Summer End Internship Position Report
There are times in our lives that we stumble into circumstances that are so beyond what we deserve. I feel that way about my summer at Bethel. I can honestly say that I think I just had the best summer of my life and for the first time in my life I feel like I have done a job that actually matters, that I have been challenged on a number of levels, that I have been blessed by the work I have done and more importantly, that I have been blessed by the youth that I’ve worked with.
During the summer, with the regular youth program on hiatus, Bethel runs a more casual summer program called the PLOT on Tuesday nights along with a couple of day trips and a wrap up night at the lake. My summer of working at Bethel has been a whirlwind of activity as I was in charge of the PLOT and included: planning events and activities; advertising for upcoming activities; bringing in volunteers and trying to arrange drivers; hyping the events with the youth; helping out with the sports camps; helping out with the church’s kids camp; setting up, running and cleaning up after the events and activities; and spending quality one on one time with the girls in the youth group.
Despite my initial uncertainty about working in a new field, it didn’t take long to realize that working with the youth through the church was not only something I could adapt to, but something I could excel in.
Summer End Bulletin Footnote
Well, you’ve been reading my bulletin announcements all summer long and it is time for me to sum it up and tell you how the summer with the youth went in 8 words or less. What a blessing this summer has been! There is a part of me that honestly believes I can leave it at that and enough has been said, but I do realize that in order for you to understand I am going to have to be a bit more succinct than that. So I will do my best.
This summer, I have had the opportunity to build relationships with children and youth from both the community and the church. From planning and running the Plot, organizing a couple of day outs and an overnight at the lake, helping out with the Basketball and Soccer camps, and assisting with Kids Camp, it has been a very busy summer!
As I’ve learnt many things this summer, personally, professionally, and spiritually, I don’t even know where to begin filling you in on them. I’ve learnt how to lead a group of youth through a devotion, I’ve now written and given two mini-message, I’ve learnt the value of working with people who constantly lift you up and appreciate you, I’ve learnt to make to-do lists and the importance of following them, and most importantly I’ve learnt that when you give the youth the opportunity to step up to the plate, they often will.
It has been amazing to watch the youth from Bethel help out with the camps this summer and their participation and assistance was both crucial and valuable to the success of these summer camps that we run as outreach to the community. Add the community youth who attended basketball or soccer camp and have since been out to the Plot either Tuesday nights or for a Thursday day out and consider how accepting they have been of new kids to the Plot and I have been so impressed with them and blessed by their willingness to help and their openness to accepting new youth.
After a phenomenal summer, I can honestly sit back and feel like I have been a part of something worthwhile, because having the chance to connect to the youth and remind them of the Lord’s consistent love for them is one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done. God Bless. See you next summer! =)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Cloudy Crystal Ball
I am not waiting tables.
I am not in some foreign country.
I am not in university.
I am not living in my parents basement anymore.
Can I leave it at that? Part of me wants to. Considering my last couple of posts that goes to show how bad I suck at planning out where I am going with things =) Or perhaps it demonstrates my inability to follow through. I obviously have a very ineffective crystal ball when it comes to looking into my own future.
A short time after writing my last blog (way back in June) I got wind that my morning church was going to be looking for someone to finish out the summer youth internship position. The church has had this position for quite a while now and it had never crossed my mind to apply for it but somehow when I heard this time, something in me just clicked. So I spoke to the youth director, officially applied, and within a few days began my new job. It was a complete Godsend to find that job. (It has been a while since that wrapped up so rather than re-hashing it perhaps I’ll share my summer end footnote and a clip of my report to give a brief idea for those who haven’t seen it.) It was an experience that stretched me and blessed me and it didn’t take me long to realize that I was tired of working in a negative atmosphere, that the restaurant was sucking the happiness out of me and making me bitter, and so I quit my serving job and focused on enjoying the summer with just the one job.
I had a wonderful and amazing visit from Consu, my former Chilean exchange student. She was here for 8 months when I was in Grade 12 and then I spent two months down there the following winter(Chilean summer). The visit included time to attend my grandparents anniversary celebration- every five years moms side of the family does a big week of camping and, as always, it was epic.
I turned 25. Big deal right? Cept for me it was a big deal. It was something that I really struggled with but as it loomed closer and closer I grew more ok with it. Turned out to be an amazing weekend. The day fell on the same day as our wrap up to soccer camp, so the kids in camp were super cute to me all day, we had a huge cake, and one of my youth made me a wicked card and brownies. Had dinner with a few of my closest friends then went two stepping. Oh, and got a picture of me kissing the Stanley Cup as it happened to be at Cook that night. So stoked! Next day I had a bbq and like 30 people came out and hung out for the afternoon/evening/night enjoying dinner together, a fire, card games, football, and dancing on the spectacular dance floor that my dad made for me. Yeah it was a great weekend.
Over the course of the summer I was accepted to U of C in Edmonton for my Bachelor of Social Work (2 more years to upgrade my current diploma to the degree) but decided to turn it down and go to Nicaragua for a 7 month mission trip. However, as summer slipped through my fingers and finally I received my application, I realized that it wasn’t what I was supposed to do. So I decided not to go and got a job driving Courier for a small company that a friend of mine works for as the Edmonton Manager. First it was mostly hot shots and the morning run to Red Deer (in Red Deer by 7am) but the last month and a half I’ve been doing the full time in city route and I LOVE IT. I drive. I listen to music. I don't have to deal with cranky customers. It's fantastic.
Well after deciding I wasn’t going back to school this fall or going on mission trip, my rent free agreement with the folks was over so I called up one of my bests and moved into her apartment two weeks later. It has been about two and a half months and it is going really well (far as I know, hope she agrees!). I love being on my own, I love having a roommate, and as much as I want to end up in the country someday, for now, I love being closer to the city and my life.
I am still volunteering with the youth at my church, love it, love them, and am actually going as the female leader for their spring break Mexico mission trip. We’ve 15 youth, 7 girls and 8 boys I believe, and three of us leaders going down for about a week. Whats neat about it is it’ll be pretty much exactly ten years since I went down to Mexico as the youth. Ah- the many memories of El Paso Texas and Juarez, Mexico.
From here on forward, well good question. Keep working. Maybe find a second job. Determine if I want to go back to school for my Bachelors. Maybe back for a different field. Find a job that is more career than job. Possibly travel some more (unlikely unless it is with a work visa). Be lucky enough to find the man for me. Who knows. I sure don’t. Last time I try to guess, I wasn’t even close. But it should be fun moving forward, got to love how life constantly changes!
I am not in some foreign country.
I am not in university.
I am not living in my parents basement anymore.
Can I leave it at that? Part of me wants to. Considering my last couple of posts that goes to show how bad I suck at planning out where I am going with things =) Or perhaps it demonstrates my inability to follow through. I obviously have a very ineffective crystal ball when it comes to looking into my own future.
A short time after writing my last blog (way back in June) I got wind that my morning church was going to be looking for someone to finish out the summer youth internship position. The church has had this position for quite a while now and it had never crossed my mind to apply for it but somehow when I heard this time, something in me just clicked. So I spoke to the youth director, officially applied, and within a few days began my new job. It was a complete Godsend to find that job. (It has been a while since that wrapped up so rather than re-hashing it perhaps I’ll share my summer end footnote and a clip of my report to give a brief idea for those who haven’t seen it.) It was an experience that stretched me and blessed me and it didn’t take me long to realize that I was tired of working in a negative atmosphere, that the restaurant was sucking the happiness out of me and making me bitter, and so I quit my serving job and focused on enjoying the summer with just the one job.
I had a wonderful and amazing visit from Consu, my former Chilean exchange student. She was here for 8 months when I was in Grade 12 and then I spent two months down there the following winter(Chilean summer). The visit included time to attend my grandparents anniversary celebration- every five years moms side of the family does a big week of camping and, as always, it was epic.
I turned 25. Big deal right? Cept for me it was a big deal. It was something that I really struggled with but as it loomed closer and closer I grew more ok with it. Turned out to be an amazing weekend. The day fell on the same day as our wrap up to soccer camp, so the kids in camp were super cute to me all day, we had a huge cake, and one of my youth made me a wicked card and brownies. Had dinner with a few of my closest friends then went two stepping. Oh, and got a picture of me kissing the Stanley Cup as it happened to be at Cook that night. So stoked! Next day I had a bbq and like 30 people came out and hung out for the afternoon/evening/night enjoying dinner together, a fire, card games, football, and dancing on the spectacular dance floor that my dad made for me. Yeah it was a great weekend.
Over the course of the summer I was accepted to U of C in Edmonton for my Bachelor of Social Work (2 more years to upgrade my current diploma to the degree) but decided to turn it down and go to Nicaragua for a 7 month mission trip. However, as summer slipped through my fingers and finally I received my application, I realized that it wasn’t what I was supposed to do. So I decided not to go and got a job driving Courier for a small company that a friend of mine works for as the Edmonton Manager. First it was mostly hot shots and the morning run to Red Deer (in Red Deer by 7am) but the last month and a half I’ve been doing the full time in city route and I LOVE IT. I drive. I listen to music. I don't have to deal with cranky customers. It's fantastic.
Well after deciding I wasn’t going back to school this fall or going on mission trip, my rent free agreement with the folks was over so I called up one of my bests and moved into her apartment two weeks later. It has been about two and a half months and it is going really well (far as I know, hope she agrees!). I love being on my own, I love having a roommate, and as much as I want to end up in the country someday, for now, I love being closer to the city and my life.
I am still volunteering with the youth at my church, love it, love them, and am actually going as the female leader for their spring break Mexico mission trip. We’ve 15 youth, 7 girls and 8 boys I believe, and three of us leaders going down for about a week. Whats neat about it is it’ll be pretty much exactly ten years since I went down to Mexico as the youth. Ah- the many memories of El Paso Texas and Juarez, Mexico.
From here on forward, well good question. Keep working. Maybe find a second job. Determine if I want to go back to school for my Bachelors. Maybe back for a different field. Find a job that is more career than job. Possibly travel some more (unlikely unless it is with a work visa). Be lucky enough to find the man for me. Who knows. I sure don’t. Last time I try to guess, I wasn’t even close. But it should be fun moving forward, got to love how life constantly changes!
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