I just completed the last week with my kids at Day Camp. I love my kids and it was such a challenging week for all of us interns. At the beginning of the summer they told us everything would fly by, but until we got to week 8 we didn’t believe them. Once it came, we all wanted to take a step back in time and get another chance to savor all the moments. This last week was so very difficult.
Monday and Tuesday the kids were a bit on the CRAZY side…ok, more than a bit! They were very disrespectful and it was so frustrating to see all of the hard work and growth from the summer with our kids just vanish in the last week. We know that the reason they were acting up was a reaction to their knowing we were leaving. It was easier for them to push us away than for us to leave and for them to get hurt. Sad, but true. However, in these times of frustration and heartbreak we were able to show our children how much we truly loved them, and see how deeply they loved us. All the more, we were able to show them that God would never leave them and always loves them. We saw this in lots of amazing ways.
Wednesday my parents came to visit on their way back from a vacation out in Colorado Springs. I had told my kids on Monday that my parents were going to come visit and you should have seen their excitement! They asked all day Monday and Tuesday when EXACTLY would my parents arrive. ha When Wednesday finally came and my parents showed up, my kids were so excited to meet them! The best story came from one of our 7-year-old’s who is usually very shy. When he met my parents, he gave them a HUGE hug. Because he knew and trusted me, he therefore trusted my parents. Wonderful victory!
Thursday we had a group come in called the Peace Learning Center. They were part of our grant requirement for Health & Nutrition. You would think that someone who teaches about peace would have a better control over our kids. However, it was QUITE the contrary! Like I said before, our kids were out of control most of the week with us and they were very disrespectful with the people who came! Sadly, the Peace Learning Center people actually thought that our kids would quiet down by making the “peace sign”. All our kids did when they saw this sign was scream “DUCES!!!” Disrespectful – yes. Funny – YES!!! What broke my heart was one of my boys getting really upset telling my co-worker, “Why do they have to take away our time here with you?!? They shouldn’t be here. We just want to spend our last days with YOU (meaning us interns/teachers).”
Friday was our last day with the kids. We went to the park in the morning with the kids from BEACH and Brookside. I took pictures with each of my kids to be sure to cherish our last moments altogether. It was hard leaving the parking, knowing that we would probably never see the kids from Brookside again. We hugged each of them tightly and saw that even though we were not their teachers directly, we had an impact on their lives and they on ours. Friday afternoon we had an ice cream party with our kids – yes, we gave them sugar…bad idea. Hah We also had an award ceremony for our kids. Each of our kids received an award special to them. Some of the awards my children received were leadership, character, respectfulness, responsibility, passion, kindness, bravery, and friendliness. We called each of them up one by one and affirmed them personally. I saw the pride that each of them took in receiving their award. It is so vitally important for each of our kids to understand how and why we are proud of them!
Sunday was our end performance. All of the BEACH kids showed up and led worship for the church there on Sunday morning. They sang and did motions with the worship songs we had been practicing all summer. It was beautiful! It was the first time all of our children were standing up there and actually doing the motions. Watching them sing the song City On Our Knees by TobyMac brought all of us to tears. I felt so proud of every one of my kids! They also did the songs Your Love Never Fails, Our God, and Revelation Song. After the service, we had a carnival for the kids and their families. I got to meet the families of all my kids. The best part was showing their families how much we loved their children and them also seeing how much their kids loved us in return!
One of my boys ran into my arms on Sunday and said, “I love you Miss Katie. I’m gonna miss you.” I told him that I was staying around and that all he had to do was sign up for afterschool and we could spend all year together. His response warmed my heart, “OH! Where do I sign up?!? I’ll walk here if I have to!” It was so encouraging to see his growth this summer and be affirmed that our presence with him had made an impact!
At the end of Sunday, when we had to sadly say goodbye, we gave all of our kids a brand new backpack with everything they would need to start off the school year. We waved goodbye, knowing that although for my fellow interns they may never meet some of those children ever again, but that they are in the Lord’s hands. It is humbling and encouraging knowing that the Lord is in control. He was there before we arrived and He has them afterwards.
This summer has had its ups and downs. It has been challenging, frustrating, and so amazing! God has been so faithful and blessed all of us. God has done amazing things in this city, and I know God will continue to work in the lives of all the people of Indianapolis.
Thank you for all your prayers this summer. I am excited to start this year still working with Shepherd and these same kids from this summer. I will be working this school year during the day in Development at Shepherd Community Center doing marketing. Then I will go pick up the kids who are participating in After School from their school and take them to BEACH. At BEACH we will feed the kids dinner, tutor them, and do awesome activities with them as well! What God has started here this summer is just the beginning of what God is going to do in and through me.
