The 2021 DPF Peace Interns
I’m not really sure what to make of my experience as a peace intern. It’s been really fun, but I don’t know how it’s going to impact me in the long run. I’m not sure what I’m going to end up taking away from it.
I’ve learned more about people. How different we all are…how similar we all are. I’ve observed how we can all sink to pettiness at times, no matter our age. And I’ve also seen how we can overcome fear and bias to bridge across difference, make connections, and form relationships. I’ve watched people hurt one another…and heal one another. I saw people work to tear others down, and I saw people build others up. Instances of inclusion and exclusion are present at all church camps. We don’t always like to acknowledge that bullying, negative peer pressure, gossip, and general social harm take place at church camp. The fact of the matter is that it does, though, it always does.
That’s because we’re human. Whenever there’s a large enough group of people, there’s always gonna be something.
But the cool thing about church camp is how that kind of stuff is responded to. Usually, there’s a kind of no tolerance policy for that kind of behavior. It’s made clear that those things are harmful and not consistent with church camp. It doesn’t fit with the atmosphere we try to craft at camps, so this kind of stuff is usually swiftly dealt with. But it’s not dealt with in a punitive manner. I noticed a real effort to support and love not only the attacked, but also the attackers. People tended to check in with both parties and try to attend to both parties needs. After all, I’ve found that the saying “hurting people hurt others” is often right on the money. Even when people were sent home, I noticed that camp staff often made a real effort to extend care to those people, even after they had left camp. Even when people did some real nasty things, there was a general vibe of “loving concern” from staff. They wanted to believe that people could get better. There was a real focus on love. Love, support, healing. (I know that sounds cheesy; bear with me.) I’ve always found that to be at the core of what church camp is, and I was pleased to see it put into practice, not just when it was easy, but when it was hard—when it would’ve been easy just to write people off. Basically, I saw the people of our church putting their money where their mouth was, and I was really glad to see it.
So I observed people and gained wisdom. I sharpened my people skills, learned to connect with teenagers, and became a better presenter/facilitator. This is all great! I learned some things about humanity, but I also learned some stuff about myself, as well. The unexpected is expected at camp. Nothing ever goes to plan, and staff must adapt on the fly. Sometimes serious drama arises. You never really know what you’re going to face.
And after going to camp for four weeks (5 if you count online camp), I’ve faced a lot this summer! I’ve gotten lost (several times), dealt with serious issues, been the sponger for teenage tears, adapted my workshop countless times, and so much more! And I was able to handle it all! Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t so it alone; I had the support of many amazing people along the way. Still, I think my experiences as a peace intern have helped me to become more confident in myself. As I took on each challenge, and came out on the other side, I began to feel more and more reassured that I can take on the world. Now that I’m on the other side of this summer, I feel more capable. I’m more confident. I feel more like an adult! After all, if I can handle a full summer of church camp, I can probably handle a lot!
Before I go, I did want to mention the camps one more time. Each camp has become a special place to me, and I think I’ll continue to hold each one in my heart for the rest of my life. And I’m not just saying that as lip service! Church camps are just special places like that. They have an impact on you. The ones I went to certainly impacted me, and I’m so grateful for this summer and all of the life experience I was able to gain these past 10 weeks. Thank you to everyone who was with me along this journey; I’ll carry you all with me as well. <3
Peace!
-Kate