This is a guest post from Mac Maser, Sports Supervisor at Youthfront Camp West
This is my fourth summer on staff at Youthfront Camp West and my third summer as a Sports Supervisor. I am going to be a fifth year senior at the University of Iowa studying Electrical Engineering. My first Youthfront experience was back in 2009 as a camper at Youthfront LaCygne. I camped at Youthfront LaCygne all throughout high school and it is where I first gave my life to Christ. I grew up in a Christian home and had learned about God, but I grew up thinking that there were a limited number of ways to worship God; you can worship through prayer, song, or studying scripture, but God is separate from the rest of your life. Camp is the place that taught me that we can also worship through our playfulness and having childlike curiosity.
After my last year of camping, I came on staff at West as a Cabin Leader. As a camper, I always looked up to the Sports Guys so that was always my dream job. They were always having fun and got to be in the tower of power for Nightstrike (there’s nothing cooler than that). Now, I’ve had the privilege of being one for three years.
My favorite part of my job is that I get to be goofy and carefree with hundreds of campers every week in a safe, Christ-loving, intentional environment. I get to witness the joy of Christ shine through these students as they have fun dancing to worship songs, playing with their friends on the Splash Park, singing along to Disney songs at dinner, and so many more activities. Even if they don’t realize it now, they are worshiping and spreading the love of Christ just by being themselves and having fun. These students are at a critical point in their lives where they are figuring out who they are and wanting to find their identity in something that makes them feel secure. Watching campers come out of their shell throughout the week and have fun is proof of Christ’s love for us and the reason I keep coming back every summer.
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