It just gets better with time

Well my title says it all.On Wednesday we learned all of the different camp chants and I think it finally hit me that I was in Africa. We got to go on a good ole American cookout that night but it wasn't American for long because one bite into the awkwardly long hot dogs we realized this could easily be dog. As we laughed at each others faces we gladly forced em down. We got a chance to go night swinging off of the huge swing connected to the ropes course. Getting up there on the ledge was breath taking because you could see the whole city clear as day. After swinging we realized that one of our friends had found a camillion. I named him Gilbert. He was our friend




Thursday we had the chance to go rock climbing on one of the main cliffs close to camp. I will let the pictures tell all.


The ACU Gang.. this is for you Conway


Talk about some amazing quiet time

Today we went to the market and spent the morning shopping around buying and trading.. It was so cool to see the different things that they made by hand.. We were told to hold off buying most of our stuff until the end of summer but it was just too hard to say no to some of the vender's. They were so entertining because they all wanted to shake your hand and make sure that you knew that they were your friend. They would look at your eyes at all times and if you showed any type of interst in anything, they made sure it was up in your face. The negotiation process was a whole other story as well. I was told by a couple Kenyan friends to give them one quarter of what they were asking for and if they didn't take it walk away and they will chase you yelling, "ok ok ok my friend". Working with shillings and trying to convert that into dollars made the process just more entertaining. I got pretty good at it and came away with some pretty cool things.


I am loving the land and can't wait for the kids to show up on Sunday. I found out last night that I am the Counselor for the oldest Mens cabin and my co counselor is one of the guys I have became real close with. We leave on Monday for a 4 day long adventure into the wilderness. We will be white water rafting, rock climbing, paint balling, and having devotionals ontop of the cliff that we took pictures on. I am in the process of coming up witha couple of different devotionals and can't wait to let the campers get to see Gods amazing view from a top.


The Whole Gang in Atlanta


Crazy Birds that wake me up every morning


Early morning walk


On our way to go rock climbing


On our way to the Market


Fire Side Bonding



Making videos for the campers

Well hello to everyone back in the states. I am currently sitting in my hammock under the most cliche, safari like tree possible ha. It feels amazing outside and I am being watched by about 30 colorful birds as I speak. It was kinda like that in the airport as well, but I just smiled and kept on my way. The past couple of days have been so crazy, but so exciting. We made into Kenya Monday night to a welcoming party of about 10 fellow staffers including one of my good friends that I hadn't seen in 3 years. It was so much fun getting to know my team on the way over to Africa. We have some pretty entertaining people on the staff, so I should be just fine. The first morning I was woken up by jet lag at 4 a.m and could not go to back to bed. As much as it was frustrating to not be able to get rest it gave an amazing opportunity for some quiet time as I watched the sun rise over the never ending horizon. The people here are amazing and so genuine in everything they do. It has been a lil tough getting use to a lot of the foods they put in front of you, but I have fallen in love with banana chips and mangos. They might be the end of me.

Yesterday we did a lot of team building exercises and really for the first time got to see my team using out tallents to overcome our many obsticles. This week is all about getting ready for the kids to come on Sunday. We had an unpacking party last night, which involved some unpacking but mostly the guys hiding in the bushes and jumping out at the girls. We were not the most popular people for the first 5 minutes until we showed them the video we got of them screaming. Ahh I have already fallen in love with this place and cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer holds.

Africa in Abilene

A couple of months ago I got involved with a soccer ministry located in Abilene. It tickled me in seeing how God was getting me ready for Africa. Hundreds of refugees have been relocated in Abilene by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The majority of these refugees live in apartment complexes all over Abilene. What an incredible opportunity we have had in welcoming these people to our country

and to our city. Every Wednesday we pick up around 50 refugee kids and take them to MadisonMiddle School to play soccer, games, hang out, and teach valued lessons. It has been amazing building relationships with these kids, providing them with positive influences, and ultimately sharing the love of Christ with them. I have taken the duty of stepping aside for the past couple of weeks and letting my camera really capture Gods beauty. We are in the process of getting more people involved and really letting God show us where he wants us to take this ministry. For so long I have wanted to take my

passion to Africa, but what God has made so evident to me is that if we are open to his Kingdom he can bring Africa to us. I ask that you keep my team and I in your prayer over the next 11 weeks as we travel to Africa and really let our actions and words spread the good news.

Support Letter

Hello family and friends:

I want to share some exiting news with you! I am graduating from Abilene Christian University in May with a degree in Business Management. My time at ACU has been extremely rewarding. Throughout my four years here, I have been involved with many organizations on campus including TOMS shoes and Wishing Well; both of which have had a direct effect on the children of Africa. Africa has had a special place in my heart for a number of years and one day I hope to use my entrepreneurial skills to further African outreach.

God has opened up an incredible opportunity for me this summer to minister in Kenya, Africa by working as a camp counselor at Camp Blue Sky. I will have the privilege of working with many missionaries through Brackenhurst Ministry (www.brackenhurstministries.org/summercamp) in Limuru, Kenya. We will have the opportunity to share Christ with kids in innovative ways through sports, outdoor adventures, leadership training, ropes course challenges, Bible lessons and many other activities that most of these kids have never experienced before. Camp Blue Sky attracts a wide array of kids ages 7-18. Some of these kids will come from Christian families, while others will come from Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and various other backgrounds. I am passionate about this ministry, and cannot wait to share the love of Christ with them! Camp Blue Sky will host several different sessions from June 1 to August 1. During this time, we will also be traveling around parts of East Africa in Kenya and Uganda serving with missionaries, churches, and other ministries. We will have opportunities to spend time in surrounding villages to encourage the local church, build mud huts, schools, and churches, host medical clinics, share and teach in local schools, serve at orphanages, support AIDS victims in local slums, and other types of village evangelism. I look forward to serving others in this way and sharing His love as I deepen my love and commitment to Jesus.

The Lord has been working and preparing my heart for this opportunity and I am writing to ask for you to partner with me in prayer, and to join with me in these efforts by possibly supporting me financially. I need to raise $4,300 for the summer, which primarily consist of my travel cost and living necessities. If the Lord leads you to give financially, please make checks payable to Brackenhurst Ministries and be sure the memo states, "for the ministry of Jonathan Garner." All donations on my behalf will be used for this ministry and will be tax deductible.

Mail to:
Jonathan Garner
1508 Kesser Drive
Plano, TX, 75025

God has already taught me so much this semester, and I cannot wait to see how He is going to continue to work in my life this summer in Kenya. I know and have faith that He has amazing things prepared for His Kingdom work. Thank you so much in advance for your encouragement and support! Please let me know if you have any further questions about camp or anything else we will be doing!
Cell: (214) 923-2475 or e-mail: jlg05h@acu.edu

Blessings,
Jonathan Garner