Warm Feet – Warm Heart

Bless our feet and allow us to continue on bringing the Good News to children in Lithuania

It is our prayer and an urgent invitation to join our end of the year fundraising campaign Warm Feet – Warm Heart so that our camp ministry would not be stopped. You can join the campaign by donating 40,00 euros to support one camp participant from summer 2018. You can also choose to contribute with any other amount. Please read on, we have a story to tell.

Since 1996 every year a volunteer run organisation Scripture Union Lithuania has been organising Christian summer camps where children and teenagers from disadvantaged, social risk families and orphanages can hear the Good News and spend a week or two in a safe and welcoming environment where they learn about God and how their lives can be completely changed through His grace.

This year, in the three camps we had, the number of campers from difficult backgrounds was especially high, also, we encountered some unexpected causes that influenced our budget and we still lack funds to cover some of the expenses for our end of the year budget. By 31^st December we need to collect 7000 euros to be able to continue with our ministry. So we really need your help.

You can choose to donate any amount or support one camp participant by giving 40,00€. For every full donation that supports one child we would like to give you a pair of warm wollen socks* that was knitted by our volunteers and their relatives. We hope that this would serve as a reminder that your warm feet have warmed a heart of that child and gave hope for the next warm summer at SU Lithuania camp.

Camper testimony:

This camp is a place where my spiritual journey began. I got to meet God there and learn more about Him. It is a place where my attitude towards people has been changing, as well as the way I talk to them. I learnt to no longer want things that I do not need. I think I have been at this camp 9 times now. I go there because it is a possibility for me to learn more about God, find new friends, have a good time and learn things which I cannot learn anywhere else… I went to this camp 7 times and got acquainted with God, asked questions about Him. When I went there for the 8^th time, I got converted on the last day of camp while singing a worship song ‘’O Come to the Altar’’. I prayed a prayer of repentance and since that evening, for a long time now, I have been feeling in a way that is difficult to describe…

Camp counselor testimony:

I remember clearly the night when being available to share my story allowed for the Holy Spirit to work in a powerful way. It was partway through the first of three summer camps and one of the younger leaders had brought a letter delivery to my attention. As a sort of game, a designated camp postman had been charged with delivering hand written notes between cabin participants throughout the week, a way to encourage and build community. It was supposed to be a fun exercise; however, a belittling letter to one of the campers had made its way into the delivery batch, breaking the trust and solidarity of the group.

As I stood in front of the kids to discuss the letter and the consequences of writing such a message, I suddenly felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to share my own story. This wasn’t planned, but I felt that it was important.

“Do you know what ugly words can do to a person?” I asked, explaining to the group how such words had eroded my own self-esteem as a child. Being bullied in school had made me feel unloved, unwanted, as ugly as the words themselves. “When you see me now, could you say that to my face?” I asked. “It’s not true that I am ugly. I am not unloved!” By this point several kids in the group had begun crying. I continued, “it’s not fair to say this about people, you can’t fight evil with evil. You need to talk to people to their face”.

Normally at this time the campers would be heading off to a night of games and food. The topic would be closed and everyone could go have fun. This was the plan. People were waiting for the signal to leave… But as I stood there, I felt a stirring that God was wanting something more for this group on this particular evening. He had something better in store, something we couldn’t plan. It felt risky. Take away the plan and then what?But there was a sense that the Holy Spirit was moving and so rather than try to control the evening the choice was made: let Him take charge. The children were invited to stay. Those that wanted to, at least.

And as the group continued talking, the Holy Spirit spoke through the words being communicated. I said “If you have the feeling that you were bullied for a long time, or you just want to forgive those people….Stay here. If you want to pray with someone we are here. If you are ready to accept Jesus, we are here for that too. Don’t leave if you feel you should stay.”

To the team’s surprise the kids didn’t rush off to find the snacks or play games. A line of girls stood forward to receive prayer. And even after receiving prayer, the kids didn’t hurry away, but stayed to listen to each others’ prayers. They were captivated by the words they heard. One young girl was prayed for to have healing for an ailment she’d carried for many years.

“Jesus can heal?” the other girls asked, still listening in. They were fascinated.

No one wasn’t exactly sure what had happened that night. The evening was like a dream. It was uncontrolled, even though there was control. The Holy spirit was controlling the session. It took courage to release their plans to God, but more than ever the team saw how faithful God was when they did.

During the week the campers continued finding me and the other girl leaders for hugs. The girls felt more comfortable with us than they had before. I prayed that when these kids left the camp they would continue to feel the presence of God so near to them. That He would continue to speak His love over them. Beautiful words, instead of the ugly. That they would remember these words, later when they were away from the camp buildings singing songs about Jesus in their cars.