I find myself looking forward to this summer. Actually, most days I can't wait to get to camp and start my summer. And it's not because I hate my life or job or anything like that. I actually love my job, and feel good about going to school. I think it's more about wanting to go and serve others all day everyday. We as christians were made to serve. Serve God and Serve others. But why does it take me going to camp, to make me serve others? I don't need to be at christian camp to do what I was made to do. I should be serving everyone that I come into contact with on a daily basis.
As I took katie for her fuge interview, I was so glad that I was given the oppurtunity to work camp. I found myself, thinking about every aspect of camp while we were in Louisville. From the youth that I met each week, to the kids that I taught while serving, to the youth leaders that I was able to encourage, as they encouraged me. And then I thought about the 28 amazing people that I got to work camp with. 29 strangers, all there for the same purpose... to serve God and serve others. In 8 weeks, they went from strangers to family. And it's sad that at the end of summer we all dispersed all over the country. I have stayed close with many of those amazing people, and I learned so much about myself, about life, and about my relationship with God because of them. And together we encountered hundreds of youth, kids, adults and families.
It was hard to leave Charleston. It was hard to leave my "family" at the end of last summer. It was hard to return back to "normal" when I got home. But the hardest thing was coming home, and not being able to truly explain to people what my summer was like. Because until you've worked camp, or maybe even just been to Fuge, you can't understand. Sometimes when I say I am working a christian camp, I feel as though people laugh at me a little bit. M-fuge is not your typical "youth camp". It's bible study, it's worship, it's serving the community, it's changing lives, changing the world, and changing who you are. It changed me. For the better. God used me to bring 9 kids to the Lord. And through my camp location alone, 160 youth came to know the lord. It wasn't me, It was Christ in me that did it.
I've been back for 6 months. And not a day goes by that I don't think about this summer. I think about my friends, or a youth that was having a hard time, or even just the face of a precious child who I met and loved on.
Here are some pictures from my summer.
Haley, Lily and I. These girls didn't have much. But they were happy and loved life.
Sometimes we act crazy!
Sweet little Talia. Such an adorable 3 year old. I wish I could have brought her home with me.
Ghetto slip and slide at 1 am... why not? :)
One final thought...
Never in my life have I ever been so exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually... and yet every picture I am in, I look happier than I ever have in any picture. Once again, it gets back to doing what God created us to do- serve and love.
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