Kicking and Screaming

Last week was my final week of being a college rep. for the summer. Before we got to the camp I was emotionally, spiritually, and physically done. I really did not want to do this last week at Wi-Ne-Ma! I just said good bye to people who I have worked with for a month and some who have become some of my best friends. I had just seen their Facebooks where that all checked in at home because CIY was finished for the summer and home is where I wanted to be. Home was not where I was going to be. I was going to be a cabin mom and have one more week as a consular. I was going kicking and silently screaming " I don't want to be here I just want to be home."  I just wanted to check out and just go about that week and not pour my heart into the last week. I knew this was a horrible attitude to because I was there to serve the campers and represent my school. I needed to have a servants attitude and that is something I did not have as we drove to that camp. I had some Jesus time and made a deal with him. ( This is always a dangerous thing to do) I told him I would keep an open mind for two days but I would need to see Him working, connect with my cabin/people at camp, and energy to get through the week. Well I got what I asked for and more. AMAZING things happened all week, my mind stayed open for the entire week, I had energy all week even after the first night where my cabin decided to pull an all nighter, and I made friends who I will go and visit again.

On the first day I was very nervous because one of my co-consulars already knew the majority of the girls in the cabin and I feared that connections would not be made. At the same time it would make it easier to just check out but I was going to try my hardest not to do that. On that first night the girls decided to stay up all night and us cabin moms were not happy about that. So in cabin time we talked about respect, took away their cell phones and ipods. My ipod was the only one that could be listen to all week. The girls at first did not like that we took their stuff. They later told me that they thought I was going to be strict but as soon as they saw the music on my ipod they said things changed for them. They said they realized I was like them, I don't have all Christian music and they saw Ke$ha and they knew I would be cool. Barriers began to break over an ipod and going over rules of respect. God was at work on the second day!

Through out the week walls came tumbling down for each camper. They became more and more open with each other. It was so awesome to see a once semi divided cabin become SO close in that short of a time. The girls began to talk with me and share their life. At any given time I could walk in th cabin and a group of girls would be in there telling bits and pieces of their testimonies. One night as a cabin we all snuck out to the beach and Kayla one of the other counselors shared her testimony. It was really cool to see the girls in the cabin realize that the consulars don't have it all together and we are like them. We have struggles and we are just trying figuring out life with Jesus as well.

I learned the power of prayer that week. I have always head that prayer was powerful but I haven't always believed it. After this week I have clear evidence that prayer can make a HUGE impact! There were a couple of girls that Kayla and I were praying for. At first nothing was really happening but then there were break throughs. It took God to break them but they came running to talk and break more walls down. Kayla and another counselor Bridgette are two people I would consider prayer warriors. One particular camper we prayed with for about 20 minuets. The power in that prayer was strong. The things we asked for came true. The coolest thing happened after we prayed, the cloudy skies cleared. All you could see was the billions of stars in the sky. It was AMAZING! It was as if God was sending a sign of affirmation or a sign saying I will take care of you and fight this battle.

Leaving at the end of the week was so difficult I didn't want to go. I left kicking and screaming in a good way this time. My cabin was absolutely amazing! Yam West is forever in my heart and has stolen a piece of it.

Kayla is like a sister to me and I will miss her dearly. If I have the chance to go back next summer I will go back in a heart beat! I learned so much in this week. God blew me away and I am so blessed by him. This was a great way to end the best summer I have ever had.

Katie-Michelle

For the last time

I had been looking forward to this week from the moment I left Colorado. When we arrived at Oregon State University we were relieved to find out that unloading the truck was going to take place the next morning. The first thing I did was find Tori and Audrey to give them a BIG hug! That night I spent just hanging out with Tori and catching up on each others lives. We probably stayed up way to late but when your only together for a week and you have to part ways and will be 1, 534 miles apart whats a night of 4 hours of sleep. The next morning we unloaded the semi truck and set up the stage for the last time. It took forever but it was all worth it! That night we just took it easy and hung out with everyone. It was so nice to be back with the team we were with in Colorado.

Monday the students came and opening session happend. Man were these students high energy but that just meant it was going to be that awesome of a week. Tuesday night is always my favorite night because it is the bell night. Wednesday night I got to do my last Carl from Flarl. This week it was a little different because their was only one projector so the sliders were all me. There was no room for mess ups. Well I did mess up, but only once and you could only tell if you have seen it a bunch of times. The  Alternative that night was special to say the least. Tori and I has SO much fun dancing and being silly but the talent that went on stage was well lively... Thursday nights forgiveness tree I was not cleaning up the toilet paper so it was a different experience but still cool to see the tree be empty and then fill up. Friday zoomed by because we had an early end before I knew it we were packing the station (which we did SO fast) and then loading the truck for the last time of the summer. Loading the truck was probably the fastest we have ever done which I am so thankful for!

During the week I was working the station so I got to interact with the student every morning and night. This was so awesome to talk with students and hear about their week as it progressed. This week we had an AMAZING emcee Kat. She is so funny and such a genuine person. She took the time to get to know the staff as well as the students. This was so cool!  I will miss her.

This week was a little different because I hung out with different people then I did in Colorado. I enjoyed getting to know new people and creating new memories that will be cherished. Food runs, late night chats, playing what are the odds, all the insides jokes and little things I will take back home with me.

 I feel like this week flew by! I didn't get the chance to spend a lot of time inside session but the time I did spend I saw God moving in powerful ways.

Today I did not say goodbye to anyone. I said see you later to everyone because I will see them again someday. I am really sad that we are apart and that MOVE 2013 is officially over, but extremely thankful that I have had the opportunity to work for them. I am a little teary eyed but that is a good thing. These relationships will last a life time and I feel extremely blessed to have met the CIY staff that I did and all the college reps that I did. I could think of a better way to end my 2013 Move then with the team I was with.

Katie-Michelle