This is my second of ten blogging installments from my life-changing summer in Milwaukee. In this recap I review my first week of programming after having two intense weeks of training and site preparation. Be sure to check my postscript thoughts on my first official YouthWorks week.
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I’ve got a week of camp counseling under my belt and I feel simultaneous relief and anxiety about this fact. Going into this past week I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to connect with teenage kids. That it would bring back too many haunting memories from when I was their age, causing me to plummet into a retreating hole.
But the kids were great; they inspired me. I hope I was able to do the same for at least one of them.
As a service coordinator, part of my role is to schedule volunteering opportunities for our kids throughout the week. As a result, I get to do a lot of volunteering myself. In just a week I’ve been to soup kitchens, nursing homes, day cares for the disabled, a residency for the visually impaired, and more.
When I first started visiting these places, I felt incredibly awkward. I’d never stepped into a nursing home in my entire life before this week. And yet there I was one day, bowling with elderly people in wheelchairs.
Thankfully, the awkwardness soon faded.
At the nursing home I met Roberta who has fifteen grandchildren whom she loves Skyping.
At a daycare for the disabled I played crazy eights with a jolly woman who couldn’t even see. I also met a feisty, older woman who said I was cute and gave me tips on how best to wear my camp hat.
At a soup kitchen, I saw people — young people, my age — streaming in with the masses to get a hot tray of food for breakfast.
My eyes have been opened.
Yes, it was a very stressful week. Not gonna lie, the thought of quitting crossed my mind many-a-time. I wake up before 7 just about everyday and don’t get to bed until midnight; that’s a lot of work.
And yet, somehow, I’m still here. Still breathing. Still chugging. Awaiting a brand new batch of 50 kids to arrive tomorrow. Gulp.
I’m thankful for my fellow staff mates here in Milwaukee. I’ve never really spent so much 24/7 time with other people in my life. I’ve only known them for three weeks, and yet it seems like it’s been so much longer. We’ve all had our breaking points out here, and I’m thankful to have had them be there for me when I felt like I couldn’t keep going any farther.
I only wish we had more downtime with each other.
To be continued…
TMZ PS: After reading this recap again, I’m immediately swept back to the incredible Milwaukee community. At the start of the summer, I wasn’t much of a “stranger-talker.” I just didn’t go up to people I didn’t know and start randomly chatting with them about life. Or playing crazy eights. Or bowling. And yet in my first week of programming, I was doing all these things, and I was enjoying it greatly. I miss talking with lonely elderly people, or serving food to people my own age who don’t have food.
I’m also swept back to that first group of kids. Up until that point, we’d gone through two insanely crazy long weeks of training and preparation, and there seemed to be no end to the madness. Then the kids finally came, and it was all worth it. My anxieties over connecting with youth were quickly swept away as my heart burned for them, desired to know them and laugh with them and pray for them. I still remember faces from that first week. Still grateful for how they helped break some of my summer fears.
I was one of the youth leaders in Milwaukee during that first week of the 2011 season. All of us from the Michigan group were so pleased with the entire Youthworks staff team. I remember thinking many times that only the young would be able to survive the hours and intensity of being on the staff! Just one week and I was exhausted! You touched every single person in our group. You were open to being used by God for good works, and He did it! I remember being in awe of your patience, love, and constant focus on Jesus. I never could have done what you did! Thank you. Your presence in Milwaukee blessed many, many people. Several of our youth have expressed a desire to do what you did someday. They want to be Youthworks staff members! Every person, youth and leaders, in our group wants to serve with Youthworks in 2012. Minneapolis! Thank you for opening your heart and taking a chance!
Aw, thanks for all your kind words, Carol. It was certainly exhausting and depleting at times, but so incredibly worth it all. You guys were a blessing to me and my fellow staff who had never yet experienced YouthWorks students; just a great first week of programming. Much love to you and your future YouthWorks staffers! Hope they’re ready for the crazy ride when that time comes!