Zambia Update - Camp Hope Comes to a Close

Camp Hope finished up today and was a huge success! Thank you for your prayers! Everyone in the group felt well covered in prayers! Travis has so much gratitude for your prayers and your encouraging words. The group has a day and a half to recuperate and then they will travel an hour outside of town to where the family homes and the baby home are located.  This is the main ministry of Every Orphan's Hope.  They will be part of a field day on one day and then hang out with the kids the following day.  Then they will start their journey home! The next update you receive will be from Travis after he returns.  He may need a little more time to send an update, thank you for your patience.  

Here are some praises from your efforts — The problem with the division in the groups was completely resolved and there were no issues the last two days of camp. I will talk a little bit later in this post about the emotional impact the trip has had on Travis and all the other adults, so you can imagine just how hard this can be on a high school aged kid!  The whole team was in a really good place the last two days of camp.

Travis had an opportunity to speak with Shikinah Glory's teacher at her church and she said she will take her to get glasses. It will be a gift from her church. Praise the Lord!   She has been on my mind all week.  Blessing's foot healed and she returned to camp.  Here is a photo of three of the Red Babes — Gladys, Sarah, Ruth and Blessing. 

Gladys prayed to receive Christ yesterday!  As did 4 other girls in Travis's group! Hallelujah! These all happened in the one-on-one interactions that you all have been praying for!

And they got their pens! Travis asked the leader if they had any pens and someone from a previous trip had brought 2 boxes of pens that sat in storage, unused and forgotten until Travis asked for them. There were at least 200 pens!  Each girl was able to go home with 2 pens and plenty of paper.  I love this so much! Such a small thing and what a wonderful Provider we serve.   

Here is Travis with his translator Jonathon. 

I mentioned the emotional impact earlier. It was hard hearing from these girls about their extreme poverty and difficult lives. There is a lot to process and Travis didn't share much with me, yet. He will be more equipped to fill you in on that part in his update. 

When I spoke with Travis, he focused on another emotional aspect he did not anticipate -- how preciously short his time with his group would be.  Travis got to share his life and his love for Jesus with them.  During his one-on-ones, they shared their stories and lives with him. They all became quickly attached to one another. 

He was acutely aware of the ticking clock. So many more things to talk about, so many needs to meet.  The heart-breaking knowledge that he will probably never see these girls again this side of Heaven. 

Travis said he was comforted by John 17:4, Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane -- 

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

Jesus didn't heal every blind person or lift every orphan out of poverty, but he did the work that the Father gave him to do. 

The dynamic of every group was different, but every leader felt like they accomplished what God sent them to do. The team is relying on the Holy Spirit to minister to the kids now that they are unable to be with them.  

So please join me in praying for Travis as he processes and prays through his camp experience during this day of rest. I think 12 hours have passed and he says he already misses them. Pray for these girls as they go back to their normal lives and no longer have the excitement of camp to look forward to. For the 5 who are leaving camp with a new identity in Christ! For the local churches as they follow up and support the new believers.  Please pray for Sharon, who was an adult in Travis's group who helped Jonathon translate and led the camp in worship every day. She needs a job. She leads worship at her church, but she is in need of a paying job. 

Here is a group photo Travis took. The boy is his high school helper, Braden. Travis is thankful for all his helpers and couldn't have done it without them.  

Please pray for the team as they travel to the children's homes Monday and Tuesday and for their travel home on Wednesday and Thursday. They will be leaving Lusaka on July 2nd at 8am Central time and arriving in DFW on July 3 at 3pm Central.