Faith Hoopers, a week-long annual Christian camp held at Christian Life Assembly Church in Kigali, helped teenagers to understand that they can pursue their passion while still glorifying God, organisers said. ALSO READ: Holidays are here! Keep your children busy this short holiday Joshua Kacyira, the founder of Faith Hoopers, coordinated this year’s camp which started on July 7. The camp helped more than 60 teenagers from around the city understand that the pulpit is not the only place they can share the gospel from, he observed. They can share it through their talents – singing, art, sports, and others – through their actions and words. ALSO READ: Top 10 hangouts in Kigali for holidaymakers “I feel like teenagers think of church only at church, or God only at church. Teens often struggle to understand that they can move the church to another location. It is considered ‘awkward’ or ‘not normal’ to feel the Holy Spirit in your classroom or at a sports event, yet it is possible, since God moves with you,” Kacyira said. Kacyira noted that people often tend to limit God, which leads them to sin because they think God can’t see them. To some parents, sports have been seen as a distraction that can lead their kids into bad company, and some teenagers grow up believing that, too. Kacyira’s main intention for this programme was to challenge the stigma and the thought of sports being a distraction and leading kids down a dark path. He was able to achieve this with the help of different facilitators. Sandra Mbabazi, one of the facilitators, said that the camp not only benefits the teens, but it also helps the facilitators. The more they build a connection with the campers, the more it gives them insight into better ways to help them. As this camp helps teens grow closer to God, it also helps the facilitators build their relationship with God. Mbabazi said the camp teaches teens how to use their talent to glorify God. Many teens initially joined the camp for basketball but by the end, she said, there was noticeable positive behavioural change. What began as a passion for the sport often became a deeper journey of faith. Jessica Komugisha, another facilitator, said the camp cultivated the behaviour of praying before a game. She had heard many testimonies from teens who started the camp afraid of praying in public, and as the camp continued, she saw different campers getting out of their comfort zone and starting to pray in front of a group of people. “Your hobby should not be a barrier for you to connect with God,” she said. The camp has helped the teens build their teamwork skills. Before, it was hard for the teens to work together but during the camp they learned how to help each other improve. Campers like Fiolla Umwali and Joshua Manzi said the week helped them discover more than just new skills. It helped them reconnect with their faith. “During my holidays, I didn't have much to do, and Faith Hoopers gave me something to focus on and keep me occupied. Not only did it help me with my faith in God, but it also helped me grow my love for basketball,” Umwali said. Manzi said the camp had an impact on his life when it came to learning how to balance God and basketball. “The same faith I put in God, I put it in my teammates,” he said, noting that the camp instilled in him more faith in God than he had before. The more Kacyira continued to work on the programme, and the more time he spent preparing for the camp; looking for speakers, facilitators, and everyone involved in the programme, the more he realized that it not only benefits teenagers, but also impacts everyone involved. “On a personal level, working on this programme has truly brought me closer to God. Same with the athletes or speakers that we invite to talk to the campers. I think this has been the only platform through which they can have fun playing basketball, share their faith, and get closer to God,” Kacyira said.
