My Blood Type: “Be positive”

Written by: Gloria Lau | Intern at Kingston-Galloway

It is not uncommon that we focus on negativity and we hear complaints everywhere we are—complaints about the high prices for products at stores, about coworkers at the office, about heavy traffic on freeways, the list is unending. I am guilty of this at times as well. Reflecting back on the past few weeks at camp, I have been shifting my focus towards things that hold meaning, having a positive outlook and a heart of gratitude regardless of the situation. 

So often we fall into the trap of clouding our minds with things that don’t hold up to our standards or that bother us. But what if we had a little more empathy and thought about how the receiver of this complaint would feel? How about the people who are living in situations that cannot conform to their needs? Working at TCM this summer and serving a community where many low income families reside made me feel ashamed for the small things that I deemed were bothersome. I was humbled by how welcoming the neighbours were despite how loud or rowdy the camp was at times. I was humbled by the fact that many people would stop by and initiate conversations to get to know us better. I was humbled by their generosity despite the fact that many of them did not have much to give. Although they could have complained about our activities, ignored our presence, and kept their belongings to themselves, they instead appreciated the work we did to serve the community and allow the kids to have fun—a much needed boost in positivity during a global pandemic.

Moments that have stuck with me from camp are moments when I decided to look towards positivity and the good. Despite being unsure of how my activities or bible lessons could spark interest in kids who may have never heard about who God is, I was able to see God working in different ways, and this motivated me to do my best each day regardless of the challenges.

And although there were definitely days where some children were easily irritated or unwilling to participate in the activities we took so much time to plan, it was the few children that were willing to engage, who said they had fun, or learned something new, that made everything worthwhile. 

Summer Highlights 2021

Summer 2021 has been a summer to remember! It’s been over a year since we’ve been able to have Sonshine Day Camp in person and what a treat it was to be with campers, TLC’s and staff! Even though camp days were shorter and there was a limited capacity, staff and campers alike enjoyed the time spent with one another. For 6 weeks, campers learned about God’s grace, forgiveness, love and His view on justice. Campers read about creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Jesus’ Death and Resurrection and Jacob and Esau’s reconciliation. Through praise and worship, bible time, games, and activities, campers built a better understanding and foundation of the Christian life. With proper PPE and physical distancing rules in place, relationships between staff and campers continued to build and flourish. Thanks to the generosity of Sparks, churches and families, campers had enough PPE and snacks to last them throughout camp! 

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Throughout the summer, we wanted you to get to know our campers more personally! We made a ‘This or That’ video so that you could learn about what they’d prefer. We also made a ‘Day in the Life of a Camper’ for you to see what it was like to be a Sonshine Day Camper! Check out the videos on our Youtube channel. 

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TCM Summer Interns are an essential part of Sonshine Day Camp. Not only do they plan, prepare and execute camp, but they also work together with staff and volunteers to provide a caring, safe, loving, and fun environment. An environment where they share the love of Christ Jesus through teaching the campers but also through everyday actions. Here’s a story from one of our interns, Gloria from Kingston-Galloway.

“On the first day I met this camper, I thought he was so silly and quite immature. He would constantly bother those around him and get them to chase him around the room. He would express his thoughts aloud and not care how these comments would affect other people. But after a few days/ a week, I saw that he was one of the most mature out of the entire group. Although he did take part in bothering other people, he was never the first to instigate this. And after having discussions with the leaders about his misbehavior, I saw that he really tried to correct his inappropriate actions or comments.

During bible time, he was drawn to the stories and began to ask questions that sometimes caught me off guard. Through him, I saw that God was using our activities to grow this camper’s curiosity towards Him. I was happy that the effort we placed in making the lessons fun and interesting helped him understand difficult concepts and understand God’s love for him/ all of us.

Throughout camp, this camper’s growth paralleled my personal growth as well. He helped me understand that although they are just kids, they still have a concept of justice, happiness, etc. and their misbehaviors are just ways of expressing their innermost needs. Although he was silly at times, I saw him as a leader who took initiative and cared for those around him. I can’t wait to see the person he becomes, or as he told me, a basketball player for the NBA!”

Praise God for all that He has done this summer! 

Camp is Like a Box of Chocolates

Written by: Brigette Sirineo | Intern at Kingston-Galloway

During the fourth week of Sonshine Day Camp, Brigette found herself shifting back and forth from the past to the present. As she interacted with the children, teaching and playing, talking about life and about God, having had challenging days and really rewarding days - she couldn’t help but think back to her experiences being in day camp and Vacation Bible School. Here’s what Brigette had to say.

“The moments that have stuck with me and carry with me into adulthood are those warm conversations I’ve had with leaders and other adults, emotions that I felt, and thoughts about God I encountered for the first time or the 10th time. I don’t remember any of the grown-ups being unprepared, tired, whether they had a good day or a bad day, I don’t remember if any of them had messy hair, or how sweaty or overwhelmed they ever felt. And yet, these are some of my day-to-day worries. We are planting seeds here. We are building relationships and praying that one day these children will come to know God for themselves the same way that someone like me, who was once in day camps, now shares with others about how good He is. 

With that fresh perspective, I pay less mind to the anxieties I have during preparations. I still take the time to ensure that I am doing all that I can that is within my responsibility but my motivation is not looking good in front of everyone listening. Instead, I pray and try my best to stay as close to the truths of scripture as I can in my words and my deeds. Naturally, that’s done through my Bible lessons and the way that I interact with the children, praying that the love of God is seen as an overflow of what He has already done for me and will continue to do.

Some of my favourite memories already are just being able to answer burning theological questions from these inquisitive minds, while also being able to share various favourite things from beaches, to colour, to frozen snacks. It’s always a mixed bag with these kids, you never know what they’ll ask but they always do so with an innocent curiosity. In many ways, the realities of this internship have surpassed my expectations. What an honour it is to lead these children to Christ and to do so with joy (no matter how exhausted I am at the end of the day)!”