A New Experience

By: Mary McIsaac, Summer Intern in Kingston-Galloway

This was my first summer being an intern at TCM's Sonshine Day Camp, and I was super excited for it to start. I have worked with children in the past, and I thought this would be a great opportunity as well as another way to help myself and others come closer to God. Needless to say, I was also nervous. Becoming an intern at TCM meant starting over. New location, new people, new children, new challenges. Looking back at all the other times I worked with children, I could see that I was more of a follower than I was a leader, so I knew that this was going to be far more difficult.

At the start I had doubts that I'd ever get to know the children, let alone become friends with them, since I am awfully quiet most of the time. Fortunately, I was wrong about that. I've gotten to know a lot of the children and some of them even come up and talk to me themselves! I'm sure this happens to every intern, but regardless, it made me feel happy that my doubts didn't become a reality. I felt very encouraged when my last Bible lesson ended on a high note, as one of the kids begged me to continue the story after I had abruptly said "To be continued!"

The more I got to know the children, the more I realized how much of a blessing it must be for them for us to be here. Furthermore, the more I personally spend more time with a child, the more I learn about them. Some of these things I've learned however, are unfortunate.

Day after day, it seems each child is fighting a battle against the world. A lot of the children are impacted by poverty and bad influences, and are starting to believe atrocious lies about themselves at such young ages. Some of them are even convinced they're not worthy enough to go to heaven and are thus going to hell. Again, they are only children.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that one child was in the corner and not participating. It's normal for children to sit out when they find a game unfair or when they simply don't want to participate. Other times though, the children have something much more serious in their thoughts. When I sat next to them and asked what the matter was, they actually opened up, and what they told me (which I've decided not to mention) made my heart sink.

It is guaranteed that we are to be with our loving God for all eternity, but as long as we live in this world, we are not yet free from the grasps of evil. The children are, of course, still young. Maybe too young to not yet realize how important they are to God, and vice versa. Luckily, one of TCM's purposes is to remind them that God is looking out for each and every one of them at every moment of the day!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

There are only a couple of days left of camp. I don't know where the children will go, nor what they'll do, nor what will happen to them... but I hope and pray that they will continue to ask for God, to search for God, to trust in God, no matter what!

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace all times in every way. The lord be with you all" - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Mary is a summer intern with TCM for a first time. She most enjoys that she has the opportunity to step out of her comfort zone while ministering to the children she meets.