask The Lord) where we
pretty much just show up and tell God that we are there to serve Him and ask
Him what He wants us to do at the very moment in the place we are. My team prayed and prayed (mind you none of
them have training on this and I have very little experience in it as well) and
God just told us to go to this festival that was in town and to pray for the
vendors. So I split the group up into
two’s and sent them on their way.
When we had first entered the fair,
there was a lady I saw and God told me I needed to go pray for her right
away. So I went back to find her and I
was uneasy about approaching her table since there was nothing there I could
pretend to be interested in buying to start up a conversation. So I walked back and forth a few times and
God was just like “GO NOW”! So I went in
and started talking to this lady, her name was Mary. We talked for awhile about her and her
family. She told me she was “born
again”, but neither her child nor her husband were. She also shared how her business is doing
very badly, but she was comfortable with God providing only necessities. After a long conversation I asked if I could
pray for her and everything she shared with me. So I did and afterward I saw some dolphin rings, and I love dolphins, so
I asked her to pick out her favorite one for me to buy to remember her by. She picked out this gorgeous one and then
just gave it to me as a gift. I begged
her to let me give her something, but she refused. Mary just wanted to make sure that I would
tell everyone in the United
States about her and my ring. I thanked her again and then left telling her
I would return the next day to visit with her.
After I left Mary, I went in search
of a group from my team, but could not find anyone, so I decided to look around
at the different tables that were set up. My eyes were drawn to this one stand that had this gorgeous jewelry at
it. I was looking at the rings and the
man working there started talking to me about prices and how they were
made. I decided to make small talk and
find out a little about him. His name is
Leon and he is from Cape Town. His story was some what different than
Mary’s. His business too was suffering,
but his relationship with his girlfriend was worse. They had been dating for 18 years and this
past year had been particularly hard for him. He has three children and he was worried about providing for them
financially. He told me that he was
saved and in the conversation seemed to be trying to convince me of it, so I am
not one hundred percent sure, but I am praying that God shows Him the way if he
doesn’t already know. After we finished
praying together I wanted to buy one of his necklaces to remember him by. So I picked out one of his favorites and
asked him how much it was, knowing it was around 55 rand, and he just gave it
to me, he said that is was a blessing for me. He not only gave me the necklace, but a matching bracelet and earrings. I did not want to just take it since I knew
that the money I could give him would help him out a lot in his business, but
he would not take anything from me. In
addition to his beautiful jewelry, he gave me his name, address, phone number
and cell phone number telling me to stay in contact with him. I thanked him several times and told him that
I would be back the next day to visit and say hello. When I went back to meet up with my students
they were so thrilled that they were actually able to walk up to complete
strangers and pray for them without knowing anything about them. I just know the Lord revealed Himself to
everyone in my group, including me. It
was such an amazing day and everyone in my group wanted to go back with me the
next day to meet Leon and Mary, as well as, the people they prayed for. I bought both Mary and Leon a Bible and wrote
them a little note about how I was praying for them and their families. I ask that you lift both of them up in
prayer, for they are both remarkable people who are in desperate need of God’s
love. 
We finished out the rest of the camp and it
was so wonderful. One of my girls had me
pray with her a few times about her relationship with her boyfriend and by the
end of camp God asked her to give up her boyfriend
so she could spend more time with Him. She
came to me crying asking me for advice and to pray with her for strength and
courage. I was so touched that a girl
that young could make a sacrifice of such greatness for her Father. I was sad when the last day arrived and all
the students had to go home. I now look
at this experience as something I could not live with out. I am so thankful to God for putting me in
that situation where I was extremely uncomfortable and uncertain of my
role. It now helps me in my ministry
when I feel uncomfortable or unsure, I just remember that God is not and that
He has a plan if I just say “YES” to Him and allow Him to work through me.
“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
