For the last week or so, my team and I have been blessed to be a part of a children’s ministry at El Rancho Christian Camp in Waikanae, New Zealand. This has been a huge learning experience for me. While I have been involved in youth ministry and had been a Christian camp counselor a few times as a teenager, I have not been comfortable in children’s ministry for quite some time. Now 26, I thought my talents and personality would be better suited for teenage and adult ministry. That may or may not be true, but when we arrived at El Rancho God immediately began to work in my heart as we prepared for the kids to arrive Tuesday evening. Teaching me that true ministry does not and should not have sub-categories. One may primarily act in children’s, youth, adult ministry, etc. but if we limit the areas in which we will allow God to use us, we will surely miss out on the big picture of what He is doing around us and what He wants to teach us personally.
When kids began to arrive Tuesday evening, one of the first to come in to my cabin was an 11 year old named Steven. It was immediately evident that Steven would be a challenge. From blatant disobedience to crude language and comments, he required constant attention from myself and other leaders in my cabin and on my team. But through all of that, it was also very evident that this kid was in a world of hurt. Every action whether good or bad, a desperate cry for love and attention. Frustrating and heartbreaking, there were times I needed to come down hard on him to get his attention and to protect the other campers from his antics. Like all of us, Steven needed Jesus… badly.
Throughout the week, our speakers, “Uncle Tony” and “Uncle Luke” had been presenting the gospel to the kids every morning and every night in addition to myself and my cabin partner, Noe, praying with the guys before bed at night. But on Thursday night, we had the opportunity to lead anyone that wanted to, to give their lived to Jesus. Steven, my “challenge child”, was one of the first to say that he wanted to become a Christian and give his life to Jesus. All in all, 4 guys in my cabin accepted Christ for the first time and 2 more re-dedicated. Praise God! We were able to give Bibles to anyone who didn’t have them and they immediately broke them out, asking questions and wanting to know where they can find Bible stories that Tony and Luke had been talking about. They wouldn’t even put them down when it was time for lights out, reading with their flashlights in the dark, still asking question after question wanting to know more. I was able to snap a quick picture of Steven (left) and TK (right) reading their new Bibles in their bunks. 
So exciting to see these guys so hungry to learn more about God! But I have a nagging burden on my heart, knowing that Steven and many of these kids are going to home to broken homes that have no godly influence. Was Steven’s behavior magically changed when he accepted Christ? Sadly, no. But my prayer is that he will remember that night laying in his bunk and that he will continue to seek God and allow the Holy Spirit to change his life from the inside out. If you feel led, please lift up in prayer: Steven, Chad, Zac, Henry, TK and Manson.
As for me, if it weren’t for Steven, I wouldn’t have been able to get the big picture. I pray that God used me to leave as much of a lasting impression on Steven’s life as He used Steven to leave a lasting impression on my life.
