Tired but burning for God's glory among street kids

I just got home from our evangelistic camp for street children. We had 42 campers (10 girls, 32 guys) recruited by 8 partner churches and all our activities were built around our theme "I am the Way" taken from John 14:6. Everyone had a *great* time doing skits, playing basketball and volleyball, team building exercises, listening to challenging messages from the Bible, small group discussions about the messages and eating *lots* of good food. I am amazed how those kids can pack away the rice so they must have hollow legs!!

Many kids indicated turning from sin to the Savior and it's now the task of the churches to follow-up their campers which they're determined to do. Several girls may enter a partner ministry's discipleship-vocational training ministry, a few boys will enter ACTION's Honest Hands program this coming Monday while social workers are developing case studies on each camper for future referral if needed.

I've been directly involved with ACTION's camping ministry since 1991 and still enjoy the ministry because it continues to be fruitful. It brings churches with a common burden together which builds fellowship and friendship among us and street kids have a rare and precious opportunity to respond to the gospel without distraction and receive compassionate care from loving people. I don't have the energy I once had but the *passion* to minister the Way, the Truth and the Life of Christ to very broken, confused and hurting children still burns deep within. I pray the fire of the Holy Spirit never goes out!!

We had the joy of hosting a 14 person team from Grace Chapel in Indio, CA who ministered the living Word through music, skits, drama, provided useful crafts and Bibles for all the campers which made a deep impact for Christ on the campers and staff alike. Andrew Shephard, our nephew from MN, also joined us for two days after he arrived from Singapore. Andrew is on a several week tour of east and southeast Asia visiting friends and exploring what the Lord would have him do after he graduates from the U of MN's graduate school (possibly with a PhD) in computer science. He's very interested in Japan and has studied Japanease for three years. Andrew is a very sharp 22 year old who loves the Lord and people of other cultures. He'll be with us until Tuesday when he returns to Japan so until then we'll discuss cross-cultural ministry and life and seek the Lord with him about his future.

The long highly jazzed days at camp are tiring but after seeing how street kids, who are considered to be garbage, respond positively to the gospel and compassionate care I see once again that all the fund raising, miles traveled, administration, tears, sweat and sleepless nights are producing changed lives for God's glory.

For Christ's glory among the kids He died and rose again for,

Jeff