International Leadership Academy Camp

International Leadership Academy

Last week BMI hosted their very first International Leadership Academy Camp (ILA).  ILA was started by Reaching a Generation, the ministry that Shikwaru Lodge across the road funds.  They have trainings and Pastor Jonathan, Dustin and Rene all attended the training a couple months ago.  There they learned how to have their own ILA camp.  So after countless hours of organizing and planning, Rene and others pulled off a great camp for 15 8th graders from two schools in one of the villages outside of Mokopane.  These particular students were identified by their teachers as leaders.  The camp is designed to give kids a strong base of leadership knowledge and skills from a Biblical perspective.  The same kids come back every year for four years (through high school) to learn more about leadership and in the meantime, they are to identify and assess a need in their community and address it with a project.  They must complete the project to continue to take part in the camp.

The camp consisted of three or four hour-long sessions per day focusing on Biblical leaders, practical application of leadership skills, etc., interspersed with crafts, games and meals.  Matt and I were given the opportunity to lead the "My Choice" sessions, which focused on "My relationship with myself, others and God."  We had the honor of giving "The Talk" (we focused on abstinence) to the kids as well, which ended up being a lot of fun.  My neighbor, Sky, gave me some great object lesson ideas from her time teaching the "True Love Waits" curriculum in Zambia, and the object lessons really hit home for the kids.  I actually really enjoy speaking to young people about sexuality and answering their questions.  Matt had the kids break up into two groups, boys and girls, and us girls had a great conversation.  I was able to answer a bunch of great questions about sex, pregnancy and STDs that the girls had.  One thing is for sure, these kids need a lot better sex education in schools at an earlier age.  In one survey game the kids played, one group said that about 70% of the children at their school have had sex.  There were so many misconceptions in the group of girls about sex.  For example, many thought that it is impossible to get pregnant or contract an STD if you use a condom, and some didn't even know how a woman becomes pregnant in the first place.  Hopefully I was able to correct these misconceptions, or at least give them some good food for thought.  I hope that they will not become sexually active, but if they do, at least they have a better understanding of the risks.

Matt ran most of the sessions but I spoke a little.  He did a great job communicating to the kids.  He is really gifted at going up and speaking in front of groups and it was fun to watch him in action.  It was a really fun, busy week and it was a blessing to get to know these kids and pray for their futures as leaders in their schools, communities and South Africa.

Read/learn more about ILA HERE

Stella meeting some of the kids and playing with Afia the puppy.

We had teams for the week; we were on the blue team, the Superstars.  Here are the kids decorating the team flag.

Mikayla (holding the flag on the right) was here for six weeks from Iowa and she was in charge of games.  She did a great job.

Christy, Doctor Blessman's daughter, was also visiting.  We ran a small group together.

Playing a game.

Matt speaking during one of our My Choice sessions.