I’ve never read a book or watched a movie about a lazy hero. Heroes work hard, overcome obstacles, and persevere through difficulty. They push their limits and discover deeper levels of strength and endurance.
Every summer at Christian Chapel, I see heroes at work. The men and women who serve as counselors at Royal Family Kids Camp know that following God’s call to care for children in distress isn’t easy or soft work. It stretches your patience, pushes you out of your comfort zone, and can even break your heart. Kids in foster care have stories marked by pain, loss, and disappointment. Showing up for them requires hard work, an overcoming attitude, and deep wells of perseverance. When these heroes show up, they fulfill the scriptural command to “look after orphans in their distress” (James 1:27).
The heroic stories of camp don’t look like superhero movies. Heroes look like a counselor who sits with a child until they feel safe enough to laugh. Heroes are the counselors who include a child who expects to be excluded. These RFK heroes show up with grace, compassion, and patience, and they turn every square inch of camp into holy ground. They establish islands of hope in the lives of children who live in uncertain seas.
You can be the one who shows up to show them the greatest hero they will ever encounter. You can be the one who introduces them The One who will never leave them or forsake them. You can be the one that introduces them The One who knows the number of hairs on their head. You can be the one who introduces them to The One who has good plans despite the hardships they have experienced.
I hope you’ll consider joining us at camp this summer. You can be a hero. You don’t have to be a professional counselor or educator. You just have to show up! You can cheer, pray, listen, value, encourage, and remind a child that God sees them, knows them, and loves them. You can be part of the heroic turn in their story.
