Many Blessings

For the past couple of days this week, I've had the pleasure of going back to one of my favorite places ever, Lutherdale, to work as a volunteer with campers with special needs. Oh, Lordy LORDY have I missed this place!

Here's a list of the things that I was able to do the past couple of days, and a few of the blessings that I have gotten as well: dance to retro music, receive countless hugs, sit in socially awkward situations and smile because it happened, be fake hog-tied during a variety show, dance to today's greatest hits, talk about Jesus and God, see old friends, both campers and staff, do a bit o' creeping, LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH, see an example of just how important it is to be understood, play a few pranks, hold in many "that's what she said" statements, sing camp songs, eat at a dinner table with other people, dance to no music other than the rhythm of my soul, experience a whirlwind of emotions in short span of time (frustration, exasperation, total and complete happiness, paralyzing fear and tears, surprise and shock, and the best one of all, LOVE), and live, at least for a little bit, as a part of a Christian community.

I can think of something special about each and every camper that I came into contact with. There's the camper that needs physical contact so much that even when there's a full couch to choose to sit, she'll sit RIGHT next to you, the camper who introduced me to all of the campers and staff as they came in, the camper who put on a very unexpected dance routine at the variety show, and the camper with a very bad speech impediment whose biggest frustration is not being understood. These are only a few examples of the many special campers I have come into contact with again the past couple of days, and does not include the very special summer staff who is lucky enough to be working at camp on a regular basis.

Going back to camp has brought up so much in me. What a mission based, ministry organization can do for both the participants and employees is amazing. It provides a place where you can make a difference and see signs of that difference every day. It provides a place where staff can come together and pull pranks and talk about deep theological questions in the same night. It provides a community for those who might not have one elsewhere.

One of my favorite campers was also one with whom I struggled on my second day at camp. For the sake of privacy and respect, we'll call him KG. I'm not sure of the specifics of KG's needs, and I don't need to know those specifics in order to do my job. Here are some things that I have observed: KG desperately wants to be heard and understood. KG has a speech impediment that makes it difficult to understand him at first. KG has a wicked sense of humor. KG knows the system and can play it for all it's worth. KG is NOT to be underestimated. After our various struggles that day, KG and I had a really good conversation at the end of it. In it, he said that you just need to forgive and forget, and not to let anger get you down. After all, that's the way Jesus wants it. Where else, and from whom else would you get such simple and sound advice?

I would have worked at camp again had my schedule allowed for it. However, another summer at the best place ever wasn't what God had in store for me; instead, he me move onto other things. I find myself missing camp so much that it hurts. But whenever God closes a door, he always opens a window; I just need to stop looking backward and find where it is that God needs me now. I need to discern just exactly where that is...

Please speak Lord...I'm listening and ready now...