I’m a big advocate of spending part or all of at least one summer in college working at a Christian camp or as a summer missionary. It stretches your faith. It changes your perspective. It grows you as a person. And it teaches you way more than just these 12 things.
God will use whatever you have. You don’t have to be “post-graduation hiring material” to be qualified to do summer missions. Anything you know how to do can be valuable! I spent a summer in Atlantic City, NJ, doing such a random assortment of things that there was no way I was an expert at any of them: leading a discipleship group from a Spanish-speaking church, teaching English as a Second Language, preparing a newspaper for publication, working with youth at weekly rallies, etc.
God will introduce you to what He plans to use later. That summer in New Jersey I hung out a lot with a student worship band. That made me want to learn to play the guitar. I started learning, and a few summers later was hired to lead worship at a summer youth camp.
There’s more need than I can meet. Just because you’re willing to go doesn’t mean it’s the right thing in the right place at the right time. My summer of resort missions in Atlantic City prompted a college minister to ask me to spend the next summer doing resort missions in Tahoe City, CA. Sold! Until I found out the job was taking care of other people’s kids all day while they were on “family vacation.” Not being much of a kid person, I was certain this was a great way to share Jesus with kids and families, but not the place for me. Listen to God, and learn when to use the word no.
Just because God leads you there doesn’t mean being there will be easy. Maybe you have a crappy supervisor. (Did that.) Maybe your roommates or the team you work with is horrible. (Did that too.) Maybe the work itself is just dreadful. (Yup, that too.) But there you are. For weeks on end. Yet even when I was far from loving different situations, I was still confident that I was exactly where God wanted me to be. And that is pretty stinkin’ good.
Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat. I read that line in a book during my first summer of summer missions. I’ve remembered it ever since, and I just love it.
Reading for pleasure is fun. I actually read several books as a summer missionary, and none of it was assigned reading. What a concept!
Adolescence transcends culture. Even in other countries teenage girls can be giggly and boy crazy, and teenage boys can be just plain goofy. Only God could make those giggly girls like those goofy boys.
Be an independent and responsible traveler. Whether it’s a bus or a train or a plane or a taxi, learn how to use the system, read the schedules, buy your tickets and pack responsibly. Navigating modes of transportation is so empowering.
People at home love you and will pray for you. Tell them what you need. Tell them what’s going on. They truly care. Some will even come visit you. (They like to travel too!) Others will send you newspaper clippings from home. You may or may not care about these, but it’s entertaining and it’s sweet.
Ice cream tastes good, no matter how you eat it. Once I was served a scoop of ice cream on a saucer with a fork. On purpose. I’m sure I had a confused look on my face, but I ate it (except, of course, that part I couldn’t scoop up because it wasn’t in a bowl and I didn’t have a spoon!) and it was great.
Everyone needs a friend who loves, cares for and accepts them. You will make some unlikely friends in unlikely places. But they are amazing people who teach you so much, and end up learning so much from you too. Be a friend, and you’ll make a friend and share some unforgettable experiences. My best friend one summer was a 38-year-old attorney. We had virtually nothing in common, but had a blast together!
No one understands you better than someone going through it with you. Those friends back home are friends for life, but God also gives us “friends for a season” who just “get” what’s going on because they’re going through it too. Enjoy those other summer missionaries on your team (or fellow camp staffers), and thank God for them.
Ready to sign up or learn more? Check out www.gonowmissions.com or contact me.
Kathy Raines, UBC College Minister
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