We were a colorful, amazing group:
9 staff: from the YMCA, the nehemia team and from churches, in addition some extra cooks and approximately 20 kids, mostly with migration background.
We asked the children: Which language do you speak at home? German, Polish, Romanian, Romanian-Swabian, Turkish, Italian, Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, African: Mooré, Arabic, Kurdish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indonesian ….
In addition to fun games, crafts and singing, we have heard a lot about God’s love for the different peoples:
On the first day we “traveled” to Burkina Faso in West Africa. Fanta showed us pictures from her homeland. She said that children often have to work in the field and can not go to school there. In small groups, we talked about what we heard.
At lunchtime there were African vegetables, rice dumplings and fried bananas – cooked with the children. We were allowed to try out African singing, movement games, and pebble board games.
Beautiful holiday abroad, or relocation to foreign land?
When we visit another country on vacation, we discover many new, interesting things. That's nice. But if we have to stay longer in a foreign country and live there, sometimes our heart gets homesick. We feel torn. Sometimes we think: everything is much better there, but everything is bad here. Or the other way around.
Migrant children (third-generation children, third-culture kids) must learn to unite two cultures in their hearts. This reconciliation between cultures can be bestowed by God.
We had a lot of fun singing and making music together with Marlene. We discovered strange, funny instruments. As with humans, there are large and small, thick and thin, loud and soft, light and dark instrument families.
Delicious food was made again, this time by an Arab family. There were Arabian "tortellini" with yoghurt or tomato sauce. A Turkish mom sponsored Turkish muffin biscuits.
The sun at the playground was wonderful for us.
On the third day we were visited by a big elephant and a small bird.
Everyone wants to be the biggest and most important. But Jesus put a little child in the middle and said, "The little ones are important to God." (Mark 9:36) Every child has special gifts, a treasure. Children may be in the heart of God. We painted that. God's love and faithfulness holds us fast. On this promise of God we can go our way, as on a taut rope.
Strengthened by self-baked poultry wieners in rolling pin and vanilla ice cream with fresh mango puree, we were able to go on a world tour:
In the workshop "Puppet Theater", the kids practiced and independently performed "the world tour of the bottle post to the peoples and friends".
You all big and small: you have been GREAT! 🙂 Many thanks to the staff and the YMCA who provided us with the rooms.
Beate, nehemia team
[signoff]