Work Week

Young Life has over twenty summer camps in the US. Each year before the summer kicks off, volunteers in Young Life from different areas go to the camps to get them ready for the summer. This year the Brazos Valley area YL was sent to Frontier Ranch just outside of Buena Vista, Colorado. Jobs ranged anywhere from cleaning rocks, clearing rocks, applying teak to interior and exterior of buildings, building new fences, clearing paths, and a kitchen crew to assist in feeding everyone working at the camp.

 This wasn't my first time to Frontier Ranch. I actually had gone as a camper in the summer of '08 with Wichita Falls area Young Life. As a camper, I had no idea how much work went into preparing the camp. I guess I just assumed that the grass stayed green, the wood always looked new, and paths were always rock free, so it was a really eye opening experience to get to see all of the work that actually goes into the camp.

There were only three of us from my YL Capernaum team that were able to make it to work week this year. For some reason or another, the Lord placed us up at the corral to work with the horses all week! This was an immediate blessing for me because I have grown up riding horses and hardly get the chance to ride because I'm away at school. Our week looked a bit different from most everybody else in that we were grooming the horses, cleaning saddles, and working on the barn. We worked with two wrangler interns who will be there the entire summer, one of whom who attends Midwestern State and is a leader in Wichita Falls. 

JC, Myself, and Haleigh

Travis, JC, Doc, Myself, Morgan, and Haleigh

Katniss (who I got to name) and Myself

Some of the construction being done

Majority of the Aggies that came with our group from Brazos Valley

It was a breathtaking view the whole time we were working and with weather that I would take any day over what I've spent my past few summers in as a lifeguard. A light jack and jeans were comfortable, but not necessary with the high never being over 80 degrees while we were there. Getting to enjoy God's creation while working for His name was such a beautiful gift and reminder that God is so big and generous.

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world." -Psalm 19:1-4

At the end of the week they told us that if they were to pay each worker for the 40+ hours we put in at minimum wage, the camp would have been writing $100,000 worth in checks. Although it was encouraging to see how much we helped the camp financially, it was more rewarding to see the way the Lord worked in each person at camp. Going to Work Week I had the mindset that I was getting to check off something good from my summer to-do list. After working throughout the week knowing that nothing I did was in vain, I was reminded of the true reason I was placed there.

"Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." -Deuteronomy 15:10

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" -Acts 20:35

I was slow but finally able to realize that it wasn't for my gain, but the Kingdom's gain that me and so many others dedicated this week to bettering the camp. It wasn't for my glory, but the Lord's. It is a blessing to know that the work I completed throughout the week will in one way or another bless a camper's time at Frontier Ranch.

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