Children's Camp

This past weekend we held another camp for some of the children in Lorna's English classes after our inaugural camp last year.  We once again rented the building below our house which we often use.  It is perfect for a camp.  14 children were there, a mixture of ages, boys as well as girls.  We also had the help of a short-term team which is here from the UK - they were invaluable as they worked behind the scenes, led games times and related to the kids (even those who could not speak much Japanese).  We had a number of games, both indoor and outdoor during Saturday afternoon before a British-style evening meal of coronation chicken (seems to be in vogue this year) followed by jelly and ice cream.  The latter seemed more popular!  Then in the evening we used the story of David and Goliath as our focus for the weekend.  David told the story, accompanied by vocal involvement from the watching children, and ending with one of the team collapsing as Goliath was struck down.  Lorna had written a simple play in English and the children learned their parts and made props before a rehearsal.  The evening ended with fireworks outside and then the sleeping bags and mats were laid out. 

After several hours sleep the children rose early in the morning (more willingly than some of the adults!)  We had the barbecues going for stick bread and sausages. The children were then given the challenge of going out in groups with adult help and taking photos of different things and actions following instructions written only in English.  Soon it was time for the parents to come and see a performance of the play.  We had a good number of mums and dads.  The children did really well with the play.  After a game with parents against children followed by some food and drinks, it was all over and we tidied up.  It was a great weekend.  These children hear a Bible story each week at the class and it was good over the weekend to focus on the message of David and Goliath and just to be able to spend time with these kids.  Who knows what seeds have been sown...

English Kids' Camp

Since April last year Lorna has run two weekly English classes, one for younger elementary school age children and another for the older year groups. As well as teaching them English from a native speaker, there is the chance each week at the end to share a simple Bible story (in Japanese) with the children. Many of these children (and their parents) have come to different events we have held over the past year or so. This past weekend we held a camp for some of the English class children - not all were able to come so we had manageable numbers. It was great fun. We were helped by a team which is over here from the UK in July working at another church nearby and two of them also stayed overnight. We had games. We ate some British food for supper - mince, potatoes, carrots and peas followed by trifle! That seemed to go down well. In the evening we practised a play which Lorna had written in simple English telling the story of Daniel in the lions' den. The kids did a great job saying their lines and enjoyed making some masks and props together. The evening ended with fireworks (always part of a camp here). We expected the children to be up early - and they were. Morning exercises took the form of hip hop and then it was time for bread sticks baked over the barbecue. The camp ended with parents being invited to a time of games and food on the Sunday morning and a presentation of the play. It was so good to see many parents turning up, including several dads. The children have had many seeds sown in their hearts over these past months. We trust that in years to come, and even now, some of these children - and their parents - might find their way to Jesus.

Football camp

This morning Calum left for football camp with his local team. Daniel has also gone as he has been helping with coaching over the summer. As always, the organisation is impeccable, even for a three day camp. Each child received a booklet of around 20 pages. Everything is planned to the finest detail. The time away is a mixture of training, matches and study, with a little free time in there somewhere too. Wake up is 6am followed by the morning 'meeting' at 7am - there is a strict instruction not be late! The departure took place amidst due ceremony. Everyone turned up wearing the standard gear (club tracksuit) even though that had not been specified in the instructions given out beforehand - sometimes a kind of telepathy works here so that everyone knows exactly what to bring or wear, except us who often seem to get these things worng! The children all got on the bus (in year group order), then all came off again to stand before the coaches and parents who were there to say farewell. The head coach said something. The captain gave a brief reply and all the children bowed. Then they were off. And hopefully all the children were bearing in mind what was written on the first page of the booklet that the point of the camp is not just to go and have a fun time!