Iwas busy in some other important stuff, when Bobby, my brother here had asked to consider of going to the Christian camp as a counsellor. Jeremy, my nephew was about to leave for the junior camp and the upcoming camp would be of the Junior/high school. I called Scott Mason, my church pastor to convey him my willingness to be the counsellor. He happily accepted my plan of going to the camp, rather was thankful. At that time, I didn’t have any idea that what the counsellor was supposed to do. I was handed over a list of things for the packing, and nothing else. However, my insight and the name of the camp itself depicted very well that it would be purely a Christian camp and that being a counsellor I will be sharing the word of God with my group of six-girls;four-teenage and two-11 years old girls. The camp had to last for six-days. Other than my own understanding of the camp, I didn’t have any other knowledge as to what would be the additional activities there. I started to pack excitedly for two reasons: first was to spend a week in Big Bear and secondly, to share the word of God with the kids, which would be a new experience for me.
When I reached at the camp, the kids had already reached there and started to get settled in their assigned cabins. I was handed over the list at the registration table of the girls I had to be with for next six-days, all were from my church. Four of them came in the same car, rather the father of two girls gave me a ride along with them. I had the oldest girls in the girls’ side. I knew just two of them and thats because of their parents. The rest four were as much strangers to me as I was for them.
The meeting of the counsellors took place at 5.00 pm the same day, I reached there. Before the meeting, I met a wonderful lady who is now my friend too. Her name is Jeanie and she had the past experience of being a counsellor in the camp for about two or three times. We just clicked on the very first meeting. She called me out of my cabin to give me the idea about the duties of a counselor. Furthermore, she told me about two girls in my cabin whom she counseled last time. Before her telling me few things which I should take seriously, my pastor had already told me. I am so glad to have met Jeanie and for a sweet friend I have found in her.
During the meeting, the organizer handed the counsellors with the schedule for six-days. The day for the counsellors would start at 7.30 am with the meeting, then break fast, and then busy until 2.30. During this time, there were outdoor activities and also the morning worship followed by the cabin meetings of counselors with kids. From 2.30 to 6.00 pm it was free time for kids, but counsellors were assigned with another duty from 3.00-4.30 pm. From 6.00 pm to mostly 10.00 pm non-stop activities. There were three days, when the activities lasted until 11 and then taking kids to the cabin and keeping awake until they slept was another duty.
The very first day, I asked the girls at the end of our Bible study in the cabin to pray. They started to look at me as if I asked them to climb a peak. Two of them told me that they didn’t know how and what to pray for. Overall, none of them was ready to pray as they were shy so to speak. I asked them to say a single sentence to thank God for all the blessings in their lives. After that day, I had made this practice to ask the girls to pray. As a result of that practice, they started to pray freely rather volunteered to pray. However, every time, I asked them to read the passage from Bible, they struggled which pushed me to think that was I the language teacher. At least I didn’t expect that from a 14-years old teenage.
That was my first interaction with the American teenagers and I didn’t have any idea that what a new and different experience it would turn into. I also realized that, God took me there for a purpose to not only share His word but also to make a little impact on few lives. Thats also true all of them were kids . But, thats also true they knew very well how to enjoy themselves which leads me to another approach that, they were old enough to understand the main purpose of the camp and that was to learn about the word of God and got strengthened in faith. Some kids made me cry as they were not responsible for the attitude they had, but their circumstances which was mostly the broken families or divorced parents.
I have the experience of teaching the boys class for two years at the City School in Pakistan. They were teenagers too. The way I controlled different boys section being the youngest teacher in the school startled the oldest teachers. Few of the students are now my face book friends too. I handled them in firm and friendly manner both. Most of them were difficult to handle, but not with me. Those students started to love and respect me to such level that they gave me the farewell cards as they were promoting to the next classes. I still remember one of the students who is now my Facebook friend wrote that: ” Thanks mam for changing me. I owe to you so much.”
I am friendly and firm with the kids. I know how to say something which they wont like diplomatically. Therefore, I talked to the kids at the camp in a friendly manner without bridging the distance which had to be there between me and them for the sake of respect .Few of them were candid in expressing their problems that they were going through. I was surprised to hear the concerns they were having in the age when their minds should just be focused on their studies. The parents had sent them to learn about the word of God which they couldn’t share with them due to their busy schedules or various problems. But, most of the kids didn’t come for that purpose. I also realized how the church needs to play its role in making the minds of such kids before sending them to that camp. As for those who came to get nearer to God took away so much, but for those girls and boys who went there for the purpose of fun gained nothing. I also felt the need of more emphasis on the sharing of word would direct the diverted kids to the straight path.
I can never forget the fifth day of the camp, when the kids were sharing the prayer requests. Few of the kids in my group started to cry and kept crying during the time I and Josh, the pastor were praying for them. The very next day, two of them came to me thanking for praying for them. They told me how good they were feeling then. I love their innocence which led me to a thought that those innocent minds need a direction and a signal which could straighten their perverted lives. Few of the kids were not at all interested to be share and adopted other ways of enjoying the camp.
I am thankful to God for giving me this opportunity. I myself tried to do so much which I never did, like walking on the rope for a minute and then archery. I got to share the experience of life as a Christian in Pakistan and how the freedom of religion is being taken granted by the people here. That experience in fact startled everyone of them. I have made good friends like Paige and Jeanie. Most importantly, it was a new experience of my life to have spent time with the young kids. The girls in my cabin didn’t create any problems except few which I successfully handled. 14-hours work also made me feel that I was a normal person and reminded me of my time in Geo and that I should be ready for such work in the future too.
God has His plans to make the things happen in our lives. No matter whether we want to accept it or not but He knows how to lead us towards the path we have never thought of. Thats what happened me for the camp.
Lubna Thomas Benjamin 