Aug. 5: 2008 Kids Camp Starts Tomorrow
Here we are gathered together to learn about this year’s Kids Camp being held at the Radach Memorial Centre. As Rev. Johnson starts to go through the next four days events, I realize that this camp maybe the single most important event God brought me to Ghana for! Reverend informs us about some of the conditions children may have been living and that many would be of other faiths. I realized that this was not a Kid’s Camp Meeting, rather a War Strategy Meeting and leadership was planning on winning this war! At stake is the eternity of each child. The loss is too great to bear and unthinkable of not winning–children dying and spending eternity separated from God (2 million die each year in Africa due to Malaria/water borne illnesses alone)! They read off the names of the counselors— Mr. Joe. A lump got stuck in my throat and my heart started to race a bit.
There are going to be somewhere between 300-600 kids show up tomorrow. God impressed upon me, the size of the number didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered would be the few boys lives that He is going to entrust into my hands. Boys that may or may not heard the name of Jesus, may or may not speak my language, may or may not have ever slept in a bed, may not know how to use a toilet, may eat only one meal a day or every other day, and so on. What do I have in common? What do I have to offer them?
God is so merciful and gracious! He gently reminded me that I was the perfect choice for Him to work with these boys; because I am not suited for it and I know it! In all my many weaknesses, I will glorify my God for it will have to be His love, His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy, His wisdom, and His Spirit that will change the lives of those in my care.
Please pray for the 12-14 year old boys that my helper and I will be overseeing. Please pray that we allow the Holy Spirit to fully move through us, so the boys see and hear Jesus and not us.
We may or may not “see” or “hear” any results of our service, but I am fully confident that the work God does through this Camp will have eternal results to the praise and glory of Jesus.
It is better today, in this present life, to bow our knees and confess Jesus is Lord, than to wait to do it in person in the next. As everyone of us will stand before God Almighty, for only a micro-second, as we will find our self on our knees and confessing what an Awesome God we are before and with all our being confess that Jesus is truly Lord.
Nick Nicholaou says:
Joe, you are in the perfect spot for God to use you significantly. I’ve learned that God can do more through one who is humbly willing and available than through many who believe they are capable. The best part is that he gets the glory, and we get the joy of being on his team and in the game! There truly is nothing better.