Camp 2017
Director Jaime bringing her “A” game at our very first camp!
Day #1
And so it begins…
Camp has begun! We could not have asked for a better first day. A year and a half of preparation has come to fruition this week and our hearts are so full. We’ve had hours and hours of training to prepare our hearts and minds for each of the children, but the moment they got off of that bus was something no amount of training could prepare us for. We made signs for each of the children and waited (with much anticipation) for the large Cavallo bus to bring the kids to camp. “They’re turning into camp, everyone!!!” Whistles and cheers and jumping and screaming - the bus stopped and a red carpet was rolled out.
These kids are royalty.
If you stop and think about the amount of pain and hurt they’ve experienced in their short lives, the many times where they have been cast aside, the encounters where their names are nothing but something to be yelled in anger - THIS moment, the moment they get off of that bus, is extremely special.
Each kid, wearing a crown and sunglasses, was announced by name as they walked off of that bus and onto the red carpet and the staff would go wild! High fives all around, cheering for them by name, radiating smiles as a welcome to camp.
These kids are royalty.
We want them to know how deeply special they are. We want them to know that they are unique and loved and wanted. More importantly, we want them to know that there is a GOD who loves them and knows them so intricately. That’s why we are here.
It is a beautiful thing to watch these children run around and play together. They’re being kids this week, which is a luxury they often can’t afford. We get to witness them being kids and it is one of the biggest honors in the world.
These kids are royalty.
Day #2
Yesterday was everyone’s birthday! “Happy Birthday” resounded across camp throughout the day, the girls wearing crowns and the boys sporting superhero capes. (There’s also one little boy who has not taken off the crown he was given on the first day, so he’s a superking). After lunch the cousins gave them a gift: bedding and a quilt that had been sewn months before camp with much love and prayer. Some of the quilts had camo or superheros or flowers - but all of the quilts came with a poem attached at the bottom “This blanket was made with loving hands - just like God created you with loving hands. As you wrap yourself in this blanket, feel the softness hug you! Sleep in peace, for God loves you!” One cousin mentioned that his camper got so excited he ran to his room and ripped off the sheets he brought to put on the new bed set.
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We had a Carnival themed birthday party with a dunk-tank, blow-up obstacle course, games, cotton candy, snow cones, pop-corn, face-painting, and balloon animals. The kids raced through the obstacle course with their friends and several members of the staff. Grandma and Grandpa even went through it (which provided a lot of laughs)! The line never seemed to end for the dunk-tank. Some of the kids hit it with the ball, but most got pure joy from just running out and hitting it with their hand. The whole afternoon was laced with laughter. If you stood still in the middle of the field, you could feel the presence of God in this place.
After a couple of hours we moved into the dining hall. The kids waited outside and caught a glimpse of the presents waiting for them. Their eyes lit up, with their little painted faces pressed up to the glass pointing to the gifts along the wall. We sang happy birthday and then gave each child a personalized 4-inch cake and ice-cream. It was finally time for presents. Each child was called out by name, cheered for, and given a present. On the count of three everyone opened them all together! The room was full of squeals and big eyes.
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Birthdays are something kids wait for each year. However, for some of these kids, their birthdays may not be celebrated as much as we’d like them to be. Maybe some of the kids have never even had a birthday party. We don’t ask them about their past but we wanted to give them a birthday they could remember. As we sang happy birthday to them and called them up by name to give them their gifts - we sent a message. We told them they are loved, seen, known, and infinitely valuable. We told them that their lives are worthy of being celebrated, no matter what the circumstance. And believe me, these kids are so worthy of everything in the world.
“When people give you gifts, that proves they love you!” - Camper, age 10.
Day#3
(names have been changed for privacy)
Some of a child’s best memories come from years and years of summer camp; all sorts of shenanigans, laughter, doing new things, singing, new friends and talent shows. The majority of kids at Royal Family Kids Camp this week are experiencing all of this for the first time! They have never been to camp before. So far this week, kids have been introduced to canoeing, fishing, and archery - most of them being first-timers. Kids who are in transition don’t get the chance to take a second to slow down, let alone go fishing with Grandpa or try a new sport like archery.
All of the positive experiences this week can cause a bit of confusion for the kids. Yesterday a cousin and her camper (age 6) were getting ready to go canoeing and all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, the camper started to cry in the bathroom. The cousin heard her camper crying and when she came out asked, “What’s wrong, Julia?”. Her sweet, little camper responded through tears, “Why doesn’t anybody want me? Nobody wants me. Nobody loves me.”
“Well, I love you and Jesus loves you!”
J: “No He doesn’t…”
“Why don’t you think Jesus loves you?”
J: “If He loved me, he would have other people love me…”
Now, these are some deep, theological questions to be wrestling with at 6 years old. Julia’s story is a bit different than other 6 year olds. In her short life she has already been back and forth between foster homes and her biological mother several times & has experienced 2 failed adoptions.
The cousin and her camper got on the bus to go down to the lake and the cousin took this time to show Julia that she is loved. She asked another cousin, “Do you love Julia?” “Of course I do!” The cousin noticed Pastor sitting close, “Now Julia, Pastor has studied the bible a lot! Pastor, is it true that Jesus really loves everybody? Is it true that Jesus loves Julia?” “Absolutely! Jesus is crazy for Julia”. With that, she took off running to get a life-jacket.
Not only are we giving kids a first time experience at camp and giving them positive experiences they will carry with them, we are constantly reminding them that we love them. That God loves them. In the midst of all the pain they’ve gone through in their lives, we are providing an oasis of love, acceptance, and belonging.
Please be praying with us, for Julia and for all of the campers, that they may know the deep, unwavering love of Christ and that families will be moved to care for them like Christ would care for them.
Day #4
It is so hard to believe our week is coming to an end and we have to say goodbye to all of our campers soon. In our short time together we have set norms that the campers thought were kind of crazy at the beginning and are now joining in. Each time the kids walk into the dining hall, support staff use noise-makers and we yell loudly for them. On the first day, they walked into the dining hall with wide eyes, covered ears, and red faces. Today, they were grabbing noise-makers on their way in, striking poses, and giving princess waves. It has been a joy watching their personalities unfold as they recognize they are in a safe place with safe adults.
We concluded our activities with a talent show and the sign up sheet was full with 17 acts. Tumbling, singing, super-hero fights, drums, tap-dancing, princess do’s and don’ts. One sweet girl in particular received the loudest praise. Day one, she got off of the bus with the saddest face and nothing could make her smile. She gave one word answers and looked like she could burst into tears any second. Each day she would slowly start smiling more and more. She took risks - she dove off of the diving board, she played games (and won!), she didn’t close her ears when we cheered for her, and then she sang at the talent show.
She stood front and center and sang “Fight Song” with a trio of support behind her. Half way through the song, the whole audience ran up to the stage like they were at a concert and cheered for her as she sang. She didn’t flinch or shy away. She stood her ground and sang about the fight she has in her even when no one believes her. The song ended and all of her new friends stormed the stage giving her hugs and high fives. You know those moments, when just for a second, it is as if the veil between heaven and earth is ripped open and you can see everything in infinite glory? Yeah, this was one of those moments.
“This is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I’m alright song. My power’s turned on, starting right now I’ll be strong, I’ll play my fight song. And I dont really care if nobody else believes, ‘cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me” - Rachel Platton, “Fight Song”.
Day #5
Camp has ended and we are now transitioning back into our normal day to day lives. We brought the kids back to the church where they were picked up by their foster families and showed the families how much fun the kids had this week. The kids and cousins came up on stage and performed the songs we had been singing all week for the families. The look of pride on each of their little faces was such a treasure. We shared fun memories and favorite moments of camp and played one last minute-to-win-it game.
And then it was time to say goodbye. We were warned before camp started that we would be wrecked on Friday; that it would be one of the hardest things we’ve done. Saying goodbye to the kids we have formed bonds with and loved on all week, not knowing what sort of situations they are heading back into in the foster system. During our debrief session we shared some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking memories, we laughed a lot, and we looked our fear straight in the face. Each of these children are of infinite value and we worked very hard to show them that this week and give them a camp experience they will never forget. Yet, each of these children are in a broken system which means we do not know what will happen to them after they walk out that door.
What we do know is this: We learned all week about the story of Joseph and how much he had to trust in God that good can come from bad. Not that God causes the bad, but that God is big enough to make good things come from the ashes. Alongside the kids, we learned that we also have to trust in God and not lose faith. We sat with children all week that have been through the unthinkable. If we can tell them to trust in God, we too must trust in God. We are believing for miracles in each of their lives. We believe that God never leaves their side and is walking with them just as He did with Joseph.
These children have been etched into our hearts, God is not going to let us forget them. We carry them with us as we go about our daily lives. We hope and pray that we will get to see them again next year at Royal Family Kids Camp. Will you join us next summer?