Preview of the Camp

God has blessed us, the ODO Mission team, in this trip to Kenya and Uganda!  It really is amazing to see all the different things each of us will be able to bring to the program at LDO and BDI.  We all have different strengths and talents to bring to this mission and it's all falling into place (so far!).  I've finished all of my shots and most of my necessary shopping for personal items I'll be needing over there.  Since I'm an ardent second-hand shopper --been one since I was a tween-- nearly every one of my clothes for this mission has come from Goodwill and Deseret Industries, so I've managed to get all the shirts and skirts I need for less than $30! Special thanks to my sweet, loving husband for forking over the green and helping me find the right kind of clothes. :D

We have only a little more than one week before we're all together in Africa!  It's exciting to see all the ideas for activities and teachings come to fruition as we get ready.  It will all be finalized once we get to LDO and have a chance to get a feel for everything.  Each team member has been assigned specific Bible stories to teach and we'll take turns teaching one story per day, so each of us will have an opportunity to teach twice during the 3 weeks of camp.  Alex and Alexa has been able to find a wonderful tool to help make the stories more visual for the children, a felt board where we'll be able to create settings for each story with flannel cutouts for the story characters. 

We each have something we're contributing to this program and I'm working on the arts and crafts section, which will take place after Bible teachings.   The idea is to try and coordinate the arts and crafts activities with the story the children learned that morning.  One example of an idea (inspired by an activity I did when I was a tot at WT Moore elementary...represent!), when the story of Jonah and the Whale is the topic of the day, we'll make 3D whales using waste paper -yeah, upcycling!- to paint and hang up around their rooms.  We also hope to get enough knitting needles and yarn so I can teach the kids how to knit and make a "community blanket" where each person knits a square and all squares are sewn together to make a blanket. We think this is a gift that will keep on giving, as the kids will be able to keep the needles and continue to knit things for themselves after we leave.  We also hope to help the kids do a mural containing various scenes from the Bible stories they'll learn about, if space and resources allow it.

There will also be team-building activities later in the day, which other team members are responsible for.  Activities for this section include various strategy games such as the Spiderweb and trust games like balancing on ropes with the help of teammates.  We'll also have times for physical fitness activities and fun games for the kids to unwind.  I'll post more on these once I'm able to, and pictures too!

This is only to give you a basic idea of what will take place during our time there.  More details later!!

And don't forget to donate!  I'm a little over the three-quarters mark for my fundraising goal and ODO is nearly at their goal for the $5,000 they want to raise to go towards LDO and BDI's needs. 

Thank you and God Bless,
Kat