I have been a member of the Alvinston Summer Team for more than five years. Being on the summer team has taught me so many things and helped me to grow and do things I never thought I would when I joined the team. It also gave me the opportunity to do something that I really enjoyed which is working with children and helping to lead them to Christ.

When I first joined summer team, I was shy and uncomfortable with who I was. Most of the time I wished no one would notice I was there. Fortunately, because I went to a small church, that was never possible. When the opportunity to join the summer team came up it was strongly suggested I join and I thought it might be fun. That first year on summer team I met some amazing people with whom I am still very close. We were able to help each other grow in our faith and we just had a lot of fun together.

Slowly but surely I was pushed out of my boundaries and my comfort zone. However, I never felt I was in over my head or that I was in a situation I could not handle. There was always someone around to help you if you needed it. Over time I became less and less shy and more willing to lead on my own. I became more comfortable with initiating things and speaking in public.

Being pushed and helped to grow in the context of the summer team helped me to overcome my fear of new things and helped me to be willing to do the things that God has planned for me. Also the skills I learned, such as how to work with many different people from the most pleasant to the most difficult, as well as leading sessions and chapels, I know are ones I will continue to use throughout my life.

Finally the opportunity to serve God and his people, Christians and non-Christians was, and is, an amazing experience. It is amazing what God can do through something as simple as summer camp. "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)