Kids' Camp Reflections

Finally, a bit of time to reflect.

These past few weeks at CCV have been a whirlwind between organizing CCV's 3 summer camps: STRETCH (middle-school students), KIDS' CAMP BIG TOP (children 4 years old-5th grade), and ESCAPE (high-school students). I FINALLY feel like I have a few minutes to reflect on my experiences within each, especially last week's production: KIDS' CAMP BIG TOP!

Knowing that I would be interning this summer, I was looking forward to helping out at another Kids' Camp, especially since I missed out on last year's pirate-themed camp because of my internship with Christ In Youth (CIY). To my surprise, little did I realize to what extent my involvement would entail.

I quickly became a part of the camp's drama, a 7-10 minute production that is performed for the children each year in order to illustrate the camp's themes, bible verses, and points of team-time conversation for the day. My role: I played a janitor at BIG TOP'S carnival whom always dreamed of being a tight-rope walker. After dreaming "big" on the first day and realizing that "big dreams come with big challenges," I was able to achieve my dream by day three, understanding that "God can do more than we can ever imagine!"



I admit, I admit, it was a lot of fun to be one of the "stars" for a few days. It was neat to see the kids' excitement when I high-five, danced, or engaged in conversations with them. I loved acting on-stage, off-stage, and taking the chance to "be bold" when ad-libbing lines with the cast. Whether acting, speaking, or getting the kids excited, it felt so natural to be on stage. I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable time or a better way in which I was able to exercise my God-given gifts.

My favorite and most memorable moment of all of camp occurred on the third day. Spur of the moment, I had decided to sit on-top one of the scaffolding pieces that sat on the top right part of our staging area to make the illusion that I had walked across the tight-rope that stretched across the auditorium ceiling. While children came in, I waved and during songs, I clapped and swayed. (Believe me, I wasn't planning on doing much more while sitting on a small pole that helped my bottom side feel in existent within a matter of minutes.)During the song "Your Words are Life," I embraced the moment of watching 500+ children (in the older session) jump up and down to the words in the chorus.

I had tears in my eyes.

Tight-rope walkers don't cry!

They do when witnessing something miraculous.

You know, it's incredible how the lessons that we choose to teach to such a young audience can be so applicable to our own lives. This year's theme, "Big Dreams" couldn't have been more "real" to my own situation. I know that God's allowed me to dream big dreams, not only for MJ the tight-rope walker, but MJ, Melissa Jaworski, the girl who LOVES the energy of children and students, the girl who LOVES to speak, sing, dance, act, and goof around to help make a Godly lasting impression in students' minds, the girl who'll admit that she's LOVES organization and administration, and the girl who over the course of her life time hopes to touch the lives of millions of people in "ways that she could never imagine."

I know that He's allowed me to dream big dreams-and this year's Kids' Camp has reminded me of the importance of that 1) God gives us strength to dream big dreams (Philippians 4:13), God is with us wherever we go, even through the challenging times (Joshua 1:9), and God can do more than we can ever imagine (Ephesians 4:20).

I'm glad that what God has planned is more than I can imagine, because I'm ready to take some daring chances to put myself on the line for a God so big, so strong, so courageous, and so creative.

God's a man of His Word.

I pray that one day, He'll have tears in His eyes while watching from His own "scaffolding" the dancing and singing going on below Him.