I (actually) Made It

I survived the first week of SuperKids Camp! (That should be a t-shirt.)

Though the first week was only four days, it felt much longer. Not because of the expected chaos of new beginnings or the herd of children on my site, but because of all the mental phases I went through.

First, incompetent.

There I was, standing in front of 12, wide-eyed kids who I knew nothing about and vice versa. Up to this point my experience with kids had been minimal and I had never taught before, or even tutored for that matter. So to say I was feeling totally inadequate is an understatement.

I fumbled through my notes, hoping to appear confident in front of my pint-sized judges—er, I mean kids—and the agenda I wrote out for the day suddenly didn’t seem to make sense. I kept trying to replay all the things I learned during the training week, but nothing seem to come to mind.

Later, overwhelmed.

By the end of the day, I was ferociously texting my sister about everything that went on. I told her that I wasn’t built for this and that I am not a good teacher. I had only made it through day one, but I was staring at six more weeks of this. What did I get myself into? I kept asking myself over and over again.

Did I make a mistake applying for this position? Should I have just stayed in Georgia and found a simpler job there? Why did I think I could teach kids?

Next, slight assurance.

I spent some time before I went to work reading my Bible and praying. The famous passage, Psalm 23, gave me much needed peace.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

I think we can all agree that being a counselor at a kids camp is as close as walking through a valley of death. These kids were out for blood. But I kept that passage in my mind throughout the day and allowed the strength of the Lord to work through me. He reminded me to be gracious, even when I felt as though the kids were purposely trying to get on my nerves. He also gave me the energy to not only teach the lesson, but to also actively engage with them during playtime.

Lastly, confidence.

This newfound confidence will continue to be strengthened throughout the summer. I know I have my work cut out for me and that some days will be more challenging than others. However, remembering to use the techniques from training and staying consistent with praying and reading the Bible, I know that I will be fully equipped to tackle this summer.

Week 2, you’re going down.