amy0b87982ac418
bluewatergigi
dbeville
Patrice Miles
Lenny
At the beginning of 2018 we made a list of goals for C.A.R.E. Africa. One of our goals was a one-week camp for our C.A.R.E. Africa kids which would focus on their walk with the Lord and provide some vocational training. We knew it would be a huge undertaking financially and strategically. First, we would have to find experienced workers to run the camp. Then we would have to provide transportation for all the workers to and from our town of Egbe along with housing and feeding them for a week. We would also need a week’s worth of food to feed the kids along with supplies for vocational studies. Needless to say, we could not fit the camp into our 2018 budget but we kept the camp on our goals list with the hope of raising funds for it later on. Do I need to tell you that I serve an awesome God! He provided an unexpected donation and just like that our dream of a one-week camp became a reality!
No one at C.A.R.E. Africa had any experience running a camp so we consulted with City Ministries, based in Jos, Nigeria. City Ministries is made up of several urban ministry units. One of the ministries called King’s Kids has over 300 orphan and street kids in their programs. City Ministries not only offered to run the one-week camp but also to teach us how to run our own camps for the future.
We were excited and clueless as to the amount of work that goes into hosting a one-week camp. C.A.R.E. Africa staff in Egbe started buying large quantities of food and locating accommodations for all the City Ministries staff. Meanwhile, back in Jos, I began the search for curriculum, vocational and many other supplies we would need to make ready for transport to Egbe. Everything came together and the C.A.R.E. Africa kids had an amazing time!
The camp theme and camp lessons focused on Faith. We had two children, Bolu and “Big” Success come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The vocational studies included how to make Palm Sandals and how to make Beaded Jewelry. One of our older boys, Tunde, really took to making palm sandals and we look forward to seeing what God does with that.
It was also a very special time for our C.A.R.E. Africa CEO Emma and Elisha of City Ministries. Elisha knew Emma when he was an 8 year old orphan at City Ministries. It was very rewarding for Elisha to see that Emma had used his personal experience to found and help the orphans of C.A.R.E. Africa. This camp was a great success story on so many levels.
You are part of our story as your prayers and financial support make our outreach programs such as this one-week camp possible. I hope you know the difference you are making in the lives of so many. Thank-you and God Bless you greatly.
Hiraeth: a Welsh word for homesickness (or nostalgia)
Lately, I have been going through old pictures online trying to categorize them. I stumbled across a file that had pictures of the annual Polsgrove family trip to Gatlinburg. I remember how every trip resulted in a Polsgrove male breaking or wrecking something or offending someone. There were pictures of the five Christmas’s or the five hundred birthdays we attended every year due to our big, happy, dysfunctional family. I remember how Lenny and I complained about the stress it created and we couldn’t wait to get away from all the busyness and family whalla (problems). 
I grieve the loss of relationship with nieces and nephews that will not know who I am. I grieve not being there to pray with a friend and hug them when they are going through tough times. I miss those deep relationships where a friend knows when you are not being your true self. 
maybe your families ties have been broken and you miss those better times. I hope this blog encourages you to know you are not alone and that your fellow sister in Christ completely understands. Our feelings don’t mean we are weak or incapable but that we are human. We are also daughters and sons of the Most High and He is our one true home! 
Last fall, when taking my mother to the Abuja airport, I found I could not accompany her to the departure area. I was told to go talk to the front desk. What started out as an obstacle became a gift from God – I call him my “Airport Angel.” I found him at the front desk. He took me to see his Oga (boss) to get permission. The young man spoke to his Oga quickly who waved us on. I guess that was our approval?!
We are excited to announce that our C.A.R.E. Sports Outreach program started last month! What you may not realize is that before co-founding C.A.R.E Africa, Emma was in sports ministry full time and became known in Egbe as “Coachi”. The Sports Outreach program has been a dream of Emma’s since starting C.A.R.E. Africa in 2014. One of our 2018 goals was to start going into the community to find the voiceless and exhausted instead of waiting for them to come to us. We felt that a Sports Outreach program would be a way we could accomplish this.
Each quarter we also plan to host a competition between our Egbe team “The Vessels” and a team outside of and within Egbe that is not connected with the C.A.R.E. Africa Sports Outreach program. The Egbe community really loves sporting events and everyone in the town comes out to watch the game and the presentation of awards. C.A.R.E. Africa will use this time to share the gospel among those that have come to the competition.
By Emma Salako
1. Wholestic ministry
God also has put on my heart to start 
When I was young I always wanted to be a doctor, I had no idea what kind of doctor I wanted to be but I loved to put on a white lab coat, sew up my teddy bear, Dickson, and pretend it was the real thing. I stuck with my dream growing up although I started realizing it was not going to be as easy as I thought and maybe a doctor was not what I really wanted to be.
My time at C.A.R.E Africa developed me because for the first time in my eighteen years of life I was responsible for not only myself but also forty other people. It was amazing! I loved all the laughter, joy and problems that came with my job. Dealing with teenagers, their parents, friends and the environment they live in was not simple or easy, but the challenges only honed my skills and passion for the vulnerable.
Once the bus was no longer an option- the search was on for a passenger van. We were blessed to find this van in mint condition, direct off a shipping container in Lagos, Nigeria. It had never been driven on Nigerian roads before. Our fearless mechanic in Egbe, Ayo, looked at it and gave us the thumbs up. After negotiations we have made the purchase and she is already in Egbe, taking kids to and from the C.A.R.E. Africa Center.
Miles In Missions 