(Tanzania) Meeting the People Who Will Be On With Us

1st Volunteer’s Camp and Church Retreat

There was a big burden preparing for the 2015 Youth Camp in Tanzania that will happen from the 26th to the 29th of July. Because the Camps in East Africa were separated into three different countries; Tanzania, Swaziland and Kenya, the missionaries were also split into three separate parts making it look like there were not enough personnel to get ready. However, listening to the voice of the servant of God that says that we in fact did have enough, we began to be led by God.

Lot, whose spirit was rotten by the things he had heard and seen, was taken in captivity but was saved by God, who had sent Abraham and 318 trained men from his house. We had the heart that, to save the youth of Tanzania whose hearts are filled with void and sin, God will give us the 318 people we need to accomplish his will. Therefore, we had decided to preach the Gospel to them and train them to help us prepare for the Camp in July.

On the 3rd of April, with Pastor Gun Ha Shin of the Ilsan Church in Korea, we had the first volunteer’s camp and church retreat, which had participants of over 400 people. Because we had prepared the food and accommodation for only 318 people after registering we had no choice but to send 50 people back home. God, through Pastor Gun Ha Shin, preached the Gospel through the Mind Lecture and began to train the volunteers by teaching them the world of the heart.

The short-term missionaries from Dar es Salaam and Arusha and the locals formed Righteous Dance groups and were in charge of the performances. Moreover, Korean and Chinese short-term missionaries who knew how to only play a few chords on the guitar had also prepared performances by pouring all their hearts into practicing for a few previous weeks.

Pastor Gun Ha Shin, during the morning and the evening spoke with fables to easily explain the stories of the heart, describing how God can lead us to have a happy life once he enters our hearts which is possible once we have received salvation from sin through faith. After listening to the Gospel, not only were they joyful to be saved from sin but they were also full of happiness of having escaped from their thoughts that had forced them to live such unfortunate and despairing lives.

In the afternoon, to learn to organize the Camp in July by becoming leaders, the volunteers participated in a variety of Academies and recreational team games to gather their hearts as one. By participating enthusiastically in the various academies such as languages, Taekwondo, Dance and Beads Art, they were able to be challenged and be cohesive with one another while becoming changed within those events.

Furthermore, there was a Tabernacle Academy for the congregation who had gathered together to participate in the Retreat. It was a chance for them to research the Bible and study they Word a lot more closely, together. On the second day, The Deputy of the Department of Youth came to speak about how the changed mind can transform a person’s life while also stating the role of the IYF and the Department of Youth in Tanzania and what they have done for the young people so far.

For this Volunteer’s Camp, many companies supported us. They provided us with drinks and snacks, as well as vehicle refueling coupons and fresh produce. Giving these many things to us, the business people asked us to spur our efforts into changing the minds of the youth, which they themselves cannot do.

On the 6th of April this 1st Volunteers Camp ended but every week, with these personnel we are working to prepare many different aspects of the Camp such as the performances. Also, a week after the Camp, on the 13th and the 14th, for two days, the President of the Camp in July, Pastor Jin Sung Kim of Ulsan Church had come in advance to teach about the heart that the volunteers must have in order to prepare for this camp; laying out the stepping stones for their hearts to cross and change.

We heard the Word in 2 King 7, where the four lepers who were ignored and mistreated by the people of Samaria eventually became heroes in their hearts because they had gained wisdom from the faith in God. We were so hopeful that all of these volunteers would become joyful people and develop into the workers of salvation when God’s heart is connected with theirs and they are led by Him as He will give us His heart and wisdom, in order to fulfill his promise through this Camp.

We can also be jubilant people, who can take footsteps towards the Syrian army through the work of the Holy Spirit if God gives his heart to us, who are foolish and dirty.

#IYF #Tanzania #Youth