Phil and Lynn Lilienthal were Peace Corps volunteers in Ethiopia during the sixties and staff members in Washington, the Philippines, and Thailand during the seventies. (OK, Lynn wasn’t strictly speaking a staff member but as any spouse of a staff member will tell you, they quickly become full partners in all of the joys — and the ‘otherwises’ — of the position.)

Following their Peace Corps service the Lilienthals had full and demanding lives: Phil in the law, Lynn in raising a family and founding a daycare center, and both of them in running one of the finest boys’ summer camps in Maine.

But always in the background was the desire to one day return to a life of service. About eight years ago the Lilienthals marshaled their Peace Corps experience, their camp management skills, their international travel and connections, and the host of admirers they had amassed over the years to start Global Camps Africa.

Camp Sizanani, one of Global Camps’ major activities, provides HIV/AIDS affected children with education, recreation, and life skills lessons all in a spirit of fun and camaraderie. Three to six 9-day residential camps are held each year, bringing together up to 300 children and 30–35 counselors. In just five years, more than 3,700 children have had been able to attend camp.

Another major activity is the Kids Clubs established in the campers’ hometowns that provide ongoing and year-round mentoring, tutoring and counseling, all designed to reinforce lessons learned at camp.

The children served by Global Camps Africa are poor, orphaned and abused, often with just the clothes on their backs. As a result of their Camp Sizanani and Kids Clubs experiences the youngsters not only have a wonderful time (perhaps for the first time in their lives) but also gain the confidence and knowledge they need to deal with the hand life has dealt them.

As I mentioned in my last post about Pat and Joe Richters efforts in FARMS International, most of us can’t aspire to do the kind of heroic work they and the Lilienthals are doing, and will continue to do as long as they receive the support needed from the rest of us. Go to the website of Global Camps Africa to read the accounts written by campers, to learn more about the work and how it is done, and to join me in giving generously to Global Camps Africa.