Coming Home

The first night of camp, Samantha looked like a frightened squirrel trapped in a cage. Her wide eyes darted around, trying to take in her new surroundings. It wasn't long before she began to talk about wanting to go home. This response isn't unusual for campers who are unaccustomed to new experiences, but, most of the time, these campers settle in after the first day and really begin to enjoy camp.

Two nights later, however, Samantha approached me after chapel and asked if she could talk to me. We sat down in the chapel room, and she explained that she was in foster care and wanted to go home. At first I thought she was telling me that she wanted to leave camp. When I began asking her why she didn't like camp, she corrected me. “No, I like camp. What I mean is, I don’t want to be in foster care anymore. I want to go home to my mom and dad.” She went on to describe the poor life decisions her parents had made, resulting in their incarceration. She asked me to pray with her that, now that her parents were out of prison, she would be able to live with them again. I talked with her for a few minutes, and, together, we agreed to pray for three things: 1) that her parents would follow God and get their lives back on track, 2) that Samantha would be able to join them in their home once again, and 3) that, even if she is unable to join her parents, God would give her peace, comfort, and a sense of belonging, no matter where she lives.