I am a rising sophomore in college and my summer job is working at Camp KidJam. One of my responsibilities is to lead a track of kids each week at camp and this summer my track was Minute to Win it.
In our second week of camp this summer I introduced myself to the kids in my track and we all went in a circle to introduce ourselves. I went first with my name, age and fun fact. "Im Kaylee, I will be 19 tomorrow and I love donuts" The kids began and then the girl sitting across from me spoke, "Hey Im Lydia my age is 11 and I don't really have a fun fact actually I do." She spoke with the same speech impediment that I have struggled with my entire life. "I am not from anywhere my parents don't talk like this, my accent is just how I talk I cant say my "r" sound. “Guess what” I responded “what?” I looked her into the eyes & for the first time in my life I was able to say "I talk the same exact way you do."
I decided during free time on the last day of camp I was going to ask her leader to meet up and I would give her my Giving Key. I met up with her on my birthday and with tear filled eyes I read her a note. The note explained how grateful I am to know her and that she was in my track. I explained that the best gift I have ever received was getting to look her in the eyes and for the first time say "me too." I challenged her to embrace who the Lord created her to be. I closed with saying “My giving key says HOPE. My hope is that you will trust in the Lord with all your heart, that you would seek Him in all that you do and I hope forever that you will know how loved you are despite the way we both talk."
My hope goes beyond this situation. I hold onto an eternal hope that will never fade. I am in awe of how the Lord worked through Lydia to provide the answers I have been seeking my entire life. This wasn't just a challenge to Lydia but also to myself in embracing who the Lord created me to be.
-Kaylee
