Love Changes People

A couple of summers ago I had two campers for that week. Now for the Camp Daniel staff, it can be hard to match up the campers and their counselors. There is a LOT of prayer that goes into this. Tony, the director of Camp Daniel, is switching and matching people up until the day of camp. It is quite a long process to match campers up with counselors especially if you have two campers. The campers can have such different personalities. The staff does their best to match up campers who will get along with each other. But I know without a doubt that you get the camper you are supposed to get.

My campers for that week were Amy and Patsy. Amy was in her 30's and Patsy was in her 50's and had Down Syndrome. I knew both of them because they had been to camp before. Amy was pretty tough and had some behavior issues. Sometimes she was kind of aggressive toward others. I found out later that week that she had a background of abuse. She was so rough and closed off from others. She always seemed like she was mad.

Patsy was sweet and quiet. When she got ready for bed I would sit on the edge of her bed and pray for her. Every night she would cup my face in her and hands and say I love you. She made me feel so loved. Patsy greatly changed the outcome of that week. Amy didn't like being told what to do. If I had just had Amy I fear that there would have been a lot of confrontation that week. Patsy completely changed the situation. I had Amy help me with Patsy and she responded really well to that. The two of them got along well because Patsy loves everybody.

Patsy's sweet personality and love changed Amy. Throughout the week Amy seemed to relax and open up a bit. I had never seen Amy like that before. Amy is not one for affection. By the end of week I was praying with her and she hugged me which kind of surprised me. I can't imagine the pain that she has been through. Patsy never said much but love doesn't need words. Patsy was the key factor in the outcome of that week. Patsy showed love to Amy and that changed the week and made it wonderful. Had she not been there, I fear the week would not have gone so well. This is why I know you get the campers that God intended for you to have.