I’ve been going to Hopetown since the late 90’s, when I was just in elementary school, so it feels like a second home. Currently, I’m fortunate to be one of Hopetown’s visiting summer staff members. It’s hard to imagine a summer away from this place with its cozy lakeside cottages, boats full of children and time together to share meals, share worship and share stories. The kids are asked at the beginning of camp what they are most excited about and inevitably at least half of them say Melissa’s teaching. She teaches about the Bible every morning and evening. This past week, for the 2nd through 4th grade summer retreat, we talked a lot about sheep. Probably like many of you, I’ve heard God described as the good shepherd and believers described as sheep a hundred times – so much so I’ve never paused to really think about what it means.
We were invited to think of ourselves and each other as sheep, and we learned that sheep aren’t just dull farm animals – they are quite special. We learned that sheep are brave when they risk their own safety to protect their friends. They have emotions and can recognize their shepherd’s voice. They are caring and remember one another even though they all look the same to us. They are loyal and stick together, rarely straying from the heard. The campers were given the opportunity to point out these qualities in one another. At the end of each day, they would give each other bells for being patient while waiting their turn to play pickle ball, brave while tubing on the lake or kind by serving their friends at mealtime.
We talked about sin, too. Like farm sheep, God’s sheep can wander. We can be distracted and unaware. We can be impulsive and push the limits. We can be stubborn and selfish. Melissa’s teaching about the wandering sheep allowed us to look at our sin in a different way. This kinder image gave a lot of credit to an often dismissed animal – in the same way that God cherishes us. When we stray, even if we’re just 1 sheep in 100, He’ll notice and come looking for us. He’ll tell us how much missed us and walk us back home. He’ll say it wasn’t the same without us. Isn’t it the best feeling in the world when someone notices you’re missing and says it just wasn’t the same without you? At Hopetown, we believe this message heals. It heals the wounds of loss, trauma, abandonment and shame. We know this because we see it every day at Hopetown, at Daystar, and we even feel it for ourselves.
Thank you for giving to Daystar. Because of your support, we can continue to shepherd kids and remind them that their lives matter, they aren’t forgotten and that it just wouldn’t be the same without them.
Allye Gray, Girls Counselor
