All Part of His Plan
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
It was four years ago when I first volunteered at my church’s summer camp, and I didn’t enjoy it. I came back the next summer, and I still didn’t like it. The year after that, I worked at a non-Christian summer camp, and I left thinking that I never wanted to work with children ever again. Yet, in the following spring, I had once again applied to work at another summer camp.
I was sure that I was going to land the job, but God had other plans for me. Because I didn’t land the position, I was able to serve at TCM’s Orton Park site with my church’s mission team. The experience was challenging, tiring, eye-opening, and also something I didn’t expect - fun. And when I volunteered at my church’s summer camp later that summer, I also had a lot of fun. I was positively surprised.
Over the following year, I reflected on how that change happened. How did I go from hating children and summer camp for three years to suddenly loving to serve in that capacity? I knew that it had to be God at work. And as I thought about applying for a job for this summer, I felt convicted that TCM was where God wanted me to go.
As this is my fifth year working at a summer camp, I’ve thankfully been able to handle my duty as a camp leader without much difficulty. I believe that God used all those previous summers at various camps to help me develop the skills I needed to manage the campers and lead activities.
However, God has also been reminding me that my role isn’t just to be a summer camp leader, it’s to be a missionary. While it is still important to make sure that the kids stay safe and have fun, I am reminded that God placed me here to share His love with the campers. And this isn’t just to be done during the Bible lessons and discussion times, but throughout the camp day. Whether it be during casual conversations during lunchtime, while playing games together at the park, or at any other time, God has constantly given me opportunities to reflect His love to the campers.
We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19
While there (expectedly) haven’t been any transformational moments at camp so far, I’ve been reminded that God has a purpose for bringing every camper and staff member to this camp. Just as God used my four years of summer camp experience to prepare me to serve at TCM, I am convinced that God will use this summer to do amazing things in the lives of the campers and staff. It is He who will do the transformation, according to His timing and perfect plan.
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
1 Corinthians 3:7