Rainbows and Sunshine (or not)

Camp isn't always smiles and hugs. We don't always get to see kids make a 180. It's not the kind of work where you always receive instant gratification in knowing that the children's lives are different because you spent time with them. Camp is hard. It's time consuming and hot. Kids don't always behave. Personalities clash. You're covered in dirt, sweat, other people's sweat, and bug bites. Sometimes you're disrespected. Sometimes you get lost in all the moving parts of camp and you can feel under appreciated. Sometimes the task of loving so many kids all at once seems completely impossible.

The truth is that it's a pretty improbable goal to try and change the lives of 120 kids and 25 high school helpers all on your own.

Good thing we're never alone. To be completely honest, you have to be pretty insane to work at summer camp. You work extremely hard for long hours and you get paid in smiles and hugs (which is great until rent is due). There is no product at the end that you can look at and see that the time is worth it. All you have is faith that some seeds were planted in those kids and that hopefully, one day, those seeds will take root and start to grow.

I was reminded recently of how blessed and fortunate I am to have been around the Clarkston Community long enough to see some of those seeds bear fruit. Over the years I've watched the most insolent and disrespectful campers become the strongest, most outgoing, helpful high school helpers. I've seen the development of campers from one year to another in their ability to make friends, follow rules, serve others, and learn English.

Working at camp isn't easy. It isn't always fun. Sometimes it even seems impossible, but our God is so good. He uses these two months to create change in these campers that will persist even when we aren't there. He uses the time to humble us by letting Him be the one who sees the entire transformation. He's so good that he even transforms us at the same time! He uses camp to help grow in patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, humility, love, joy, and peace. Just as much as we have an impact on the kids, they have an impact on us. And praise the Lord that they do. We all need to grow in those areas.

The world we live in is not always easy on us. We get run ragged. We are bombarded in the news by the horrible things that happen nearby and around the world. It's unfortunate and deeply saddening BUT so much of it can be used to transform us. To show us where the darkness so we can shine light into it. We can sit and stew and be mad at the world or angry with the injustice of society, or we can bring it to the Lord and watch Him turn it into something beautiful. I feel like that's what camp is like. It's hard and dirty and hot and tempers flare and people don't get along, but we give it all to Him and he takes our mistakes and our pride and our worlds intentions and turns it into something beautiful.

This is my mission field. It's not easy and I love it. 

Week One

Whew. It's been a whirlwind for sure! Week one threw everything it had at us. We dealt with camper families who were in the hospital, trying to get rid of bed bugs, mediating parent child disputes, and all while figuring out what exactly our role in camp is. Let me tell you though, our staff is amazing.

I can't say enough about how go with the flow, optimistic, smiley, and full of love for our youth that this year's staff has. Keep praying that they get the rest and recoup they need to keep serving. After a camp day from 8-1 they get just a couple hours for rest before spending a solid 3 hours in the community connecting with families each afternoon. Their schedule is intense and they have handled it beautifully. 

Our campers this year are another amazing group I want to brag on. They are beautiful, smart, sweet, sassy, FUNNY kiddos who make serving them easy. I love being greeted by smiles and hugs and touching base with kids throughout the day. 

Recently, I was talking with a girl I've known in for a while about what she wants to be when she grows up. She talked about being a doctor, engineer, police officer, and several other occupations. "I'm so smart. I see so many things that are wrong in the world and I just want topic it. I think I could fix some of those things..." To encourage her to keep that attitude and see how much self-worth she has now compared to even just last year made my whole day. 

Another little girl had chosen Bible as her fun Friday breakout activity. Half way through the first lesson she was ready to accept Jesus as her savior. A few staff pulled her aside to talk to her about her decision and then she taught us about the beauty of child-like faith. We look forward to more discipleship opportunities throughout the summer. 

There's also been a high schooler that I have known for a long time that I have gotten to get to know better in the past week. With some rough situational favored wearing him down, it's amazing to watch him still love to make others smile. He may never know the amount of hours that others that don't even know him doesn't praying for him and his family, but he praises God every day that he's alive. Providing him with meals, encouraging him to rest, and being a listening ear has been good for the both of us. My purpose here has been solidified: doing life with these youth and ministering to them through relationships. He was able to share the heavy load he was carrying and enjoy community of those who care about him. 

The week was really tough. There was a lot going on and we were still figuring out what we were supposed to be doing. BUT it's so worth it. I praise the Lord that I am so exhausted emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It means I put my all into the week and to see fruit already is huge blessing. Pray that we are able to keep rolling with the punches and able to minister by just living life alongside the people we work with. 

Sharing the Love

Welcoming the new interns to Clarkston has been a blast. I always love having the opportunity to share my love and passion for this place with new people. Our 20+ member camp team is preparing for the chaos we lovingly call Summer Spectacular. We are getting to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and learning how to be the bet leaders we can be. Tomorrow we will be getting down to the nitty gritty camp details (pray that we are able to present this information in a way that is interesting and fun). I'm so looking forward to getting to know all of these wonderful interns better and seeing them grow as they love on these kids and their families at camp.

An extra plus today was welcoming my good friend Chelsea to Clarkston. She's a loving and caring friend who I have always depended on to keep me in check. She makes sure that I take care of myself and has a huge heart for serving others. After a nice Chickfila dinner, I took her on a driving tour of the 1 square-mile small town with a big heart (Clarkston's motto). I showed her the Community Center where we have camp, the buildings that hold our offices, and the many apartment complexes where our campers live. We were fortunate to stumble upon a few kids I know well and jumped out to play for a little while. Chels was able to get the "Clarkston experience" being surrounded by the cheerful hearts of children from at least 3 different countries. We talked about the refugee process, how summer camp works, the background stories of the kids we hung out with, and how good God is. We celebrated the generosity and provision that the two of us and many of our other friends have shared in as well as.

I feel so beyond blessed by the support I have received so far. Thank you so much to everyone for the phone calls, texts, donations, Facebook messages, and prayers. I appreciate all of you so much and I love that I get to share in this exciting time of my life with you. If you would like a Clarkston tour, let me know. Come and see...though I must warn you that you are likely to leave a part of your heart here if you come.

Prayer Requests:
Pray for us all to get the rest we need as we digest the information thrown at all of us during orientation week. Pray for us to be refreshed and revived as we go into the first day of camp.

Also pray for our very first short term team that will be joining us the first week of camp. They are a brave and bold team for coming the first week as we are working out the kinks and getting use to our roles at camp.

Pray for our campers and their families. As much as I love camp, it's not for me. Camp is for the camper. Pray for the campers to have a full, fun, and SAFE summer. Pray that we are providing for the needs that they have and that we are able to build relationships that will last with campers and their families. Pray that the Kingdom of God would come and fill camp this summer.

Dear Anonymous,

I don't know who or where you are. I don't know if I know you well or not at all. I don't know if you have shared my love of Clarkston in the past. I don't know if we are family. I do know, however that your generosity and willingness to give to me is a huge blessing. Thank you for affirming that I am on the right path and for providing me with the peace of mind that I can focus on ministry instead of how I will pay rent and buy food. You have given me much more than just a sum, you have provided me space to continue ministry with less stress and anxiety and worry than many other who are in a similar situation as I am. Whoever you are, you are generous and humble. I don't know who you are so I can't thank you in person, but I wanted you to know how appreciated your gift is. I will be praying for you and I thank you again for humbling me and serving the Kingdom in this way. Know that my successes here in Clarkston I share with you and all my other supporters. I'm truly at a loss for words for how generously God has chosen to provide to me (and so many others). It is so reassuring to that there are people out there who have good and giving hearts. I know that by remaining anonymous you were not expecting a thanks and do not want to be called out, but I thought others might be encouraged by your generosity and giving. Your gift has not only touched me, but also my family and those that work with me. I am forever thankful for you!

Y'all, God is just so good!