This summer I get to work with a great group of kids, and I have been working with them for a week now and it has been great. I would have to say that by the end of the summer I am going to have a lot of stories to tell! A little taste of what has happen this first week; had a kid lose a tooth (first day), had kids say that the restroom at the skating rank was hunted, had some kids have a funeral for the grasshoppers that they found and put in a bottle, I also have a kid who loves math and loves to add up times, and many many more great times! I love this job!
I do have one kid who is not like the other kids, this kid is different in many different ways but I have come to learn that this kid has given me joy in my job. The other kids became friends this kid on day one. Even though this kid didn't say more than five words together, on the first day. As the first week went by I saw this kid open up more and more. The other counselor and I tried to work with this kid to get him to play, and do different stuff but sometimes there was just no luck. We did learn that this kid loves to play with the rubix cube, and loves to walk around on the playground. Getting this kid to play with a ball was just not going to happen, the kid would tell you NO in a heartbeat.
I would have to say that there is something about Friday, because the kids were all crazy and in a great mood, also the kid that wouldn't play with a ball was in the gym with me, and I was able to get this kid to play with a basketball. I saw the biggest smile from this kid for the first time all week. It was kinda like those times when someone has a really really good idea and they just have to tell someone that is what this was like. This kid was playing with the basketball and running around. It was kinda like we were playing tag, but I was the one always it haha. It brought so much joy to my heart to see this kid have a great time, and smile from ear to ear! As this kid and I played with the basketball, about 100+ other kids were on the other side of the gym running around and have an EXTREME time dancing and playing with the counselors.
In all of this being said I would have to say I have a great job, no I know I have a great job. I have been thinking ever since playing tag/basketball with one of my camper. I would have to say that this camper reminded me about as a Christian we have to be different. We have to be like no other, and we have to be able to stand out. We have to be able to go out and befriend everyone no matter their background, race, sex, etc. As Christians we have to be different were we are like no other "camper." We have to be able to take everything we have in our lives and give it all to Jesus and understand that God has a plan for us and that the plan is bigger than us. We have to be able to keep our faith strong and be able to kneel at the cross. In order to do so we have to be able to understand it is ok to be different and stand out. We have to be ready to be judged and stand strong. In my walk with God I have come to understand this. Just like my camper I am called to be different I am called to be like no other. For some times I would have to say I didn't want to be different I wanted to be like everyone else and be able to have someone just like me to understand me.
My week with my camper has reminded me of my walk with God in away. The start of the week we couldn't get much out of the camper. With the start of my walk with God I didn't share Gods glory. Mid-week the camper was opening up every day. In my high school years I learned that I needed to live one life, and that was a life with God and to work on myself as a person so that others can see Christ in me. The end of the week the camper is coming to camp and having fun. Now in my walk I am at a point where I want people to see Christ in me in my actions and in my everyday life, in this has given me so much JOY.
By standing firm you will gain life.
Luke 21:19
