More Lessons Learned from a Day at Camp

Honestly I never thought that my post would have such an outpouring of love from the community.  I am becoming more and more convinced that one person really can make a difference.  We can't impact everyone, but we can impact someone.  We may not can feed the world every day, but we can feed a family for a night.  One day at a time, Sweet Jesus.

This morning when I pulled up to pick up the children for camp, a very eager boy stood at the door of my bus and talked a mile a minute.  I thought my youngest daughter had the record for the most talking EVER, but no.  This boy beats her any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  The most important thing he said was this, "Guess what I have in this bag I am bringing today?  I found a Bible and I brought it today.  I have decided that I want to be a preacher because I started learning about Jesus yesterday and since I am learning early, I will be ready to be a preacher when I grow up.  When I get on the bus I am going to sit right behind you and if I stop talking to you for a minute on the bus ride, then you know I am reading my Bible a little bit."

Then there were the two girls who stood arm in arm at the door of the bus and literally refused to get on.  I told them to come on up for another fun day at camp, and they just said simply, "We were told we would get a breakfast and drink and not to get on yet."  The other kids pleaded for them to get on, but they wouldn't.  I said, "I will make sure you get your breakfast."  They reluctantly got on and then the miracle happened.  Seemingly from nowhere, literally, a woman showed up with a box of food, breakfast for each and every one of the little ones.  It must have been just like when Jesus fed the 5.000 that day.  There was plenty of breakfast for everyone including drinks.  Extra snacks were available in the afternoon and plenty of lunch, even more if you wanted an extra sandwich.  Ironically, I discovered the woman with the box of food knew my Aunt.  My Aunt passed away on Thanksgiving a few years ago and she was just the type woman who would have given her last loaf of bread to these children.  I was touched that this lady knew my precious Aunt.

Today I met some children who had never had potato chips before.  I met a boy who said he had his shoes for 5 years(I can't imagine that could be possible, but I wouldn't question anything after what I have seen this week).  I have to admit that my idea of what inner city kids look like was a mistake.  I stereotyped what that looked like.  The face of inner city looks just like my children.  They have hopes and dreams like my children.  They have feelings like my children.  Only they don't sit in the seat of privilege like my children.  I was told that the majority of these children will never graduate high school.  The drop out rate is tremendous in this area.

When I found out that Senior Camp this year was going to be different and we were going to offer a free summer camp for inner city kids and use our high school campers as counselors for the kids, I thought to myself, "Our kids won't sign up for camp this year if they don't get to boat, swim, and do the normal camp things they do each year."  I could not be more wrong.  Our high school kids have risen to the occasion and they have had a life altering experience at camp this year.  Our kids look happier when I see them.  They are making a difference.  Jesus came on this earth not to serve himself or to be entertained, He came to seek and save the lost and to serve others.  Our kids have had the chance to be Jesus to someone this week.  To make a difference one child at a time.

We can't feed everyone, but we can feed someone.  We can't feed someone every day, but we can feed them one day.  We can't impact everyone but we can impact someone.  Jesus made a difference one person at a time.  He didn't raise everyone from the dead, but he raised someone from the dead.  May we all be Jesus to someone each day.

The children were happier today when I delivered them back to their place than even yesterday.  They all seem more relaxed and comfortable.  A safe environment with a safe place to be yourself and let your hair down and experience new things is just what the doctor ordered for these children and Jesus is the great physician.

Thank you so much for reading my blog.  Please subscribe to it at the right and updates will be emailed to you!  Have a great night and be Jesus to someone tomorrow.

Jennifer

Lessons Learned from a Day at Camp

I got my commercial drivers license for the sole purpose of driving on days like today. I picked up a bus load of inner city kids and drove them to our church camp that was over an hour away from where these kids lived. Then I took them back. I wanted to be a blessing to them but they were a blessing to me. Everyone should have a chance to ride the party bus driven by a rockstar...or maybe everyone should have the opportunity to drive the party bus filled with children who had never been to camp before. Several of the moms tearfully thanked us for providing this opportunity. 

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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