Life has been quite crazy lately. Currently, it is December, and I have the whole month off because I am in between seasonal contracts right now. I head back east in January for the rest of my internship. But for now, I am currently enjoying taking a break from camp life and be able to see family and friends back in BC, as well as get to travel with my family to Belize for Christmas. I thought while I am on a break that I would write a reflection type blog post on what I am doing for my internship at CBC because not many people know what I am up to right now at this point in my life. Anyways, I am in my 3rd year of college at CBC. I am working towards a degree in Youth Work and hopefully going to work with youth or maybe camp ministry when I am done. After my internship, I have about a year and a half left to do, which to me still is somewhat hard to believe that I am more than halfway done.
During my degree, I have the opportunity to do a 10-month internship. I like that we can do an internship because it helps me as a student and as a youth worker to be able to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it in a different setting. For my internship, I am at a camp called Muskoka Woods. It’s in Ontario about 2 hours away from Toronto. It’s a lovely camp, and it is the biggest camp I have worked/volunteered at. Fun fact, I have been going to Christian camps for years. I am not kidding when I say that. I have been to about nine different camps, and I have worked/volunteered at four camps, including Muskoka Woods. There is just something unique or even magical about camp. It allows people to step out of their comfort zone and grow more as a person. As well you can enhance or gain leadership skills and make long life friendships, and also experience something different.
Now doing my internship at Muskoka Woods was not my first plan. It was “plan B” for me. I had my heart set on doing a different program in BC, but after some things that had happened, it didn’t work out. As a result of that, I was frustrated because I had my heart set on doing that particular program, and I was focused and determined to make it work to do my internship there. But, I had to learn the hard way that God had something better in mind for me to do. Therefore, I had to give up my desires and re-focus myself on what God wanted me to do. Thanks to someone special in my life, it is how I came to hear about Muskoka Woods. I didn’t think that I would do my internship way out in Ontario for one. But, low and behold, after going through the process, I got in and am currently doing my internship there. And it has been a fantastic experience so far.
At the camp, I do a variety of things. Currently, it is the “off-season” time of the year, meaning that usually camp runs in the Summertime. In the Fall season, I was a Host Instructor, which said that I helped with leading various activities around camp as well as when school groups came to camp and don’t have student leaders with them. I would sometimes fill in that spot and help guide them around camp as well as help lead activities. We also sometimes help in the evenings as well, be helping put out snacks for them, or help lead a campfire, to even helping at a dance or make sure that certain areas are ready for them to use too. Doing this for the Fall season helped me in various ways. I was able to learn how they run activities as well as get to learn more about the camp as a whole. Some camps run things like program differently than other camps, depending on what activities they offer for the guests. I also personally learned and figured out how to maintain a balance between work, homework, and creating and maintain friendships while being at Muskoka. I have to admit that it has been a challenging process that I am still learning how to do as well. I also was able to get more of a hint of what God wants me to do in life from being at Muskoka. Plus, God has been showing me how to use my gifts while being there too.
From this experience so far, one of the main things that God has been teaching me goes along this quote that Sadie Roberson said during one of her latest podcasts. “God, if you are not in this. Then I can’t do this.” Throughout my college journey up until now, God has been reminding me and teaching that sometimes I can’t always do things that I desire. Even though God does take what we want into account too. But ultimately, it goes with what His plan is for me as well. If God wants to me do something or be at a particular place for the time being, then He will go ahead of me and open the door. The fact that I am at Muskoka Woods is still surprising for me. However, throughout it, I am again doing his work for his kingdom one way or another, which is the ultimate reason why I am doing what I am doing right now. When God calls me elsewhere, I have to be ready to follow and trust that He knows what He is doing. Psalms 86:11 TPT summaries what God has been showing me.
“Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honour to your name.”- Psalms 86:11 TPT
An Unshakable Journey 