heavy stuff

This week we gave all of the campers medicine to get rid of parasites and worms if they have them. One of the kids (Ruben) in my class has a large lump under his tongue and went to the hospital today. One child came to camp with a bad burn on his arm and Keri cleaned it out. Another one of my kids (Thierry) in my class has scabies all over his arms and legs and says he doesn't even remember when or where on his body he first got them because he has been itching for so long. It is hard to see such simple problems untreated.

Thierry does not seem to believe in God and does not attend the church that some of the children at camp attend. He asked me why we have to pray when Keri just brings him the medicine for his itching. We talked about why prayer is powerful and that God can work through people like Keri to bring answers to his prayers, like to stop itching. We had just prayed for his itching a few days ago. We have prayer time in my class each day for a few minutes before we learn english. Today the children just started asking for prayers for Haiti, like to stop the gangs, to stop the kidknappings, for unity, for all the children to be able to go to school and that the people of Haiti would come to faith in God. These were requests straight from the children. Later in the afternoon Thierry was chattering about a fight he was in in school and that he bit a kid. I took that opportunity to explain that if he really wants change in Haiti and less violence he would have to start by changing his own life in that same way.

The Bible lessons with the little ones are going well and Keri and I are having fun with it. Yesterday I talked about the "Righteousness Tree". This was to explain the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. I drew pictures of fruit on the tree and labled them Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. We talked about getting rid of bad/rotten fruit in your life and to ask God for help to do this. Today Keri talked about creation of Adam and Eve by bringing out a basket of fruit and having the kids imagine the garden of eden. She then shared the Gospel message about Jesus as a perfect/sinless person who died to cover our sin. They listened very closely today and some came up to pray with me at the end. Of course we may never know how much they understand about the Gospel message but that is up to God. The song time with the kids was a blessing today. I wish you all could hear these kids sing. It is a beautiful thing. Please pray for me as some days I get so frustrated that I can't just sit and talk with a child because of the language barrier. When I see a sad face or tears in one of their eyes it just kills me not to be able to tell them that they are loved and ask them what is wrong. Anyway, I have so much more to say but this is getting enormous. Please also pray for Keri, Lisa, and I as we come to the end of the second week. Four more weeks is looking very overwhelming at times. To plan lessons for English class, Bible study every day, songs (for me), a craft and game time every evening after a long day of camp is hard on the brain. Not to mention that we live in a house of 20 or so people which includes 8 kids who are NOT quiet :). Okay, enough for now. One thing i love about this culture is that you greet with a kiss on the cheek. I get kisses and hugs all day long from these kids...that is enought to keep me going!!