Esprit de l'escalier

I am sad to report that today was the last day of Kids Kamp 2003. Our team came in “Happy Place” (a.k.a. fourth place). I am going to miss my kids so much it hurts. I was blessed to lead a little girl to Christ yesterday and I pray that I can track her down and follow up on her. She left so fast today that I didn’t get her information or even a phone number.

I was on the verge of tears as I watched the last two kids, Kalani and Levi get picked up by their mom today. She marched up and yelled their names and when they turned around she said “Well finally! Apparently my kids are deaf.” Kalani said “Hi Mom!” in the sweetest tone and held up her craft from today to show her. All this mother did was turn around and say “Look at this juice stain! This is a silk suit!” That’s what she had to say to her two loving children, a complaint. After grumbling a bit more she grabs Levi (the youngest and my personal favorite little boy on my team) by the wrist and proceeds to drag them to the car. This little boy is 4-years-old and his older sister Kalani is 6. They are the sweetest kids in the world; extremely patient, they love each other and stuck together all week, they listen when you ask them to do something, they learned all their verses on their own and are beautiful inside and out. I only pray that their home life does not corrupt what the LORD has placed inside their hearts at Kids Kamp. Just before she left, Kalani came and threw her arms around me and said “I’m going to miss you Sarah,” and she held on until her mom yelled for her. I told her I loved her a lot and that I hoped to see her on Sunday and if not, I look forward to seeing her next year.

I had nearly 10 other cases just like this one. Each child (trouble maker and teacher pet alike), held so much love and joy that my heart ached to see them go. I knew that I’d probably never see them again unless their parents decided to use Sunday school as a cheap day care like they did with Kids Kamp.

Please keep these kids in your prayers and remember that you are always in mine.