July 06, 2007

Week 3

This week has been a hard one for our staff. We have lots of kids at camp this week that have really rough home lives, which means we get lots of discipline problems and attitude. This morning was really bad and it just breaks my heart for these kids. I was able to sit and talk to some of the kids for a little while this morning. One boy was telling me about his family. I wanted to cry and hug him and tell him that he is loved. Another one was just so sweet and kind that I wanted to instantly keep him for the rest of the summer just so he didn't have to go back home.

I'm so thankful for the opportunities I have here. I love that we don't shy away from the rough kids, the ones that most people don't want to deal with. It's hard, so hard. But at least these kids know for one week that they are loved, and will forever know that there is a God who loves them.

Our counselors are amazing. Seriously. They deserve gold medals. And our head counselors....unbelievable. They are Jesus in the tough situations and that's never an easy job. It's just incredible to see God work through our staff, each and every one of them whether they are in the kitchen or lifeguarding or on the beachfront.

Ministry is so exahausting at times. We will end this week completely spent and ready for a break. It's hard in camp ministry too because we may never see these kids again so we have no idea if all our work meant anything. But then again, it's so cool because it completely takes the focus off of us and places it where it should be...on Jesus. He is the only thing we want them to remember. His love for them. His extreme love for them. If they forget our names and faces and never even remember the name of our camp, that's fine. But may they never forget that God's love is for them too.

1 comment:

jessica said...

wow. that's so amazing. that brings me back to my time in Romania and at the shelter. it's a crazy thought you may never see them again, but we can pray we will see them in Heaven. I wanna come to camp, it sounds great!