College students all over the country have to decide what to do over summer break. Many will have an important internship, some will have a job at a retail store, and only a few will get to be a Kè Pou Timoun camp counselor. I believe that there is truly no better way to spend your summer than by pouring out God’s love onto fun-loving Haitian children.
1. Jesus I love this camp because it is all about Jesus! Every day, you are showing God’s love to kids, telling them about Jesus, and teaching them ways to be Jesus to others.
2. The Campers If you want to be a Kè Pou Timoun counselor, then you have obviously been to Haiti before. The sole reason you are applying for the job is because of the precious faces you will get to see every day.
3. The Counselors The other counselors you will be working with are truly going to be some of the best people you have ever met! You will form deep friendships in just a matter of three weeks. These people are the ones who are going to walk with you every day, and who will understand how tired you will be. They are your constant encouragers, and literal best friends for the entirety of the camp.
4. Dancing and Singing Dancing and singing are fundamental parts of camp. The kids love to sing and dance! It’s awesome. Dance parties are a must, and be prepared to listen to lots of Justin Bieber.
5. Nighttime Activities After the kids have gone home for the day, you will have a lot of free time. This is when you really get to bond with the other counselors and interns. Card games, guitar sessions, and movie nights are all things that are super fun to do with everyone!
6. Water Days Water days are seriously the greatest. Be prepared to get pelted by multiple water balloons, and to lose total control, but it’s fantastic! You will be exhausted by the end of the day, but you will know it was worth it because of all the smiles you saw on the kid’s faces.
7. Relationship Overall the greatest thing about camp is relationship. You learn so much about your relationship with the Lord. You will grow like crazy in your faith. You create relationships with the kids. After the three weeks come to an end, you will know the kids by name. You will know their personalities, and what makes them smile. Finally, you create relationships with the other interns/counselors. People who you have never met before will become some of your closest friends.
Being a camp counselor is not an easy job. Some days will be tough, some days will be very challenging, some days the kids will be in a weird mood, and some days you will just not have any energy. However, you are there for a reason! Ask the Lord for endurance. He will give you enough. When you feel beaten down, pray. The Lord will lift you back up. Jesus is at the center of it all. You are there to be a blessing to the kids, but you will be surprised at just how much they are going to bless you.
#LiveBeyond #livebeyond #summerintern #summercamp #KèPouTimoun #campcounselor #missiontrips #shorttermmissions #Haitimissiontrips
Hear the latest news from Haiti, read posts about faith and community development, and find transcriptions from the LiveBeyond podcast.
Never miss an update from Live Beyond. Sign up to receive our newsletter.