Renewed by Light

Saturday was the end of a long slew of summer camps. Thank God (in many ways)!

I love Proem Zako camps. They’re energetic, fun, engaging, and exhausting all at the same time. It’s tough to give your heart week after week, but so worth it for the campers and volunteers who come to experience it all.

My favorite and most challenging camp was English Camp. I was in charge of making sure everybody had materials, lesson plans, ideas and confidence going into English workshops each day.  I had a blast doing it, but it was super stressful. And also the first time I’d ever had to manage/coordinate so many moving parts (16 groups, holler!). I enjoyed the experience, though, and the whole week was made so much easier with amazing volunteers from all over the US.

My usual vocal workshops went off swimmingly, too. We had a lot of Polish songs this year since I’ve improved my ability to speak and teach it, so the kids could enjoy learning something new and enjoying the group rather than focus too much on pronunciation.

One of the reasons summers here are great for spiritual growth and love for the ministry is the amount of selflessness and flexibility required. You really have to come out of yourself at camps and engage the people and experience around you. It requires you to get over yourself and look at the bigger picture: there are kids from all over Poland experiencing the love of Christ through us. We’re examples for them. Those hugs and smiles are a big deal. Yeah, I’m lacking sleep, emotionally drained and sweaty, but looking at how excited the campers are for worship, doing the dances and attentive to the messages — I get over myself quick. God is at work and it’s awesome.

As I enjoy some reprieve for the next 2 weeks before school begins, reflecting back on this whole summer, I’m just grateful. I know, I write this often but it remains true: I’m so incredibly thankful God has placed me here in Poland to be part of this ministry. I’m happy to have met the people He’s put in my path and the many I will encounter as my stay here continues.

The mission remains the same — to share the light of Christ with the people around me and to work as part of Proem to that end. I believe it definitely happened this summer and there’s even more to look forward to this school year.