Hello Everyone!
Time again for our monthly “Wednesday Words Post”. Today we bring you a column written by Alana Norquay. Alana has been involved in virtually every aspect of Day Camps from Camper to Team Member, Leader and Training Leader from Committee Member to Office Worker. She has also written content for our Program Manual. Now living in Northern Quebec we very much miss day to day contact with her and are happy to be able to introduce her through Wednesday Words. Welcome Alana!!
The Day Camp Blessing
Good day all, Alana Norquay here, I have the honour of being the February 2015 Wednesday Words blogger. I have been involved with the Crosstalk Day Camp program for many years, either as a camper, Team Leader or committee member. For the past five years I have been more of a fringe member as I live in a Cree community, called Mistissini, in northern Quebec and can only be present for Team Retreat week.
What am I doing in Mistissini you wonder? Teaching! I am a primary school teacher and have had the privilege of teaching grades 1 and 2, alternately, for the past five years. I have to say that, although many of the people in Mistissini are Christian, this is a very challenging place to live and have faith in God. There are many social issues that plague indigenous communities in Canada and Mistissini is no exception. I have students who come to school not having eaten, or not having slept because they were afraidor simply not sent to bed but left to fend for themselves. Students often come to school poorly dressed for the frigid weather in the winter. All this can certainly contribute to a crisis of faith but… I have an ace up my sleeve! I am lucky enough to have been trained as a Day Camp Team Leader.
I spent four summers Leading Day Camps all across Quebec and have been stretched and tested in my faith in many ways. I have seen the joy that God’s word can bring to others, especially children and when I have moments of doubt, darkness, questioning, whatever you wish to call it I can always call on my Day Camp memories and feel God’s love shinning on me again.
This is not to say that Day Camps is a cure all for crises of any kind but there is a continued feeling of family, a support system. The friends and people I have met while being part of Day Camps has created a huge system all across the globe. I have not only grown my faith but also my horizons.
In many ways Day Camps has been and continues to be a blessing to me personally and I pray, daily, that this programme blesses many more people with God’s word.
