I sit here at Dulles Airport at 12:30am. After crashing on a friend's couch for 2 hours, I am sitting by the Delta counter waiting for security to open.
This adventure takes me to Oklahoma City for a week-long training for Royal Family Kids' Camp. For those who know what RFKC is, they know the excitement, stories, and passion that drives the volunteers. For those who don't know what RFKC is, it's a week-long, volunteer-staffed camp for kids who have been abused, neglected, and unloved in order to provide a safe space to be a kid.
Wayne Tesch, the founder, explains it well in this video: https://youtu.be/sPZbaqT8m1w
This is my 11th year volunteering as a counselor at camp. It is also the year I get to go to Passing the Scepter director training - a dream I have long held in my heart until the right timing!!
I don't really know what to expect on this trip other than I was told to pack appropriate clothing and close-toed shoes, and that my transportation from Oklahoma City airport is being arranged. I also know one other thing - RFKC is 100% worth the uncertainty, unknowns, time-commitment, and adventure I am stepping into. It is going to be incredible!
I'll be honest and admit that as I'm writing this, part of me wishes I was curled up in my comfy bed or at least had a flat place to lay my head, but instead, I am here pondering my motivation to do this. The phrase "That all may partake" fills my thoughts. That every kid at camp gets to experience childhood joys - reeling in a fish, playing mommy to baby dolls, dressing up in princess outfits and silly hats, healthy adult-child relationships, blowing bubbles into the air, and being read bedtime stories at night.
A parable from the Bible comes to mind (Matthew 22:1-14).
A rich king throws a wedding feast for his son. Everything is cooked and the fancy garments are purchased. Excitedly, he sends out his servants to start inviting all their friends and family. But the invited people scorn the invitation, choosing instead to work their businesses and shame the servants. The king is angry. Everything is ready, why don't people want to come?! He sends out his servants again, this time commanding them to invite everyone they meet in the streets. The wedding hall is filled with guests - clean and dirty, bad and good. They wear their royal garments. Except for one man. He accepts the invitation but refuses to change his clothing. The king is incensed and has the man thrown out of the feast. The king looks at his feast and says, "Many are called, but few are chosen."
This parable sticks out to me tonight because there is an invitation to everyone to partake in the feast. Just like the love of Jesus, everyone is invited to experience it. Peoples' old gowns are stripped away and replaced with new clothing.
Camp reminds me of this.
I worked at a different camp long ago. Filled with holier-than-thou attitudes and the lie "if you aren't serving here enough, you don't love Jesus," this camp got hung up on outward appearances and had a difficult time handling certain types of kids - the deeply wounded kid lashing out with anger and curse words or the sullen, withdrawn kid refusing to connect with yet another adult who may hurt him. They tried to address the symptoms without finding the source.
RFKC is very different. It looks past the outer appearance and digs deep to the roots. It invites kids to laugh, and play, and regain wonder, all while learning that there are people who value them and more importantly, a God who loves them and sees hope for their future.
Jesus wants all to partake in His kingdom. It doesn't matter where you are coming from, the roads you have travelled, or the sins committed. He wants you. It is an invitation to all.
If we accept the invitation, we must change our "garments." We take off the garments of sin, victimization, gossip, lying, and any other filthy thing. We replace them with the royal garments of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
The choice is ours.
As I sit here and write, I want my RFKC kids to hear the invitation. I want to enable more kids to experience camp and hear the invitation. I want to spread the gospel of hope in lives.
So I sit here excited and filled with anticipation for training and the subsequent week of being a camp counselor because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is hope, restoration, and new dreams to be released over peoples' lives!
The best is yet to come.
(2am selfies!)
Wayne Tesch, the founder, explains it well in this video: https://youtu.be/sPZbaqT8m1w
This is my 11th year volunteering as a counselor at camp. It is also the year I get to go to Passing the Scepter director training - a dream I have long held in my heart until the right timing!!
I don't really know what to expect on this trip other than I was told to pack appropriate clothing and close-toed shoes, and that my transportation from Oklahoma City airport is being arranged. I also know one other thing - RFKC is 100% worth the uncertainty, unknowns, time-commitment, and adventure I am stepping into. It is going to be incredible!
I'll be honest and admit that as I'm writing this, part of me wishes I was curled up in my comfy bed or at least had a flat place to lay my head, but instead, I am here pondering my motivation to do this. The phrase "That all may partake" fills my thoughts. That every kid at camp gets to experience childhood joys - reeling in a fish, playing mommy to baby dolls, dressing up in princess outfits and silly hats, healthy adult-child relationships, blowing bubbles into the air, and being read bedtime stories at night.
A parable from the Bible comes to mind (Matthew 22:1-14).
A rich king throws a wedding feast for his son. Everything is cooked and the fancy garments are purchased. Excitedly, he sends out his servants to start inviting all their friends and family. But the invited people scorn the invitation, choosing instead to work their businesses and shame the servants. The king is angry. Everything is ready, why don't people want to come?! He sends out his servants again, this time commanding them to invite everyone they meet in the streets. The wedding hall is filled with guests - clean and dirty, bad and good. They wear their royal garments. Except for one man. He accepts the invitation but refuses to change his clothing. The king is incensed and has the man thrown out of the feast. The king looks at his feast and says, "Many are called, but few are chosen."
This parable sticks out to me tonight because there is an invitation to everyone to partake in the feast. Just like the love of Jesus, everyone is invited to experience it. Peoples' old gowns are stripped away and replaced with new clothing.
Camp reminds me of this.
I worked at a different camp long ago. Filled with holier-than-thou attitudes and the lie "if you aren't serving here enough, you don't love Jesus," this camp got hung up on outward appearances and had a difficult time handling certain types of kids - the deeply wounded kid lashing out with anger and curse words or the sullen, withdrawn kid refusing to connect with yet another adult who may hurt him. They tried to address the symptoms without finding the source.
RFKC is very different. It looks past the outer appearance and digs deep to the roots. It invites kids to laugh, and play, and regain wonder, all while learning that there are people who value them and more importantly, a God who loves them and sees hope for their future.
Jesus wants all to partake in His kingdom. It doesn't matter where you are coming from, the roads you have travelled, or the sins committed. He wants you. It is an invitation to all.
If we accept the invitation, we must change our "garments." We take off the garments of sin, victimization, gossip, lying, and any other filthy thing. We replace them with the royal garments of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
The choice is ours.
As I sit here and write, I want my RFKC kids to hear the invitation. I want to enable more kids to experience camp and hear the invitation. I want to spread the gospel of hope in lives.
So I sit here excited and filled with anticipation for training and the subsequent week of being a camp counselor because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is hope, restoration, and new dreams to be released over peoples' lives!
The best is yet to come.
Precious! I love your heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Kathy! Thanks for pouring into me!!
Delete