Gil is technically the Bible teacher/Chaplain at HOPAC, but we see our role as much wider than that. The local churches in Dar rarely have any kind of youth ministry; even the international, English-speaking churches aren’t big enough for a Youth Group.
Which is why we hold Youth Group in our house on Friday nights. And why we put on Youth Camp. And why we are always looking for new opportunities to stretch our students spiritually.
So this year, we wanted to take some of our students on their own missions trip–even though many of them are MK’s. The week of July 6-10, we took nine of our students, as well as the Hillside team, to an orphanage about 3 hours away from here. Agape Children’s Village was established by HOPAC parents and is home to about 30 kids.
Great times!
Singing during devotional time in the evening.
Making crafts
Lovin’ on the kids!
Ruben from San Jose won the award for the most mosquito bites on a single person that I have ever seen, EVER.
Jenai and Anja (two of our students) washing clothes
Emma working in the garden
More singing. It was a toss up as to who was the most exuberant: our team, or the kids.
Coloring
More lovin’
Grace, of course, was in heaven with all the kids.
On one day, we piled all of us and all the kids–50 people in all–into a bus meant for 25, and took them to Mikumi Game Park to see the animals, about an hour and a half away. The kids were ecstatic, screaming at the top of their lungs whenever anyone spotted an animal. It was great.
Definitely an experience worth repeating!
Anonymous
very cool amy