Sunday, July 17, 2011

A Fortnight

A fortnight. Ooooh sounds fun! Are we sleeping in a fort tonight? Awesome....

Will and I started our adventure in Canada with 6 weeks until we were married and a lot of time to just hang out. We had never anticipated that we would be serving for 2 weeks at the summer camp I grew up going to. We just finished up two weeks and it was incredible. I was helping out my friend Alissa directing the program and Will spent one week on maintenance and the other week leading a cabin full of Grade 5's.

It was a really incredible time and I'm thankful for the opportunity. We met some pretty amazing kids throughout the two weeks. It was interesting to see us really draw to the kids that have tough homes and stories. During the high school aged week, we met a guy named Tanner*. He was living in a foster home with a few other kids. His parents had both been heroin addicts but died along the way. He had just gotten off drugs before camp and needed to smoke to help him along. Will got the opportunity daily to take him for drives so he could smoke. Will had some great conversations with him. I watched Tanner over the week and was just touched to see such a rough kid just let his guard down completely. He didn't need to put up a tough front. I just imagined what it would be like in his home and on the streets where I'm sure he had a ton of friends. He even told Will he loved camp because he could just be himself and didn't feel judged. I thought this was an incredible statement, especially for a Christian camp. Most people claim to feel judged around Christians. Anyway, I adored him and wish that we could be near so we could walk a road with him, but that's not possible.

One thing that I think we both realized is how we are both so fit for camp ministry and how camp ministry really does change lives. We're happy to be in Calgary this year to plug into Will's camp, Limber Pine, throughout the year.

So, life is good. Will and I are getting married in a fortnight. I only heard this word used for the first time and learned the definition of it through my dear English friend, Kitty-Cat. (Miss you)

2 comments:

Lacey said...

A fortnight seems so soon! i have always loved the term "fortnight"!

Kristal this post made my heart beat faster, Camp ministry is indeed so special, its often north american kids first (and not often only) experiance of living in a community setting and it indeed changes lives! I will say a prayer for Tanner when im done commenting that even though you and will arent able to walk that road with him that people as caring and lovely as the two of you would ralley around him.
You are beautiful my friend, cant wait to see you!

Brooke said...

Wow. What a really special way to spend two weeks. It's amazing what opportunities and blessings God gives, even when we're in times of transition. My heart goes out to Tanner and so many kids like him. I love you!