My cabin/team, the sharks, at 2nd grade camp was awesome. There are many stories I could share but I’m just going to tell you about one of the girls in my cabin. Kiara doesn’t go to church very often. She was uneasy with all of this camp stuff but quickly forgot about that. She was a riot, full of energy. Our theme was Finding Jesus: An Underwater Adventure, just like Finding Nemo, and we asked the kids at our first gathering to be thinking about where they could find Jesus while they were at camp. That night in our cabin I asked the girls to answer that question so the could be looking the next day. She started to get a little uncomfortable again but answered, “Under the sea.” As I laid in bed praying for each of the girls, I prayed that if nothing else happened while she was at camp that she would have a good time and start to hunger for the fun and excitement that comes with learning about Christ. At our last big meeting together three campers were chosen to come on stage and share one thing they learned about Jesus. With a big smile on her face she firmly answered, “Jesus is FUN!” I couldn’t have been more excited at that point.
If Kiara remembers only that from a camp and if she is the only camper who remembers anything I would still feel like the camp was a complete success. Our goal as faculty and staff is to share Jesus with campers and that is exactly what happened. To see how much her attitude towards things changed in that one day was incredible. As we walked back to the cabin to check out I asked the girls where they found Jesus during the day. Kiara’s answer was at the pool. She may not go to church again for three months but the Holy Spirit has begun to work and he knows what he is doing!
Camp has been on my mind all day. On a brief study break I ran across the xanga site of one of my 4th and 5th grade campers from Rock Lake. Then my niece showed me the blog of one of her camp friends. This girl used to live in Vestaburg and she was in the 1st grade Sunday School class I use to teach when I was in high school. My niece and I looked at the pictures from camp her friend had posted online. I had to call and talk to DJ (the director a MCSC) about some things for one of my classes and we ended up talking about 2nd grade camp and family camp. As we were hanging up I started to cry. I knew I would miss being at camp but I had no idea it would be this hard. I wish I were rich so I could volunteer at camp all year and still be able to live. I think there must be something in the water at Michiana.
I'm frustrated that things turned out the way they did. Since I've been home I've been able to sleep at night and I've not had a single nightmare. The first night I was in Niles I tossed and turned all night. And I woke up from a horrible nightmare. It just doesn't make sense to me. I wish this lesson would hurry up and be over. Michiana will never be the same to me now. Hopefully someday I'll be able to go back without feeling so bad about it all. But I'm not sure that is possible because the things that trigger the memories good and bad, will be there for a long time. It is often our fondest memories that cause the deepest pain.
God, if you decided to explain why you are taking me a different direction or even what that direction is, I would be completely okay with that. In case you were wondering!
Living Examples of Jesus, Part Two will be back after South Carolina.
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