Some camp highlights include being blessed with some earrings from a random person, by the Destiny Rescue jewelry table. I was talking to some of my students as we looked at the jewelry and I was saying that I wished I had money on me. A girl handed me some money. I objected saying I did have money, it was just at the lodge. She told me to take it, that she was blessed with $100 by a stranger at Good Will when she said she was going to a church camp. Anyway, the rescued girls make jewelry to sell and raise money for the ministry. The woman who runs the ministry with her husband spoke one day in worship and gave her testimony. They rescue children from human and sex trafficking, and it was a great opportunity to move the souls of some young people.
As I was worshiping one day, I realized I really need more training, so I have finally decided I need to take classes in the fall in ministry. My heart continues to want to teach Biblical truths to young women. They need to know how much they are valued and how to go about finding love. They need to see their value in Christ and know the love of God and other Christians so they will not be looking to men to fill that void. God helped me to see this throughout the week, and provided some great opportunities to speak candidly about some important things with just the girls.
God used me in some really unexpected ways throughout the week and some really neat things happened. One of the coolest ways is that I really felt like I needed to have a talk about modesty to the girls, and what wearing low tops and short shorts does to their Christian brothers, as well as any man. I pulled the 19 girls away from the guys for a talk one day. I emphasized that God's rules about modesty and sexual purity are for our own safety and to protect us, but I added that even the girl that is raped because she wears tight, immodest clothing does not deserve it. Men have to choose to control their desires, but we should help them out. I told them how much they are valued and that God wants others to see who they are, not what they wear (or do not wear). I told them they were beautiful and that they needed to protect that beauty and really be aware of how the way they dress effects men of all ages. It was a shock to most of them, and I was glad we had the time to have the talk. It just kind of came out. It wasn't my plan, but they all asked good questions and their eyes were opened. I have not had an opportunity before now to have the conversation, but I challenged them to stay accountable to each other in the way they dress. At least now they know why it is important.
Wednesday night I stayed up til after 2 with some of the kids. They wanted to hear the attack story, and had been bugging me for months to tell it, so I started at the beginning. It is a very personal story and some of my students who had friends who knew me when it happened began to talk about it. So I told the story of going to Liberia in 2007 and lead up to the attack in 2009. I finished and wondered if I should have shared so much. I have never been so open with them about all the details and the relationship that was all wrapped up in that story. Just like usual, I started to shake as I told it. But my students were so engaged. When I was done, one of my guys told me he really likes the way I tell stories. And in a few days, my scars will be 3 years old.
So the last day at camp, I get a text from one of my high school students, who began to open up to me. As we were in the same room, but doing other things around the other 35 people with our group, she text me that she was really sorry for my scars and for Jesus' scars from being whipped. She said that we didn't deserve them or choose them, but we have them. But she chooses to cut her skin when she feels depressed. She told me she was sorry for what happened to me. It touched my heart in a very unexpected way. The next night was the last night, and she text me that she really felt she needed to tell me her story, which she does not tell anyone. I was amazed at what she had suffered in the name of lust and control, but more than that, at the healing and freedom she now felt from me being open and sharing about some of my scars. God totally used my story, being so open and it hit me all at once. I did not intend to be so open or share so much, but once I got going, I did not stop myself. That was God's plan, and healing came out of it for at least two of us. With my students playing games and having fun all around me, I sat where I was with silent tears rolling down my cheeks, thankful that no one noticed but the one who was texting me.
During the week at camp, I had a friend on my heart quite a bit as we worshiped. Sometimes it was very distracting as I tried to worship. I would stop singing and pray. One time, I asked God to do a transforming work in this friend and as the words left my mouth, I saw this vision of my friend, alone outside, bending over on hands and knees in front of a large cross. I just prayed that God would spark something new and real in this life. That this friend would forgo Christianity and try to follow Jesus. It was really the first time I can remember when I was worshiping God and I saw some kind of a vision as I prayed. It was pretty cool, and I sure hope it is happening, or will soon happen for my friend.
It was a very full and fun week. I spent all my free time with my students, and picked things like canoeing over taking a nap. They wanted me to be a part of everything they did. I even played on the Aqua Rocker, a giant inflatable teeter totter in the water, with them. It was a great week and my paintball welt is just a fading bruise, I think I am almost ready for my final week at camp.
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