Africa Jam Final Day

We have come to the last day of Africa Jam camp. On this final day, we exchanged contact information, had a final devotion service, and watched a wonderful slide show of our experiences.





Final Thoughts:


During the orientation to our trip, Ellen came to talk to us and to prepare us for our week at Africa Jam. She told us to remember that the camp is meant for the campers, and that we would be coming for their sake. The campers are the ones that need this sanctifying week to get away from all of life's struggles. Getting on the bus to leave Africa Jam, I realized we did that, but we also took something away from camp. We shared our skills, our respect, and our knowledge with the campers, but we gained strong friendships and life lessons. The camp was designed for these 200 South African youth, but it extended much further than the campers and even further than South Africa. Upon returning to the United States, some of us Gustavus students plan on staying involved with Africa Jam. Maybe a few will return next year, and perhaps, many will help out from Minnesota. Africa Jam has also changed our lives in other ways. It may help us figure out what we want to do in life, drive us to do more for our own communities, or even strengthen our relationships at home. We will always remember Africa Jam for its inspiring and persevering campers and leaders. What Ellen, leaders, and campers have created, extends much further than the Rockland campsite in Capetown, South Africa. It is now affecting people on the other side of the world.






Thanks Africa Jam.

Africa Jam Day 4

Every morning one leader gave a devotional lecture. Today it was Leon's turn. One quote he used stuck out in my mind. Martin Luther King Junior once said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." It's a good way to look at life, especially when circumstances seem unbearable. When it is hard to find a way out, just take it one step at a time. Just because you can't see where you are going does not mean you shouldn't keep going. The camp was all about giving these youth strength to lead a good life, but many of the lessons rubbed off on us Gustavus students as well. We took as many lessons away from camp as the campers did.


Leon sharing some life lessons.

Later, it was time for some team building. We tried our hands at Rockland's ropes course. Everyone was working together to accomplish a common goal. Even the leaders were helping out and participating with the campers.

That's what I call carrying the team!


Risky Business!

Posing for a picture while accomplishing their goal. What can't they do?

The infamous rope swing over muddy waters. Many got a bath before making it to the other side.

Even the leader, Loyiso, was up to the challenge.

Professor Clementson's legendary swing across muddy waters. The leaders and professors demonstrated that we were all in this together. There was no such thing as a superior or an inferior. Mutual respect was everywhere.

We had another full day of activities and then another emotional worship service. After the service, everyone was told to go outside, find their own place, and pray/reflect for fifteen minutes. To me, this was one of the most powerful moments of camp. I ventured out to the athletic field to look at the stars and peer out into the ocean. Then, about 5 minutes into the session, I started to hear sobbing, along with prayers all around me. That was when it hit me: There is so much we do not know about each other, so much these young people are going through that no one knows about. It showed me the amount of struggles they are dealing with behind their masks, the masks they use to carry on. I commend them for their strength, but I wanted to find out what they are going through. I wanted to see if there was anything we could do to help each other. Maybe there is and we can't see it yet, but we can still take the first step. That is what Africa Jam does; it makes one yearn for reciprocity, and the desire to help one another.

A Powerful 15 minutes of prayer and reflection.

Passionate young people scattered around the campgrounds to pray and reflect on life.

Now that is a nice smile!

(Thanks for these pictures Simphwe!)

This was our last full day of camp. We felt the end was coming soon, but we had one more thing to do: the candlelight reflection ceremony. Pasteur David placed several candles in the middle of the gymnasium, and people were encouraged to come light a candle, and tell what Africa Jam has meant to them. When campers spoke, you could really sense how much the camp has meant to them. You know they would have loved to articulate themselves better, but they spoke from the heart. It was not about saying everything right; it was about saying what was felt. I tried to do the same thing. Loyiso and I went up, lit a candle, and I tried to find the words to express my experience. Loyiso accompanying me up to the front represented what the camp is all about: being there when others need us despite any differences we might have.