I could tell from the first moment I met this young lady, small group would be a challenge. She got upset when you even said her name, and you better not look at her or even acknowledge her or watch out.
The first small group she volunteered to read the Bible and even though others were raising their hand I picked her. She read it so quietly though that no one could even answer the questions, so with attitude she read it again louder. Somehow we managed and at this point I still didn't know her name, she was one of many on the list. But I knew her face, and I would try to look at her name tag later.
The next time I saw her, I realized she had flipped her name tag around so no one could read her name. But with the help of one of the other leaders I was working with, we figured her name out. So I decided to look up what her name meant, than I could tell her. Her name means Ethiopian Queen, how great is that!
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to tell her during our next time we met. Her friend and her needed to stop by the bathroom, so I took them while the other leaders took our group out onto the deck. We made our way back to them, and she said "I'm scared, I don't want to go on the deck."
As I led our way there I said, "We'll walk in the middle and I can hold your hand the entire time." Well she didn't want to hold my hand, but she did hold her friend's hand and allowed me to place my hand on her shoulder.
When we joined our group, her friend sat down with the others but she stood beside me. We were all sharing different emotions that Jesus had and now it was time to share about when we were sad. She seemed hesitant and didn't want to share with the group, but she shared with me.
Her aunt had died in a car accident last year. Her aunt had been driving home, but fell asleep at the wheel and flipped her car numerous times. This is a very sad story and I shared how losing people is difficult and can be very sad.
As she was sharing a rainbow was starting, it was small at first and grew and grew as she shared. When we walked off the dock, she said "I sure do miss my aunt."
I shared "Losing people is hard, is there something your aunt loved like butterflies, rainbows, teddy bears..."
At first she said, "My aunt didn't tell me what she liked." Soon though it popped in her head, "She liked rainbows, my aunt liked rainbows."
"Did you realize the entire time you were talking that rainbow appeared and grew? God and your aunt were telling you she's in the arms of Jesus." I believe God sends us encouragement when we need it and this young lady experiencing camp needed it.
I liked to say her entire attitude changed from that point on, it did a little and eventually she let her name be shown but at that moment that young lady knew God loves her and her aunt. Hopefully, she can hold unto that. I know I will.
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