Patient is Really a Virtue

Written By: Victoria Chan, Summer Intern

This summer, I was called to serve at Flemingdon Park, a completely new site and our first time running Sonshine Day Camp. In the beginning of the internship I asked myself many questions like...

“How will I communicate the gospel to a mostly Muslim community?”

“Will I be able to connect personally with these kids?” or

“How will they behave around me?”

We’ve just finished the 5th week of camp, which means there’s only 2 more short weeks left. It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over. Its felt as if I just got to know the kids on a more personal level, and in just a couple weeks, I will be leaving them.

This past week has been one of my longest weeks this summer.  I would often be going to work stressed or leaving stressed.  My patience has seriously been tested that week but I partially blame the blazing hot weather (~30 degrees) for this chaotic week.  The kids were constantly running around, it would have been a surprise to see them sit down quietly for once. And the kids wouldn’t listen to the staff whenever we’d give them instructions, there were multiple accounts of bullying we had to deal with, and on top of that, we had limited volunteers who were able to help us control the kids.  It was a stressful week at camp. 

I was constantly challenged to show God’s love towards these kids this past week, despite how much they annoyed me.  Whenever I took a kid out to discipline, I was reminded to do it out of love and to make them understand that I’m disciplining them because I care about them and want them to grow up to be responsible, God-like adults.  And although they would always go back to their stubborn ways, I had to be patient with them and show them that I will love them no matter what.  This past week, I learned that patience really is a virtue. 

This is Victoria's second year as a summer intern with TCM.   Last summer, she was an intern at Jane-Finch and volunteered at the KIC (Kids in Community) after school program during the school year.  Victoria has learned how much she enjoys working in Flemingdon Park and feels very blessed to be able to serve the Lord. Victoria also secretly wants to be able to work for OVO Fest, a Canadian National Music Festival.