Weak But Strong

By: Julianna Lim, Summer Intern at Flemingdon Park

Camp is wonderful and the children are adorable, but it has been a difficult four weeks of camp. Currently, I have a perfect streak of being sick or injured each week. These limitations prevent me from interacting with the children to my fullest. For example, I have swum just once out of the eight swim days. Other obstacles I have had to overcome were my own fears. Entering into camp, I doubted my ability to be a leader. I couldn’t help but compare myself to the other staff at Flemingdon Park. They are all so talented in their own ways, and I allowed my fears to consume me. I felt so hopeless, and sometimes I felt so discouraged during small group because the children just wouldn’t listen. I know it’s not their fault because they’re so young, but I began to believe that the children’s unwillingness to listen was a reflection of my abilities to lead.

I kept asking, “God, why is this happening to me? Why did I get injured, why do I have so much pain? God, don’t you know I’m trying to serve you at camp?” But then 1 Corinthians 12:9-11 came to mind:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

My prayer and hope for this summer is to share the gospel with the children, and that their hearts will be open to accepting Christ. In the midst of my hardships and fears, I have witnessed God working in this camp. Anna (another Flemingdon Park staff) and I lead the small group for the youngest age group. One day, we planned to continue with our regular routine and let the children colour. However, it randomly became a thirty-minute conversation about the gospel.These grades 1 and 2 children, who normally run around and never listen, were all so engaged, asking how they could enter into heaven. They understood the concept of sin and asked how they could be saved. They wanted to know more about Jesus. I was amazed because it was clear that it was not the work of Anna or I, but God. It was an average day at camp, and God used that moment to allow us to share His story to the children. We asked if they wanted to accept Christ into their lives and all of them raised their hands. I do not know what will happen in the future, but I pray that God will work in their lives and that he will change their hearts. 

Even through hardships and struggles, we may think that we are not making a difference in the children’s lives, but God can use anything to share the Gospel. We may think we’re not making a huge impact, but God is moving in ways we may not see.

Julianna Lim is interning for the first time with Toronto City Mission at Flemingdon Park. She is patiently waiting for God to do great things in the children's lives through her.