As you probably already know, I graduated from college last May. (Crazy that it’s been over a year already since I was at Grace!) I knew the Lord was leading me to the World Race next after college, but I also knew that I needed to fill the 7 months between graduation and launching in January with something. When I asked the Lord to open the right doors, He gave me an opportunity to work at a local Christian camp and retreat center. (Shoutout Cedar Lake Ministries!!) I worked there over the summer as the camp photographer/videographer, and then had the further opportunity to work there in media and marketing until I left for training camp for the Race.
When the opportunity arose for the summer job, I honestly wondered at it. Why a camp? I’d attended church camp as an elementary schooler (shoutout Camp Manitoqua!!), but otherwise camp wasn’t a huge part of my life or something I was extra passionate about. But as it was the only door the Lord opened at that point, I walked through it. And, surprise, I really enjoyed putting my skills and schooling to work in that environment! (It’s almost like God knows us well or something. 😉) I remember there were even days that summer on the job, when I was still praying a lot about what was ahead and before I officially committed to the World Race, where I had random thoughts in whatever chaotic moment was happening of, “this will help me on the Race.” There were a lot of other blessings in that job – far and away beyond just Race prep, to be sure! – but I found those instances to be so oddly specific that I wondered what would come of them.
Fast forward to September 2024. I’m on the World Race, in Cambodia, our very last country. To get ready for part of our time in ministry here, one of our teams was asked to join an orientation and training – for a weeklong Christian youth camp in Cambodia. WHAT. I was blown away – what are the odds?! So many other things on the Race have been positively influenced by my camp experience last summer, but this direct connection was like the cherry on top. I sat through that day of training with such an awareness of God’s presence in the details of everything. Every event, every season, every decision. God is in the details.
There were a lot of sweet moments that came from the prep and actual week of camp here – including a lot of testimonies on our side of things alone! Here are just a few of them…
- I was asked to head up the decorations for the dorms at camp: 4 guy dorms and 4 girl dorms. I had NO idea what I was doing, but by the end of the first prep day, I had 8 themes based on Bible verses and ideas of what to make for each room. Over 2 weeks we cut out shapes, painted decorations, and made banners, so that when we got to camp we were able to put up decorations in all the rooms before the campers came! (Bless this squad for being willing to help with arts and crafts for ministry 😆) Not only was this a fun way to incorporate some of the creative talents the Lord has given me, but He showed me even in this how He answers our prayers. During the camp prep my prayer was that the kids would be able to feel God’s love even through the decorations in their dorms – the detailed intimacy of His love seen in that we, as vessels of His love, cared enough to specifically decorate their rooms. And the first night, one of the counselors told me (without knowing that I’d worked on the decorations) that the decorations in the dorms were so nice and made the rooms feel like home rather than just a random place to stay far from their hometowns. 🥹❤️
- The camp director told us how the idea of a youth camp had been in the works for over a year, but the role our team filled – setup, teardown, prep, material runners, and other such miscellaneous things – had remained open after most details had been figured out. Not until a few months before the camp was our team confirmed to help, and then we as a squad didn’t even know about the camp until we got to Cambodia! But camp leadership told us again and again that we were quite literally an answer to prayer and a critical part of this camp. From being part of prayer covering for the counselors and camp in general, to doing needed prep work that the rest of the staff couldn’t do because of other obligations, the Lord made us a way bigger part of this camp than we could’ve imagined. The crazy part? Our route was originally supposed to end in Thailand, not Cambodia! Our last two countries were switched before our launch due to lodging conflicts, and now we know that the Lord’s hand was on that change – without it, we wouldn’t have been able to help at the camp, and we would’ve ended up in Chiang Mai during the worst flooding the city has ever seen. God not only protected us but used us for plans greater than we could imagine! (And on that note, please pray for Chiang Mai as they work through rebuilding/restoration!)
- As mentioned, at camp our team was not only the setup team/extra hands/etc. – we also had a responsibility to pray for the camp and the staff in particular! We were assigned prayer partners to pray for and check in with during camp. All of my prayer partners were super sweet counselors, and I got to connect with them a lot more than I expected! I made fast friends with one, who I got to have several long conversations with about faith, camp and our stories during times we were both free. The last night of camp she shared with me that she had second guessed coming to camp because she didn’t know anyone and wasn’t sure if she would be able to make any connections. One of her friends had encouraged her and said that she trusted the Lord would provide a friend for her when she went. And then we started talking while we were in line for dinner the first night at camp! God is so kind to see our desires and meet us in our worries, providing even the littlest things when we trust Him to do so.
In all these ways and more, this camp was such a special experience to be part of, and I am truly grateful that God directed our paths to cross with this ministry in this place for such a time as this! ❤️
