I am journeying into the world of blogging for my mother's sake. She wants me to write about my trip to Lusaka, Zambia with Family Legacy this summer so that everyone can read. I am overjoyed to be returning to Zambia this summer! My heart aches for my children there everyday.
At one of our camp meetings, Greer Kendall (founder, president and CEO of Family Legacy) told us to be praying that God would give us His heart for the orphans of Zambia. He believes, and I agree, that orphans are at the center of God's heart (James 1:27). So I have been diligently praying for God to give me His heart for these kids and that He would prepare me for what I will encounter and learn while I'm there. I feel llike my heart for the children of Africa is already so great, it is difficult to understand how much more compassion and love I can feel for them but I cant wait to find out. I wish my heart was big enough to hold that kind of love.
I have also been praying that God would prepare the hearts of my kids, that they would be ready to recieve His love and joy this year at Camp Life. I really hope to see all of the kids I had last year but I keep telling myself that God will prepare a group for me that will be a perfect part of His plan.
If you don't know already, Camp Life is a week long day camp in Lusaka, Zambia, Africa for AIDs orphans and vulnerable children. Americans come as counselors and we get a group of about 15 children and we share God's love with them. You can learn more about Camp Life and Family Legacy here. I am in the process of raising support and I am still about $1500 short. If you would like to donate to help get me there you can go to my Fundraising Page.
Camp Life 2010 is going to be like no other! Our theme for Camp Life 2010 is JOY and the theme verse is found in Nehemiah 8:10 where it says, “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!” How amazing it will be to tell the orphans of Zambia that in the midst of their sadness, in the midst of their pain and problems, it is the joy of the Lord that is their strength. Our focus will be on teaching the kids that the secret to joy is to serve others. There are lots of amazing things we will be doing with the kids this year, with some big and powerful changes to really set this message into their hearts.
Every year on Thursdays, we take our kids into their community to show them how to evangelize. This year we are doing something different. Because the theme is Joy we are going to give away 7 bags of mealy meal(their staple food, similar to grits), 7 bags of sugar, and 7 bottles of oil. Our hope is that they will be filled with joy because of the joy they give to others. On Fridays at camp the kids then get a blessing of their own. They will recieve shoes and a shirt on Thursday but when they come on Friday we are giving them a blessing box. inside their bag will be a bag of mealy meal, a bag of sugar, and a bottle of oil as well and a box full of school books and goodies that are just for them! It is up to me to find 15 of each of these supplies so that my kids wont be left out and I want other people to be able to be involved in this process! Here is a list of the supplies that are needed for each box.
Aside from the supplies, it will aslo cost $10 per child to pay for the box and the food. you can go to my Fundraising Page and click Donate Now and in the drop down specify blessing box to give a box for a child. 
I already have beanie babies but I do need 15 people willing to write a short note and take a picture with a beanie baby. This is my favorite part because I have seen how much these kids love 
"snaps". The note and the Picture will go in a box for a child to let them know that someone is praying for them and I will take a picture of that child with their new beanie baby and give it to you so you can remember to pray for them. If you want to be a part of that, send me a message and I will get you everything you need! I am so excited to share all of my experiences with each of you and I hope that you will join me in prayer as I make my way back to Zambia this summer!
love. maddie.
