A Peach, An Egg, and A Summer Camp
When I arrived at my first ever Mercy Projects summer camp, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed. How would I be able to overcome the cultural, age and language barriers to really make a difference in the lives of these precious Ukrainian children?
A few short days later, my heart was melted by one little girl. She was most likely looking for a father figure and spontaneously began holding my hand. That little connection became a breakthrough for me. I learned that just being a friend to these children could be demonstrated without necessarily using words.
During parent’s day when children were visited by their mums who like to bring lots of snacks for them, one boy excitedly gave me one of his peaches. What little bit he had, he wanted to share it with me. Another boy proudly placed the friendship bracelet he’d made onto my wrist; and a girl handed me a beautifully decorated egg she’d painted during her master class. One young girl named Nastia told me in her best English:
“I love this camp very much. It’s very beautiful and I always make new friends. I love God very much because this camp helped me to love God. I want to thank God that He sent me to this camp.”
Something else has greatly encouraged me at camp, and that is the godly difference it is making in the lives of these vulnerable children. You can’t put a price on the work of the Holy Spirit. It is amazing to see these kids grow and change into Christ-followers. What a blessing!
Send a Child to Camp this Summer. £10 provides one day for one child (£100 = camp)