HIDDEN TREASURE
2004 Nairobi Christian Church Teen Camp
For this year's camp, the teens of the Nairobi Christian Church headed for the port city of Mombasa on the Kenya coast. "Hidden Treasure" was the theme for this year's grand gathering of teens from August 16th through 19th. Far from merely being a dream holiday of whispering palms, a dip in the ocean and lazing on some of the finest, unspoiled beaches that the globe has to offer, it was a time for spiritual renewal as well. It was three days of sun, sand, sea, scripture and spirituality.
The hidden treasures of God's word, fellowship in God's kingdom and a purpose-filled life as a disciple, were uncovered for all to cherish. It was also a time for the small fellowship of disciples who live and congregate in Mombasa to spend time with the teen ministry and for all to encourage each other.
Lessons taught were "Hidden Treasure," about the value of the word of God, "More Precious Than Gold," a practical guide to personal Bible Study, "Jars Of Clay," that exhorted the teens towards consistent evangelism, "The Precious Oil Of Unity," a class on academic excellence, and separate brothers' and sisters' classes on purity entitled, "Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also."
These classes were sandwiched between visits to different beaches and historical sites in Mombasa, fun in the pool, and many special events that were organized for the camp. The disciples were guided around the famous Fort Jesus. Located on the edge of a coral ridge overlooking the entrance to the Old Port of Mombasa, it was built by the Portuguese in 1593 to protect their trade route to India and their interests in East Africa. In 1962 the Fort opened its doors to the public as a museum. It receives hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and is a popular destination for foreign and local tourists, researchers, and students.
For many of the teens it was their first ever visit to the coast. And one of the camp's highlights for them was when the whole group went down to the beach. There, they not only heard a lesson on prayer and appreciating the wonders of God's creation, but did so while feeling the sea breeze for themselves and hearing it whispering through the palm trees, standing on the endless stretch of sand, and looking out to the horizon where the gently rippling waves of the ocean seemingly touch the outstretched blue tent of the sky. Angela Maganga says, "I've previously been praising God for his creation, but at the camp I got to see creation in a new way. On the beach we felt the wind, observed the sea and looked out at the horizon." Sarah Wairimu shares, "God is so real. Seeing the ocean was amazing."
William Auki, who leads Nairobi's Kibera region, was a guest speaker at the camp. He grew up in Mombasa and was later baptized as a teen (in Nairobi), so a teen camp in Mombasa was of extra special meaning to him. William and his wife, Victoria, oversee the group of disciples who live in Mombasa. While in Mombasa to speak at the camp, William spent time with the Mombasa saints, time at the camp with the teens and also brought in the disciples from town to the camp to meet the teens, have midweek fellowship with teens and be inspired by the great treasure of togetherness.
Of the Mombasa disciples, William says, "They were inspired greatly" by spending an evening with the teens. "Some thought that was the whole Nairobi church and when told that it was only a small fraction of the church, they were even more encouraged."
Though he was on the trip principally to teach, William learnt a lot too. "The trip opened my eyes to what God is planning for Mombasa," he shares. "I had hoped since 1990 when I was baptized that the church would enable my family to become disciples upon starting there. With this event I've concluded that this is God's time and as always will turn out to be the best." The Mombasa fellowship had its first baptism in July as Sarah Obaga entered the kingdom of God.
There were many other treasures that the teens appreciated and learned from at the camp. Oliver Maitima says, "It was great spending all that time with disciples. I got to learn from being with disciples twenty-four hours a day." Josiah Owiti shares that he gained "enlightenment" from the "bonding between the teen workers and the teens."
Sarah, who is now proceeding to campus, says that the lessons learned at the camp will help her in her new ministry. "I need to know who I am and why I'm there and what I want to get out of it. At the teen camp I learned to be a great woman of God, which is my goal."
Many also learned or re-learned about the need to be open, to fight impurity and to take responsibility for their sin.
A week after returning to Nairobi from the camp, two teens, Martin Odote and Romeo Dan, having discovered the hidden and heavenly treasures of God's word and love, now manifest and majestic, were baptized into Christ.
The four days by the sea proved to be a life-changing and rejuvenating event for all who were there as hidden treasures of all that God extends to us through and in his kingdom were uncovered and laid bare for all to appreciate, take hold of and live by.
Pictures by JP Munene
The hidden treasures of God's word, fellowship in God's kingdom and a purpose-filled life as a disciple, were uncovered for all to cherish. It was also a time for the small fellowship of disciples who live and congregate in Mombasa to spend time with the teen ministry and for all to encourage each other.
Lessons taught were "Hidden Treasure," about the value of the word of God, "More Precious Than Gold," a practical guide to personal Bible Study, "Jars Of Clay," that exhorted the teens towards consistent evangelism, "The Precious Oil Of Unity," a class on academic excellence, and separate brothers' and sisters' classes on purity entitled, "Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also."
These classes were sandwiched between visits to different beaches and historical sites in Mombasa, fun in the pool, and many special events that were organized for the camp. The disciples were guided around the famous Fort Jesus. Located on the edge of a coral ridge overlooking the entrance to the Old Port of Mombasa, it was built by the Portuguese in 1593 to protect their trade route to India and their interests in East Africa. In 1962 the Fort opened its doors to the public as a museum. It receives hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and is a popular destination for foreign and local tourists, researchers, and students.
For many of the teens it was their first ever visit to the coast. And one of the camp's highlights for them was when the whole group went down to the beach. There, they not only heard a lesson on prayer and appreciating the wonders of God's creation, but did so while feeling the sea breeze for themselves and hearing it whispering through the palm trees, standing on the endless stretch of sand, and looking out to the horizon where the gently rippling waves of the ocean seemingly touch the outstretched blue tent of the sky. Angela Maganga says, "I've previously been praising God for his creation, but at the camp I got to see creation in a new way. On the beach we felt the wind, observed the sea and looked out at the horizon." Sarah Wairimu shares, "God is so real. Seeing the ocean was amazing."
William Auki, who leads Nairobi's Kibera region, was a guest speaker at the camp. He grew up in Mombasa and was later baptized as a teen (in Nairobi), so a teen camp in Mombasa was of extra special meaning to him. William and his wife, Victoria, oversee the group of disciples who live in Mombasa. While in Mombasa to speak at the camp, William spent time with the Mombasa saints, time at the camp with the teens and also brought in the disciples from town to the camp to meet the teens, have midweek fellowship with teens and be inspired by the great treasure of togetherness.
Of the Mombasa disciples, William says, "They were inspired greatly" by spending an evening with the teens. "Some thought that was the whole Nairobi church and when told that it was only a small fraction of the church, they were even more encouraged."
Though he was on the trip principally to teach, William learnt a lot too. "The trip opened my eyes to what God is planning for Mombasa," he shares. "I had hoped since 1990 when I was baptized that the church would enable my family to become disciples upon starting there. With this event I've concluded that this is God's time and as always will turn out to be the best." The Mombasa fellowship had its first baptism in July as Sarah Obaga entered the kingdom of God.
There were many other treasures that the teens appreciated and learned from at the camp. Oliver Maitima says, "It was great spending all that time with disciples. I got to learn from being with disciples twenty-four hours a day." Josiah Owiti shares that he gained "enlightenment" from the "bonding between the teen workers and the teens."
Sarah, who is now proceeding to campus, says that the lessons learned at the camp will help her in her new ministry. "I need to know who I am and why I'm there and what I want to get out of it. At the teen camp I learned to be a great woman of God, which is my goal."
Many also learned or re-learned about the need to be open, to fight impurity and to take responsibility for their sin.
A week after returning to Nairobi from the camp, two teens, Martin Odote and Romeo Dan, having discovered the hidden and heavenly treasures of God's word and love, now manifest and majestic, were baptized into Christ.
The four days by the sea proved to be a life-changing and rejuvenating event for all who were there as hidden treasures of all that God extends to us through and in his kingdom were uncovered and laid bare for all to appreciate, take hold of and live by.
Pictures by JP Munene