Camp Wetoga

I had a life changing expercience this week at a camp in Georgia, Camp Wetoga. I've never been so blessed by so many children before! The deal with this camp was having one kid to a counselor. All about the relationships with the children. The bus pulled up on Monday at one in the afternoon and my legs were like jello and my heart was pounding. So many negative thoughts were running through my head. The kids got off the bus and I go find one of the main counselours to ask her to help me find my girl, Tisheba. We find her and the first thing she does is hug me! I was shocked, but so relieved. From then on, me and Tisheba (Meka) were best friends! I liked that I actually could connect with her and get to know her, rather than just asking questions like hey, what's your favorite color? Instead we talked about One Direction, and Justin Bieber, and all those fun girly subjects! Meka was probably the best camper there! I never had to get on to her, she never complained, and she loved EVERYONE. She was always so interested in the bible lessons and was always full of questions! Meka participated in everything we did and always enjoyed herself and hanging out with her friends and me! It was amazing to have so many little sisters, especially her! Another fantastic part of my week was sharing a cabin with some other awesome girls! Of course, I knew most of the counselors but not all of them, two were strangers and one was from our group, I just didn't really know her. I made some amazing friends this week, and their girls where amazing too! It was like a big, fun sleep over every night! I just loved all of the children this week! They just wanted to be held and giggle all the time! I also learned a lot about myself this week. My whole aspect on my attidude has been changed drastically! I usually am pretty good at complaining and being negative and not looking at the bright side of things. Well, I knew this week that I could not do that, I had to stay focused and be happy and positive! Which, was really hard at some points, like when you were really hot, tired, or hurting. But seeing all the kids, and my girl being positive helped me so much to do the same! Especially when it came to doing an activity that I didn't want to do. The first day of camp was the hardest, adjusting to the kids clinging to you, adjusting to having to stay busy at all time, and being very hot! But, by Tuesday, especially Wednesday I knew how things worked and I was really connected to my girl! I had such a fun time this week and just wished it never ended! Last night was the last night, the hardest night ever. After dinner, realization began to sink in that I would be leaving these beautiful children the next morning. I tried so hard not to cry, but I just wept. Then, after we were finished with all the activities for the night, so many of the children clinged to their counselor or another one and just cried. It broke my heart to hear their little voices saying that they didn't want to go home. I finally sucked it up by the time we got back to the cabin to have a fun last night with the girls! But, the next morning came too soon and the goodbyes came too soon also. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. I just cried and cried. Putting those children on the bus that was taking them home instead of packing them up in my car, was devastating. I'm still pretty weepy, but I'm going to be just fine. I know that this past week is a week I'll never forget! I love those kids and hope to go back again next year!

Oh, Sweet, Sweet Georgia

This summer just seems to have gone by faster than I can even wrap my head around! I feel like it was just yesterday that was the last day of school! Anyway, tomorrow, July 22nd, I leave for Georgia! This week I and a ton of other people, will be doing a camp for the inner city children in Atlanta! Reality is not really sinking in yet though, I mean, I know I'm leaving tomorrow but it just doesn't seem real yet. Tomorrow, we will head to Six Flags to just hang out with the other group and get to know them better! Then, we will head down to the camp, which is Camp Wetoga! I just worked with inner city children in St.Louis a few weeks ago, but this trip will be so different than that! At St.Louis we worked with the children for all of maybe four hours for three days! Monday-Thursday we go, go, go all day long! Not only that, but each counselor has their own kid to be with for the week! So, it seems like it will kind of be like the buddy system. I'm really excited about having my own kid, but I'm also nervous. I really want my heart to be all there this week with those children. Especially the one kid I'll be glued to! I want to just love, love, love he/she as much as possible without driving the poor child crazy. :) I'm nervous that I'll do something or say something wrong to the kid, or that the child just won't like me. I know that it seems so silly, that is just how I feel. But, I know that this is where God wants me this week and that according to His wonderful plans everything will be amazing and fall into place just like it should! I'm loving the mission trips I've been going on this summer, and it has really made me want to become a missionary sometime, maybe even after college. But, that is just if that is what God wants me to do. If it happens, all credit goes to Him. I would love to go to Honduras and Africa, just digging deeper with the work and loving more and more children! God is so good! Georgia is going to be a trip I'll never forget!

Who We Really Are....

I'm just so lucky to be apart of the college group at my church, Stones River. I know, I'm not in college, but my aunt does cook for the college kids and we do not have yoth group on Wednesdays, so that is why I am there. I have been extremely blessed with being with all of the college students over the past year! I've made so many good friends, and they are the best people to look up to! Also, our preacher is the one who speaks on Wednesday nights. Tonights "lesson" was about who we really are. He basically talked about when we look in the mirror, who do we see? Obviously, we see our faces. But, when you cover your face, and believe by faith, you should see Jesus. 2,000 years ago on a cross, Jesus took who we "were" away. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. I took away from that lesson...That in all reality, if we aren't actually believing all the GOOD things Jesus tells us, that we are seriously lost. I can't look in the mirror and believe that I'm a sinner, ugly, judged, broken, whatever, and actually believe what Jesus says that I am. Grasping the good news, the great gift that God has given us, just blows me away! Jesus said, "You are holy and blameless in my sight". He doesn't judge us, he doesn't look down on us, he isn't disappointed with us. He loves us. Jesus took it all. We just need to accept this beautiful gift. It is free. We just have to recieve it. I'm learning how to just say yes. Wake up, and say yes. Never say no to God. Accepting what He has in store for me, because obviously His plans are far better than mine. Look in the mirror and see Jesus, say yes to God, and believe and accept the gift of His love and grace!