That girls dorm has been our home for the past three weeks. As you can sort of see, it has a lovely view of a cornfield.
Why were we there, you ask?
Because for the first time ever, Becca and I helped out a Bible camp this summer!
We knew about Camp Assurance through a family at church, then in the midst of figuring out how we wanted to spend our summer before heading back to school, we received an email.
"Would Bethany and Becca be willing to serve at camp this summer?"
Would we?
We had never done anything like it before, but we did have lots of experience helping with different children's ministries at our church, although sometimes it was more of a background role.
Well...
We looked over the schedule of camp weeks; two teen camps and three junior camps. Hmmm, the teen camps sounded a little frightening; we're barely out of our teens ourselves! But the junior camps... and maybe we could work as kitchen staff!
During the last couple weeks of school, we filled out the applications, sent them off, and then had a phone interview with the director's wife when we got home.
The staff people they needed were dorm leaders/ counselors. There went our idea of hiding in the kitchen. Among other responsibilites, dorm leaders needed to lead evening devotions for their group of campers, and then spend one on one time with each of their campers throughout the week, getting to know them, but most importantly, making sure they understand the gospel. Phew, that's a lot of responsibility! And what if they don't want to talk with me, or I mess up, or...
Then we had a few days of staff training at the camp a few weeks before our jobs would start. That was super good. Along with getting to know the staff we would be working with, and sessions about what to do in different situations, it really helped put me in the right mindset.
I had been pretty anxious about working at camp, and I was worried for selfish reasons, becuase it was out of my comfort zone.
But I wasn't doing this for me.
"But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts."
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Isn't that an awesome thought? We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
All I needed was to be willing to step out in faith, to do this for God, and stop worrying about myself.
Who cares if it was out of my pathetic little comfort zone? It's through our weakness that God shows His strength.
And so, Becca and I spent three weeks with first 7-9 year olds (shower time was crazy), then 9-12 year olds (Becca's favorite group), and last but not least, one more week of 8-11 year olds. They were my favorite, at least the girls in my dorm were. It was encouraging to see how many came from Christian homes, but also hard to know that some of them would go back to spiritally dry homes, after such an amazing week of learning more about God. But we were blessed to have the time we did have with them, and pray that God will continue working in their hearts.
It was a great learning experience, and neat to dedicate a few weeks of our summer specifically for ministry.
How has God been growing you this summer?
Have you ever worked at a camp?
Did you ever go to a summer camp as kid?
"Would Bethany and Becca be willing to serve at camp this summer?"
Would we?
We had never done anything like it before, but we did have lots of experience helping with different children's ministries at our church, although sometimes it was more of a background role.
Well...
We looked over the schedule of camp weeks; two teen camps and three junior camps. Hmmm, the teen camps sounded a little frightening; we're barely out of our teens ourselves! But the junior camps... and maybe we could work as kitchen staff!
During the last couple weeks of school, we filled out the applications, sent them off, and then had a phone interview with the director's wife when we got home.
The staff people they needed were dorm leaders/ counselors. There went our idea of hiding in the kitchen. Among other responsibilites, dorm leaders needed to lead evening devotions for their group of campers, and then spend one on one time with each of their campers throughout the week, getting to know them, but most importantly, making sure they understand the gospel. Phew, that's a lot of responsibility! And what if they don't want to talk with me, or I mess up, or...
Then we had a few days of staff training at the camp a few weeks before our jobs would start. That was super good. Along with getting to know the staff we would be working with, and sessions about what to do in different situations, it really helped put me in the right mindset.
I had been pretty anxious about working at camp, and I was worried for selfish reasons, becuase it was out of my comfort zone.
But I wasn't doing this for me.
"But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts."
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Isn't that an awesome thought? We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
All I needed was to be willing to step out in faith, to do this for God, and stop worrying about myself.
Who cares if it was out of my pathetic little comfort zone? It's through our weakness that God shows His strength.
And so, Becca and I spent three weeks with first 7-9 year olds (shower time was crazy), then 9-12 year olds (Becca's favorite group), and last but not least, one more week of 8-11 year olds. They were my favorite, at least the girls in my dorm were. It was encouraging to see how many came from Christian homes, but also hard to know that some of them would go back to spiritally dry homes, after such an amazing week of learning more about God. But we were blessed to have the time we did have with them, and pray that God will continue working in their hearts.
It was a great learning experience, and neat to dedicate a few weeks of our summer specifically for ministry.
 |
| Looking over the Missouri river at a stop on our way home. |
How has God been growing you this summer?
Have you ever worked at a camp?
Did you ever go to a summer camp as kid?
That's amazing. Me personally, I would have been nervous too! I like 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. :) I've never been to camp, or worked at a camp, but I have been on a missions trip before where I worked with little kiddos. That was an amazing experience as well. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a great verse, thanks for sharing it! Wow, a missions trip would be quite the adventure. That must have been neat!
DeleteWhat a great experience! :D Way to go spending part of your vacation in ministry. I'm sure you touched lives.
ReplyDeleteI went to a Christian camp for one week last year as a counselor (it was also my first time at camp at all!) and it was amazing. And it was out of my comfort zone and I got half as much sleep as normally needed. ;) In our weakness He is strong!
That's neat, Paige! It is so cool to see how God can use us when we're willing, and to know we aren't doing things on our own, but that He is working through us.
DeleteThanks for sharing! I loved hearing about your camp experiences. :)
ReplyDeleteI went to Girl Scout camp once... I think that's the only camp experience I've ever had.
I bet that was fun! Was it in an area where you could hike and stuff? That's the one thing I missed about our camp, there wasn't any woods to hike in. :)
DeleteThang sounds so fun!
ReplyDelete