Art Camp was a wonderful success!
My goals for Art Camp: to make new connections, and strengthen existing relationships, with people in Langley; to help the kids I work with re-discover their imaginations and start thinking about things, including themselves, differently; and to see if an on-going community youth art program would be feasible in Langley.
We only had 6 participants on our “fullest” day, but my first goal was definitely met. With only 6 kids I had enough leaders to partner up with each participant and I was free to assist whoever needed it. Four of the kids were ones that I’ve known for a while, and the other 2 I’d never met before. After the camp, the mom of the 2 I’d never met before emailed me to say thank you, and to keep her informed of further activities.
My second goal also worked out far better than I had imagined it could. I’ve known Lacey, one of the participants, since February when we started working in Langley. Lacey just turned 13, and is at a very critical stage in her life. She has a lot of potential, and how she chooses to direct her energy now will impact the rest of her adolescent life. Throughout the whole camp, Lacey kept telling me how embarrassed she was of her painting—how she wasn’t creative and she didn’t want to take her painting home. Every comment was countered by an encouragement from the team and I.
We displayed the paintings in the lobby of the Langley Township building. Quite a few people had a look as they were passing by, and one in particular looked quite interested. I took the opportunity to introduce myself to the woman who turned out to be Hikmat, the owner of the Wired Monk coffee shop located in the building. She asked me what we were doing with the paintings and I told her I was just planning on sendin
g them home with the kids. Then she offered to buy Lacey’s painting! So the girl who said she had no creative ability now has her first painting displayed in a popular coffee shop in the Township building! All of the stress of organizing the camp was worth it just for the look in Lacey’s eyes when someone showed an interest in what she had made. She is already bugging me about making more canvases!And the success of my third goal was really a no brainer considering the success of my first two. The whole camp was soooo much fun for me. I often tell people that you need to do what makes you feel alive. Leading the Art Camp definitely made me feel alive! In chatting with my Langley co-workers, we’ve decided to go ahead with co-ordinating an on-going community youth art program in the fall.
Grace
I am often amazed at how much I learn from leading teens! During the Plunge, one of our Langley team members was struggling with some issues that were making it difficult for her to participate in the mission. She clearly needed help, but was very difficult work with. Sending her home seemed like the only option. She was sent to stay with Jen (Plunge co-ordinator) while details could be arranged. While Jen, her husband, and Jon (another Plunge leader) loved her as best they could, God started to show them that maybe sending her home wasn’t the only option. Maybe this could be an opportunity to show grace and reconciliation. So, along with seeking the forgiveness of her teammates and some guidelines for her behaviour during the rest of the mission, she was giving the opportunity to re-join our Langley team. Justice is a high priority to me. So much so that grace can be difficult at times. This was one of those times. But I knew I needed to be a good example to the group of teens that I was leading. I thought I would be the one teaching them about grace, but it turns out that they needed no help in that area! As I watched them welcome back our team member I saw some of the purest examples of true reconciliation— teaching me much more about grace than I could have taught them!
Job Update
For quite some time now, I've been mulling around some ideas in my head, and now that some of those ideas have been discussed with my supervisors, I can let you know a bit more about my plans for the near future. Recently my heart has felt more and more pulled towards the community of Langley, and because of that, I will be beginning the process of moving away from the admin/communications side of YFC and pursuing full-time youth work. Even though all the details aren’t fully fleshed out yet, I’m very excited about beginning this transition. There are a few things that are holding me back in this. Communications is a huge job for our organization, and in order for me to move into full-time youth work, someone needs to take over the work that I do at the office. As well, the communications position is partially funded by the YFC Operations Fund, but youth workers are responsible for raising all of their salaries as well as program expenses. That means a huge increase in my personal fundraising (around $2000 more per month), which will be a challenge. Please keep those two things in mind as you pray for me, and if you want to help financially with my work in Langley, please click here.
