Update - at last!

Apologies for the silence..but it has been really hectic here.

Camp has started.

As weren't going to be a part of it owing to the time and our children we have had to balance expectations and interests of a few parties. We have now managed to find a good place as a team.

Thankfully we've met a (wonderful) Canadian team who are helping us out with the Bbira location and are also experienced at Summer Camps - they're from Relate Church Surrey, Vancouver and Ashley, their team leader is a full-time children's pastor and together with her we've shared ideas for the layout.

We start with praise and worship, followed by Uncle Brian (Ugandan fiancé of Manuella, the artistic director of the camp) doing some warm-up ;-). This includes asking a child from the group of 600 to come to the front and sing the Theme song. This camp is themed "godliness with contentment" (1 Tim 6.6) and the chorus of the song is:

Hey ev'rybody take a look at me,
I'm like a bird in the sky I'm so happy and free
No worries what today or tomorrow will bring
Cos I know my father in heaven
Watches over me
He is enough,
He is enough,
He is enough,
God is enough for me.

One thing that the children have really absorbed from us is the memory verse that we have been presenting to them in actions - they learn it by rote during the day and we make it really fun for the evening.

We follow this with various items: a testimony about how God has been there for us in times of trouble, skits and object sermons (though things don't always go to plan - I suggest you ask team members when you next see them!)

We've ended the session with a summary of the key points, ending in prayer and asking for a decision which has been wonderful - they respond very well.

All this takes (usually) about 1 hour and then the children (who've had a siesta during the day) enjoy a film.

Monday's evening was tough - there was little time discipline throughout the day's activities which meant that the evening session started 2 hours late :-(  so the children were unhappy and clingy when we were trying to lead our services.

On the plus side, everything since then has worked better and better - in how we lead the session - and with times getting earlier and earlier - that first evening we arrived back at our guesthouse at 10.40pm - not good.

During the days some of our team have been playing sports and hanging out with the children on their way back for lunch and siesta - many, especially those from Gulu who are staying in dorms rather than with their house mothers, don't seem to be on time for very much (!) though the facilitators, who take small groups of children through lessons during the day are wonderful and dedicated.

Late afternoon I've been rehearsing with the band of high school children who play brilliantly - with drum fills and lead guitar parts from Hillsongs down to a tee! So far I've worshipped in 4 languages - English, Lugandan, Assotot (from NE Uganda) and Swahili (and actually got the words and timings right in some places too!)

And these children can WORSHIP! If you don't want to dance - don't come!

In the midst of this week we've had a traditional meal with families in Suubi village - the team split into 3 homes (4 if you include the Americans who've joined our team) and each had a wonderful time.

I've noticed that I've been speaking to a number of older children about to leave Watoto. They're well educated and yet they're anxious about the next step of their life where they're on their own. With few opportunities still for those with degrees we've found a well educated class unable to work out their academic training in practical situations.

We've also bumped into Jane Penry, who's here full time working for Watoto - we ate with her husband Alan last year - he's the CEO of Watoto Childcare Ministries. We really enjoyed our chat with her and hope to catch up with Alan at the Festival of Hope at Watoto West campus - the culmination of the Summer Camp - imagine 900+ children, worship, church, activities. A great way to end our time here (has it come this close now?!)

More info will come - specifically the 2 Viva projects we've visited so far - where we've carried out basic health checks for 148 children. These have been very moving experiences and I'm going to ask others for contributions.