TMI Summer Program

TMI SUMMER PROGRAM

Teams, teams, teams....even in Cameroon it is the main ministry of Teen Missions. This part of the ministry is run in a very similar fashion to the ones in the U.S. Although, unlike the U.S. teams, the Cameroonian teams don't do their field parts in other countries, but in villages (mostly nearby, but occasionally remote ones). We would go to various churches throughout the year and tell people about our summer program and Bible school. Team members would sign up (here most of the signing up comes really close, if not on the actual, 1st day of boot camp. We would run a leadership training part for leaders (a couple of days before the team members came). Then comes the boot camp....10 intense days of training for their field time. This included an obstacle course run before breakfast, morning class room teachings, afternoon training in puppets, music, drama, construction (making cements blocks, carpentry etc...).

There were special times for the teams to spend together, and, of course, meals. During the evening rally there was a time of praise, O/C scores, Miss/Mr. Piggy, teaching, team cheers....just a really fun time after a really long day of training. Then comes commissioning night where the teens and leaders pledge this time to the Lord (a very solemn and special service). The next morning everything gets packed up and the teams head out to 5 weeks in their various village assignments for work projects and/or evangelism. After the project time, the teams head back to the base for a debrief time of 3 days; always filled with testimonies, great stories,fun activities, teachings and an evening rally. During this time there is often the graduation of the students from the Bible school. It is a great time to also recruit future Bible school students. After this time, everything gets torn down and the base gets transformed back into a Bible school (which starts soon after the summer program is finished). These are busy, busy times, but filled with fun and laughter. God always shows up in an awesome way ministering in and through the team members and leaders lives.