Fiji

Children's Camps International has been running camping programs in Fiji since December 2009. Fiji has a population of nearly 830,000 and three official languages; Fijian, Hindustani and English.

Oceania Children's Camps Website

Sept 3, 2010

Oceania Children's Camps program started three days ago in Vanua Levu, the second biggest island in Fiji, at Labasa town and it's surrounding villages. Camps started with a little over 500 children registered and 85 camp counselors. Among the counselors, are staff from Youth With A Mission, Labasa. The number however, went up to 710 children by this morning, the third day of camp. [We] asked Pastor Jare [Director for CCI -Fiji] as to how he and Margie (his wife) were doing and his reply was, "Oh I am just happy to see so many happy little faces and to also see that the churches are finally allowing their youth to do most of the work with camps."

There are 13 camp bases in total. Pastor Jare was very excited to report that many of the campers are from Hindu families or non Christian homes.  He said that there is one base in particular that started with 50 kids in number but that grew to 200 kids after the first day of camp because the campers went back home and brought their non Christian friends.

"There is a lot of excitement in the camp areas which led to a problem in one of the bases, where kids were refusing to go back to their homes after the first day." 

While visiting the different bases on day 2, Pastor Jare said he was very encouraged to see that each base had their own banner/flag with scriptures written on them, representing what they had learned.

The program for the last day of camp (tomorrow) is "Fun Day" but instead of the usual fun day, the kids will be spending their morning "by having fun cleaning up the town". The town council gave a permit (and lots of garbage bags and gloves) to Pastor Jare, allowing the kids to help in the town wide clean up, in return for juice boxes and cookies. There is the town festival closing program tomorrow, so the children and counselors will be on outreach at the festival for the last half of the fun day.

Pastor Jare has asked [us] to thank each one of you for your generosity and your willingness to fund the camp programs and follow up programs for the children of Fiji. With the money you gave, we were able to buy each base a volleyball net and ball. Moreover, Pastor Jare bought coloring and writing materials as he said that since most of the children are from rural areas, these materials are counted as treats for them.

Pastor Jare also shared about a Pastor who approached him yesterday with tears streaming down his face saying, "In all my years of ministry, I am finally seeing a breakthrough." Never did that Pastor imagine that it would be God working through Children's Camps ministry in his church.

We ask that you continue uphold this ministry with your prayers.


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