Who would have known that more than twenty-five years later, I can say that one generous act of kindness changed my entire life!
I grew up in a church that had Pioneer Girls and being the only girl in a family of three brothers, it was super great to finally be around some other girls. One night at PG, the legendary Olli and Bean made a visit and gave us a night to remember! With their classic hilarious performances, that songfest is still a core memory for me. I went home wanting to go to camp with my entire being! The financial reality of sending me to camp was out of reach for my parents, so I spent the next few days making what was, for a ten year old, a work of art to appeal to someone out there to help me get to camp that summer.
My appeal worked and a generous couple at my church ended up sponsoring me for the week of camp. To this day I do not know their names, but every year I scrapbooked my weeks at camp so that I would remember the impact they had on my life.
I credit my summers at camp to both reaffirming my faith in Jesus as savior and having one of the greatest impacts on maturing my faith. Now I have the incredible opportunity to work at camp year-round and every summer continues to be an “incubator” for my spiritual development.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of that compassionate couple from my church, I had the life-changing opportunity to attend Camp Cherith in the 4th grade. Their sponsorship not only made the camp experience possible, but opened doors to new friendships, self-discovery, and lasting memories. Camp literally changed my life — shaping my character and fostering a sense of community that continues to inspire me today. I am forever grateful for the support that transformed my childhood and set me on a path of growth and resilience.
