On the second night of camp, we gathered in the basement of our dorm for our church group devotion. This time of reflection is designed to bring all the threads from the day together, allowing our children a safe place with our church group to continue wrestling with what we’ve been talking about through the day.
We’d spent the day talking about God’s welcome and the invitation to welcome others in scripture. I love beginning and ending our days with children’s books, and for this night, I had chosen a book by Kobi Yamada entitled Noticing. It's the story of a child who befriends a painter and is enamored by the painter’s ability to see things that the child cannot see. The painter invites them to use their imagination, to be curious, to notice, and to recognize that what we see on the surface isn’t always all there is to see.
As we finished the book and kids moved back to their seats, a bit of a chaotic shuffle ensued—as happens in almost every camp transition. In that space, one of our campers spoke vulnerability into the gathering though. “Sometimes I’m like that. I can be really happy on the inside, but I don’t show it on the outside.”
This picture was one of the best ones we took during the week – full of smiles, hugs, joy and fun. But like our book reminded us, there is so much more to see beyond those smiles.
I see the energy of our first-time campers, who leapt into the experience and soaked up every moment and new activity. I see friendships forged at camp last year and the year before, and how the kids picked up right where they left off despite not really seeing each other much during the school year. I see beloved chaperones whose fierce love for Highland’s children was always loving and calling our children to be their best selves (so much gratitude for you Buddy and Angela!). And I see Highland’s promise to tell the stories of Jesus and sing the songs of faith for our kids, and how that promise is shaping each and every one of them.
Thank you, Highland, for supporting this experience with your financial offerings that provided mini-bus maintenance, chaperone costs and meals, supplies, and salaries for staff to prepare and go. And most of all, thank you for loving our kids just as they are at this moment in time, trusting that in every step they are growing to know God more deeply.
With joy and gratitude,
~ Renee Purtlebaugh