Upon arrival at camp the kids were ooing and ahhing over the woods. I scratched my head and finally accepted that they had never seen woods before. I rapidly discovered that most of them had never been swimming, never been in a canoe, never been to camp. 
Then we went canoeing. An adorable child reluctantly got in the canoe with me. He had never been in one or even on the lake before so was apprehensive. I couldn't convince him to turn around and face forward so he rode facing me. I also couldn't convince him to paddle the correct way so he was paddling backwards and I was paddling forward trying to get somewhere like that :) We had some great conversation in that canoe when one of the counselors decided we would canoe race. My little date thought that sounded good. I thought to myself well we won't be getting anywhere fast with him paddling backwards. Ready set GO! I paddled as hard as I could to his squeals of delight. Rapidly I realized I was in the canoe with a slow leak and my end was taking on water but it didn't matter. My little friend was having too much fun! When we got back to the dock, my son said, "Mom! Your phone is ruined!" It was swimming in the water that was in the canoe. I grabbed it and knew it wouldn't work. But God was there. I already decided it didn't matter if I had to spend money for a new phone because it was worth the happiness of the little friend. Guess what?! I am blogging on my phone right now. How did my phone survive? Because God was there. Apparently I was paddling so hard that my phone worked out of my pocket. God protected my phone because I was doing His work.
The counselors were having as much fun as the children. I saw them talking to the children individually and the children were captivated by the attention they were being given. I overheard a conversation.
Counselor: What is your favorite thing to do?
Camper: I watch tv and eat. I am not allowed to go outside and my mom works so I just sit on the couch and watch tv and eat.
This photo was made AFTER my phone went for a swim ;)
And then there were the ones who looked at the ground most of the time even when spoken to. Maybe abused. Maybe never talked to or listened to.
The ones who mindlessly chattered all the time. Or talked really loud, almost in a shout. Maybe their home is so loud they must shout to try to be heard.
Things I heard the children say:
"I want to play soccer but my mom doesn't have enough money."
"I don't know what I am going to eat tonight because my mom lost her job."
"I have to take care of my younger brothers and sisters while my mom works."
And then there was the boy with the lunchbox. He never put it down. He had it in the canoe with him, he had it in the craft house, he had it in the woods, he had it on the sports field. I wondered why he had it because lunch was provided. I finally asked him and his reply brought me to my knees. He said, "I thought if there was anything leftover from lunch I could bring it home for my dinner."
See the lunchbox sitting in front of the boy?
By the end of the day you couldn't have wiped the smiles off their faces with a washcloth. They were excited, they were happy, they were grateful. Some came down the hill on the backs of counselors and I am not sure who grinned bigger, the camper or the counselor. When we try to give we almost always end up receiving.
My bus was much quieter on the trip home. Many fell asleep. I wanted to keep driving them around until they woke up because they may not have a peaceful place to sleep at night. The little friend that was in my canoe with me fell asleep and we almost never woke him when we got him back to his place. Peaceful dreams, sweet friend, I pray that God bless you and every one of your little friends. I will see you all in the morning :)
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