Well - our time here is done, and it has been a most successful time. The ESCAPE camp finished this morning and the kids have had a wonderful time. The camp site is an Non-Government Organisation called Nation-Builders, and it is a bit like a nursery and conference centre rolled into one. The grounds are beautiful and the facilities, while basic, have been very comfortable. The temperature has been also quite pleasant - we've even had a bit of rain and the evenings are positively cool.
There were 34 children at this camp and then around about 20 ESCAPE staff who were their buddies for the weekend. The KidsReach team organised all the meeting times and games and activites. So for us it has been a much less intense camp - we were involved more as a support to ESCAPE and to the buddies, than the other conferences and camps. This has been good after the rather hectic pace of the past few weeks. Just to let you know what ESCAPE camp is all about - It is along the same lines as the Southern Cross Kids Camps in Australia. It is a specialist camp for children who have been affected by abuse in someway. The idea is to give them a safe and happy experience in a Christian environment and give them good childhood memories.
We were able to treat the children in many ways including some Mr Bean on the big screen which brought howls of laughter from children and adults alike. We made a visit to a local chocolate factory where everyone ate way more chocolate than was good for them and then felt sick afterwards. We had a big party on the second night and played lots of great games and it was just awesome to see kids that have been through so much to laugh and have a really great time. Some of the team thought that it wouldn't be a party without party horns so we gave every child one and then spend the rest of the camp wishing we hadn't - it was a noise that greeted us morning, noon and night! - and gave the campers great delight. ESCAPE gave each child a teddy bear on the first night and we gave each child a Foxy Dog soft toy as part of the the party night - but also to help the children to remember the Foxy cards which we gave each child after the Salvation presentation. We encouraged them all to keep reading their cards and keep living God's way.
We ran a KidsOlympics on the second day and everyone got very involved and had a great time - despite the rain at times, and in the evening we had a concert in which the kids all got up and performed songs and dramas and we all laughed and were thoroughly entertained.
Each morning we had also had a teaching/ministry time where we sang songs and played a few games, learnt a memory verse and then we gave a message. Pastor David spoke on how God created us for a purpose and not matter what He will always love us. Sarah gave a salvation message on the next day using the story of the Prodigal Son and the final message was by Shanthi who spoke on Holy Spirit. In all the times - children were responding - and the final message in particular was accompanied by a very powerful time of prayer and ministry with the children and buddies, many of whom we discovered were from Buddhist homes, so we know that the opportunity really was to the glory of God.
Today was the final excursion - as after breakfast the campers and buddies all headed to Pinnawalla Elephant Orphanage where the kids get to watch the Elephants all washing in the river and then follow them to where they feed them. It is really amazing to be so close to such massive creatures. As a final present, the kids will be given a photo album each with several photos of themselves on camp to help them to remember their time - all in aid of giving the children happy memories.
It really was a precious time, and we could notice the changes in children just in the time that they were on camp. Some of the children have been coming to camp for a number of years, and the KidsReach staff commented that they has been an incredible change in the children from when they first came.
We just can't help but thank God for all his blessings towards us on this trip. He has provided for us at each point - over and above what we imagined. There has been almost no sickness, the weather has been great, the events have all gone to plan, the team has worked together so well and we can really see that God has prepared the way for us.
Our theme of the Father's Heart and Be a World Changer have been realised in front of our very eyes. Lives have been changed and we truly believe that Sri Lanka as a nation will be impacted in big and small ways, by the work that God is doing in people's hearts.
We really thank you for your ongoing prayers for us, for your support in so many ways - whether it be by sacrificing to allow us to leave our regular lives for this time, whether it be through your financial contributions, whether it be in sending an email or text to keep us connected to our usual lives. We want to say Thank you and that you are all very much appreciated. This trip is as much testimony to your faithfulness and love than it is to what God is doing here in Sri Lanka.
There may be some final changes to this post when Pastor David gets to have a read - and I will be posting more photo's when I get a chance to set at a reliable internet connection, but apart from that, this is me - Sarah - signing out for this trip. Check back in the next couple of weeks for the final lot of photos.
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