Wednesday of Bible Camp October Third

Galatians 3:26-27

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

We arrive to the Lutheran Church in Ntshongweni at 8:30am with plenty of time to set up before the children arrive, right?  Wrong, about 40 children were in the yard when we pulled up - yikes; time to pray.  So the four Americans grasp hands and fall before the Father with overwhelmed hearts.

So excited for another day of Bible Camp and to learn about Jesus.  Okay, okay they also were excited for the games, music, crafts and mostly the snacks.

Did you notice the word clothed in our theme verse?  The past several Bible Camps the children, for whatever reason, haven't been taking their crafts home. We planned the whole week around this theme verse with the thinking if they got the craft home perhaps they would tell their family members about what they learned of Jesus.  Zulu's live in large extended families. 

Monday was cross necklaces; Tuesday flip-flops; Today was tie-dyed tee shirts.

The children had to wait for a really long time to file through the process of getting their correct sized shirt and then to the outside the back of the church to the tie-dye table.

Jessica and Ginger kept the children busy and happy until it was their turn.  Rhonda was at the rubber band table and I was at the tie-dye table.

They turned out so, so, so cute.

We went out to lunch in Botha Hills - 30 minutes away, came back.  Jessica and Ginger and pictured Lucky painted the creche's kitchen.  Rhonda and I rinsed out the 80 tee shirts and hung them on the line.

What struck me was how very patient all the children were waiting for their turn to experience something they've never done before (and in all likelihood will never again). These precious children knew that if they wait something awesome was going to happen.  All I could think about was why can't I live waiting for the either the Lord to call me home or for Christ's return with this kind of patience?  We all have so much crap in our lives; friends who betray us, uncertainty, illness/death, poverty, and more.  What would life be like if we focused on the awesome and cool thing waiting for us in the end to help us get through the crap.  Just an question with eternal consequences.