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Summer is winding down and I finally feel like I can take a breath again. During the last two weeks of July, Revolution(s) held its first “Learn-2-Ride” day camp. As the camp was a new endeavour for Revolution(s), a lot of time and energy was spent in preparation for it. It’s been a while since I’ve been actively involved in a day camp and I must say, I’ve forgotten how tiring it can be. I am definitely not as young as I used to be. On the first day of camp, I was busy constructing a beginner’s jump out of wood, so the kids could learn how to catch some “air”. Two of our campers came up to me to inquire about what I was building. The first girl, “A” couldn’t wait to try the ramp out. The second girl, “Y” firmly exclaimed, ”I am not riding that thing! No way!” Two days later they were both jumping the ramp like pros. In fact, “Y” didn’t want to stop. She would take run after run on the ramp, landing gracefully each time. When I asked her on the last day of camp if she remembered what she had told me on day one, she nodded with a huge sheepish grin on her face. It was wonderful seeing this young girl realize a new self- confidence in her capabilities. After camp one afternoon, a couple of us stood in the parking lot talking with one of Spring Garden Church’s members. She knew a lot of these kids from her neighbourhood and knew their backgrounds. It was heartbreaking hearing the different stories of brokenness; how fathers left these kids without a word, how moms were struggling to put food on the table, and how older siblings were getting in trouble with the law. It was a solemn reminder to me of the hidden hurt in the lives of the youth we work with. Please pray for wisdom as we discern how to continue to connect with these youth and build on the newfound relationships that camp provided. Please also keep in prayer the on going mentoring relationships that are happening with our older youth; that we may be a redemptive presence in the lives of these youth and that we may continue to journey with them as they learn, grow and discover who God has made them to be. Blessings, Clem “Y” on one of her many jumps over our beginners jump. Clem’s Revolution(s): Summer 2014
