Today’s words of inspiration come from the song God Made You Special by Deniece Williams
God made you special God made you so special For there's no other who's just like you Special you are For He took the time to breathe into your heart and mind an identity You're a kind of star, sets you apart Be yourself, it's fine, it's all God's design
They arrived at camp wearing dresses, pride shirts, jean jackets with innumerable buttons, and rainbow dyed hair. Driving through the heart of East Texas, in some of the most conservative country, they arrived at a safe little island for LGBTQIA+ pre-teens and teens. Arriving in cars stuffed with suitcases, sleeping bags, pillows, and rainbow stuffed animals, the new arrivals exploded out of the relative comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle and into the sweltering heat of the Texas Piney Woods in August.
They burst into the registration building to get their rainbow bracelet, cabin assignment, and their welcome bag. Reassured and grateful parents dropped off signed paperwork and provided the camp nurse with copious amounts of medications for depression, anxiety, and gender transition. The campers were a bit cautious, but also excited, as they headed to meet their new friends in their cabin. The parents cried tears of joy and relief, watching a dream realized that meant their queer child could go to a camp made just for them.
Thus began a week at kin·dom camp - a camping opportunity for LBGTQIA+ youth from ages 11-17 to come and experience a week of affirmation, celebration and fun. This camp affirmed all genders, sexualities, identities, religious backgrounds and varieties of belief. The only expectation was a commitment to welcoming and celebrating everyone where they are, as they are (language borrowed from kin·dom’s website).
For those magical five days, kids went canoeing, zip lining, axe throwing, and swimming. They had space for arts & crafts (which were gorgeous), being still in a sensory room, and lots of conversation. They had opportunities for gender-affirming haircuts, counseling, and play. There was even a performance by two drag queens and a drag king, who showed the participants what it is to live fully into their joy. And the drag king, dressed in a dinosaur costume, read bedtime stories to them.
And most of all, space was made for them to be exactly who they know themselves to be in God’s design.
In my 30 years of youth ministry, I have had the joy of being a cabin counselor, program director, spiritual director, and music leader for literally hundreds of summer camps. Never in my wildest dreams have I experienced the joy, beauty, and pathos of queer kids screaming, laughing, holding hands, crying, staring at the stars and genuinely being exactly whom God made them to be.
Let us pray:
Creative Father, Nurturing Mother, Embracing Non-Binary – Thank you for making us from your imagination. We are blessed with different skin tones, identities, loves, and spirits. And all by your amazing hands. There is no other just like me. Help me to embrace myself. Help me to embrace others. Amen.
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