“Sky* came to camp at the last minute, and the first thing she told me was that she had been forced to come,” her counselor recalled. “She was older than the other girls in the group and was very quiet, guarded and distant on Sunday.”
“We were worried about whether she would feel safe enough to open up to the group,” her counselor began. “But on Monday, when we ate our first meal in the dining hall, the campers began a game of ’Telephone’. We played the game around the table, laughing and coming up with ridiculous nonsensical phrases. At the beginning of the meal Sky was quiet but soon after we started the game, she joined in and showed her sense of humor and her ability to turn anything into a fun game.”
“As the week progressed, we watched Sky come out of her shell to reveal a kind, thoughtful, creative, and outgoing young woman. On Tuesday night, the campers were having fun at our Barn Riot and pulled Sky into a big dance circle. Afterwards, she told me that she’d been starting to feel depressed and wanted to isolate herself, but when the other campers brought her in, it was like a wall being broken down. She said, ‘Oh man, I can’t even be depressed here!’ She found joy in the little things-praying, singing, Bible time- and Sky would ask deep and thoughtful questions about God and why He allowed pain in our lives. Once she felt safe enough, she finally opened up about the trauma she had faced as a child. My heart broke for her, but at the same time, I was so proud of the courage it took for her to share her story.”
“At the end of the week Sky was crying when she left camp. Even though she was planning to come back to Wanake, it wouldn’t be the same. When Sky returned to Wanake, she updated me daily. At the end of her second week, the camper who had been forced to come to camp was telling me that she wanted to be a camp counselor someday and return to camp every summer.”
“I truly hope Sky returns to Wanake. Here she is reminded that she is loved, seen and capable of so much more than her pain. Watching her blossom over those two weeks at camp was the most meaningful part of my summer, and I’ll never forget the light she carries.”
Your generosity gives campers like Sky the opportunity to attend camp and experience the life growth the camp experience offers. Your support offers young adult staff the opportunity to be in ministry with Jesus and see the impact of God’s work in and through them and in the lives of campers. Thank you for your generous support.
*Name changed to protect the privacy of the camper.
