My Cluttered Brain

 

This has been a difficult week.  There have been so many things to deal with, some of them good and some of them bad.

This week of camp was the biggest of the summer.  We had 66 campers (max is 72).  Fortunately we had a group of about 20 from North Carolina join us, and they helped lighten the load.  They reinforced the kitchen work and the cleaning load, as well as joining in to help with activities for the campers.  Some of their young men stepped in to be team leaders, which was a big help for the guy counselors, who had some really difficult campers to deal with.

 

But for all the hard things this week, we could see progress in our campers.  Some of them prayed to receive Christ.  Some of them softened to the message.  And some of them just stopped hitting each other all the time.  It is good to be able to see small victories.

Adam spoke about compassion one night.  He is really able to break things down for the kids to understand.  On Friday, I saw one of our campers really get it.  I had picked him for a special game, and by mistake, I had picked another boy from his same team for the same game.  I had really messed up.  I told the boys to play “rock-paper-scissors” for it, and when they did, this boy, Matthew, won.  He was going to get to play the special part in our game.  The other boy, Shadin, who lost began to cry.  When Matthew saw him cry he said, “You do it.  It’ll be ok.”  I told him that he had just done what Adam had talked about.  He had seen a need, felt compassion, and then done something to meet the need.  It was a beautiful thing.

 

My special game helpers

 

Many of us working with the kids this week had stories like these to share.  These stories are what make our work worthwhile, even when it is hard.

By the end of the week we were all very tired, and we really need this weekend to recuperate before the next group of campers show up on Monday. For the kids who are coming, it is a brand new week.  For us, it is the fifth time through all of this.  Being enthusiastic at this point is a real challenge.  We are thankful for another group of reinforcements who have arrived to spur us on through this final week with kids.  I know when Monday comes and we see their faces, we will be ready to give them the best week of camp yet.

Personally, I had the wonderful experience of becoming a grandmother this week.  On the other hand, my uncle Ralph in Indianapolis had to be taken to the hospital and is now in rehab.  He is struggling, and I am not available to help.  It makes me feel sad.  These things are all a part of the mix as I move through my days here at camp.  It’s a lot to deal with.

So that why I’m up, posting this entry at midnight.  My body is tired, but my mind is spinning.   I felt like writing it all down might alleviate some of the clutter up there in my brain.

 Lots of times it does.