Its somebody's daughter...

The last few weeks have been characterized by incidences where girls are trying to reach out. I spent a couple of weeks speaking at a school with Grade 7's in preparing them for high school. I gave them a challenge: if you were given the chance to write a Bible verse what would it be and how would it read? One girl responded: Fathers do not suffocate your children! I immediately responded by saying: Dad's love their girls so much and do not want them to get hurt. This world is full of dangers for girls and a father who loves and cares for his daughter is the closest and wants to be the closest to his girl child. I told them about my first trip with Hazy and Sethe to the mall and as we walked with Pram and Trolley the Car Guard approached us and went for the Pram. I stopped him in his tracks and told him to stand back! You can touch this car and this trolley but you dare not touch this Pram! That day the instinct of being a dad and protecting my daughter jumped out for the first time. I then explained to the girls that fathers are the way they are because of that kind of love. When I finished the session I asked them: so what will you remember from this session? one girl responded the Pram Story and I am going home today, wait for my dad, give him a BIG hug and tell him that I love him. I went back the next week and the girl said I hugged my dad he was so shocked and stood there frozen. That’s what I do for a living: creating moments of pure joy and getting children and youth to experience the pleasure of life God have destined them to have and enjoy.

So I have just come from a WOW Camp experience with grade 6 and 7's from Factreton Primary and Sunderland Primary visiting us for the Saturday. The Saturday afternoon I took the group on a hike in the Palmiet Nature Reserve. I walked in front and enjoyed the walk with a few running alongside me. Running yes. You see I am fit like that! lol! Then one of the girls about 12 years of age came walking beside me and wanted to hold my hand. I said nope. I started chatting to her about her family and if her father was present. The girl definitely is searching for fatherly love. I went quiet on the walk thinking when will I be ready sending Sethe on a camp alone. What dangers are out there and will she be able to be strong enough not to fall into traps. Will she be emotionally ready when I let her go? The camp had more girls than boys and watching them seeking attention from the boys and leaders made me think so hard.

Just last night me and my two girls watched Soul Surfer. The movie about the girl Beth who lost her arm in a shark attack while surfing. The moments that stood out for me was how the father responded. He ran out of his hospital bed under anesthetics and the emotion on the actors face showed the intense love a true father have for his daughter. He sat at her bedside holding her only hand left until she woke up from her ordeal. Wanting to be the first person she sees when she awaken. She asked him: Daddy will I surf again? he replied sure you will. He encouraged her all the way tried to find ways to make her 'new' life easier. He even designed a handle in her surf board to assist her. When she entered the big surfing competition he was the most excited person on the beach. He encouraged her before the event that she needs to trust her instincts and feel the vibration of the waves. By then I was in tears already with Sethe wiping it and saying it’s only a movie daddy...She entered the water not alone...She lagged behind in fifth place in the final. By this time the dad is on his feet praying for a wave and for his daughter to have success. She paddles away from the other surfers feels the water with her hand for the vibration. The final hooter is seconds away. She sees the wave catches it and surfs her most amazing wave ever. The crowd is on their feet and as she touches the beach sand the commentator says that wave has been disqualified because the hooter went off. She turns to her dad and says its ok dad: I enjoyed it I felt the vibration. She was interviewed afterwards and said I could not have touched so many people with both my arms... So when I work with girls I always think: this is somebody's daughter. This is somebody's Sethe Zion and Zacharie Alexa. Its somebody's daughter who needs to be protected and needs to grow up into a beautiful young lady. It is a privilege to work with other people’s children and as I send them back home I hope and pray I have made an impact that will have a positive lasting effect for years to come! I must thank all the volunteers and staff here at Scripture Union Western Cape for assisting us to make Camp Splash 2013 program such a amazing success. Then to you my supporters and friends who pray for me and who supports the projects financially. We have one more camp to go 30 November to 2nd December 2013. Please pray that it happens and that more children will get to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like to make a donation to Camp Splash send me a email or sms me and I will get the details to you. We most probably would need to raise another R3000 to break even. God provides and I know He will... From Sedrico, Hazel, Sethe Zion and Zacharie Alexa.... Sedrico Husselman Area Coordinator: Northern Suburbs Scripture Union, Western Cape Children's and Youth Worker St. Philip's, Kenwyn SUWC: +27 21 689 8331 St. Philips: +27 21 762 8772 Mobile: + 27 82 071 8598 sedrico@su.org.za www.su.org.za follow me on www.chapmanspeak.blogspot.com