Hey Y'all,
This year was my fourth year at Mt. T.O.P. as a camper and this year was very differnt for me. This year before we left for Mt. T.O.P. I was a little reluctant to go, I am not sure the real reason why I was unsure about going but I do have some possible factors that could have been the reason. First reason last year there was a lot of unwanted drama going on in the youth at my church and I didn't want that to happen again. Reason two I just wasn't sure how it was going to turn out because I saw the theme for 2010 and it is Livin' Hope. At the begining of the week I wasnt sure if I had hope or really understood what hope was.
Then as the week went on, as we were being put into our YRG'S I was really unsure about myself because I was the complete opposite, or so I thought, of some of the people I was going to be working with. Well I just said to myself that I need to give them a chance and to stop jumping the gun. This trip for me, was not about gaining more friendships, even though I did, but it was about really finding myself with God on a more deeper level.
When I was growing up in elementary school I was the odd one out. I only had about four friends growing up. I was picked on and I hated going to school but I went anyway to see the friends I did have. Now I have more friends who love me for me. I struggled with my wieght and still do. And I always had very low self esteem and confidence.
Anyway, it was about mid-week and I decided to text my good friend (whose name I am keeping anonymous) to see how his week went and just to catch up on things. I had learned that he had a calling to do staff the summer of 2011. And I was seriously considering it. I was telling him how much I wanted to do staff next year with him and he was happy that I also wanted to do staff. Thursday came and I went to the prospective staff meeting and found out when they start training and if I did it next year I would have to come back home to Michigan so I can graduate. They really did not ecourage it in my case because I graduate really late for them. So I was not accepting the obvious because I really wanted to do staff with my friend.
Friday came along and my YRG was pretty serious the whole week, Friday came and we were very wild but still appropriate for church camp. We had a decorating contest on our way back into camp and we went to Dollar General to get the stuff to decorate our car. We picked up water ballons, a water gun, four foam swords, streamers, and cocoa puffs. Our YRG was named Pirates of the Cocoa Puffs. So all the groups were in the strip of drive going into Camp Baker Mt. decorating their vans and it starts raining. We all just keep decorating in the rain, got back in the car and drove into camp. Everyone started dancing to techno music in the rain with our decorated cars. It was that day I really just let go of all my worries and just had a good time with our community.
I was an outgoing person before but I worried about a lot of things that I had no need to worry about. So saturday rolls in and I really don't think I need to describe how sad Saturdays are leaving Mt. T.O.P. When I was lying in bed sunday night I got my true calling to do Mt. T.O.P. staff and to keep doing mission work. I decided to tell my same anonymous friend previously in this blog to tell him how I feel about mt top, how it truly has changed my live in these short four years as a camper, and how I got my true calling to help people not only in Tennessee but where ever God directs me.
This is my story and I hope everyone can experiance Mt. T.O.P. in a gratifying way like me.
Love always and forever
Katie Kafcas