This is a reflection I shared at Chapel a couple of weeks ago. It's fairly unedited, but stream of conscious is my blog style anyway. :)
I'll remember...
Places like Koinonia Farms that has been living into creating the Kingdom of God in Southwest, GA (amidst racial tensions in the 1960s), places like ECHO farm which is demonstration plot for those working to create sustainable, efficient farm solutions to hunger around the world, places like Brethren Housing Association which has been hosting Brethren workcamps for the past 20 years, places like New Community Project which is working to live faithfully and sustainably with people and the earth, places like Innisfree Village which allows those created differently from us to live happy, productive lives…
I'll remember...
People like Chris Cronin of Wings of Eagles Ranch, who teaches equine therapy for young people with mental and physical disabilities, she has an amazing Jonah-like story of faith and opened up her ranch and her heart to us that week…people like Dennis Saylor from Brethren Housing Association who, along with his wife, have fostered over 54 children in 25 years…people like Bonnie from Innisfree Village, a kind resident who invited us into her home and fed us popcorn and homemade lemonade…Willie from Innisfree Village, who has autism, but was patient with my campers and helped them assemble cutting boards on a rainy day. “Symmetrical is good. Not symmetrical is good, too. Creative.” He would say…People like Tom Benevento who taught my youth how to make almost anything out of bambop...People like Jhon from ECHO farm who shared about his journey from Columbia and being an illegal immigrant for 13 years…People like Jenn Hosler who manages the Brethren Nutrition Program in Washington City Church of the Brethren and is the sweetest person I have ever met…
I'll remember...
Campers like Timmy who asked, “Why did they kill John Kline? He was trying to help everybody. Why did they have to kill him?”… Campers who share that they’ve wanted to end their lives, but didn’t…Advisor Gabe who tells jokes like “Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was too tired.”…Campers who plan worship and morning devotions and make it their own…Campers who really just want to chop down some banana plants with machetes (who wouldn’t!?)…Campers grieving over the loss of a church youth and choosing to come to workcamp anyway…Matt who boldly asked to play tennis against a Special Olympian Tennis player (and lost!) …Advisors who can’t function without their morning coffee - or evening coffee (that’s where I put my foot down)…A whole group of Koinonia workcampers joyfully rocking hairnets for food safety…Playing word games with campers in the hot Florida sun while pulling weeds… Campers like Jenna whose goal was to take over 2,000 pictures during her workcamp week, and succeeded…Campers crying on the final morning saying good-bye to all of their new friends…Campers who are already planning an NYC workcamp reunion…count me in!
And that’s something to be proud of Workcamp program. In our booklet it says, “expect things to be different than they are at home” and that’s not always bad. Each week is a recreating of what we think the Kingdom of God is…sharing, fellowshipping with strangers who become friends, serving those around us, forgiving each other, understanding those different from us, playing four-square, being grateful before each meal and throughout the day, worshipping morning and evening and moments in between. If only the world could be more like workcamps.
People like Chris Cronin of Wings of Eagles Ranch, who teaches equine therapy for young people with mental and physical disabilities, she has an amazing Jonah-like story of faith and opened up her ranch and her heart to us that week…people like Dennis Saylor from Brethren Housing Association who, along with his wife, have fostered over 54 children in 25 years…people like Bonnie from Innisfree Village, a kind resident who invited us into her home and fed us popcorn and homemade lemonade…Willie from Innisfree Village, who has autism, but was patient with my campers and helped them assemble cutting boards on a rainy day. “Symmetrical is good. Not symmetrical is good, too. Creative.” He would say…People like Tom Benevento who taught my youth how to make almost anything out of bambop...People like Jhon from ECHO farm who shared about his journey from Columbia and being an illegal immigrant for 13 years…People like Jenn Hosler who manages the Brethren Nutrition Program in Washington City Church of the Brethren and is the sweetest person I have ever met…
I'll remember...
Campers like Timmy who asked, “Why did they kill John Kline? He was trying to help everybody. Why did they have to kill him?”… Campers who share that they’ve wanted to end their lives, but didn’t…Advisor Gabe who tells jokes like “Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was too tired.”…Campers who plan worship and morning devotions and make it their own…Campers who really just want to chop down some banana plants with machetes (who wouldn’t!?)…Campers grieving over the loss of a church youth and choosing to come to workcamp anyway…Matt who boldly asked to play tennis against a Special Olympian Tennis player (and lost!) …Advisors who can’t function without their morning coffee - or evening coffee (that’s where I put my foot down)…A whole group of Koinonia workcampers joyfully rocking hairnets for food safety…Playing word games with campers in the hot Florida sun while pulling weeds… Campers like Jenna whose goal was to take over 2,000 pictures during her workcamp week, and succeeded…Campers crying on the final morning saying good-bye to all of their new friends…Campers who are already planning an NYC workcamp reunion…count me in!
And I'll remember...
After a week of fellowship, service, prayer, worship, and play – one of my workcampers reflected that this week was so unlike anything at home. The people and the friends she had made were different from her peers at school. She was devastated to be leaving such an uplifting environment with so many wonderful friends.
After a week of fellowship, service, prayer, worship, and play – one of my workcampers reflected that this week was so unlike anything at home. The people and the friends she had made were different from her peers at school. She was devastated to be leaving such an uplifting environment with so many wonderful friends.
And that’s something to be proud of Workcamp program. In our booklet it says, “expect things to be different than they are at home” and that’s not always bad. Each week is a recreating of what we think the Kingdom of God is…sharing, fellowshipping with strangers who become friends, serving those around us, forgiving each other, understanding those different from us, playing four-square, being grateful before each meal and throughout the day, worshipping morning and evening and moments in between. If only the world could be more like workcamps.
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