Camp Esperanza Revisited

I returned home from the Camp Esperanza teen retreat today. This was a weekend to see some teens I havne't seen since last year (or longer), to get to know some new teens, and of course to see the ones I just saw last month.

Camp E. campers graduate from camp at age 15. They get to come to teen retreat until they are 17. So, we had another graduation last night of the 17 year olds. Two of them were in my cabin my first year at camp in 2002. How amazing to have seen them grow up from awkward, near bald 14 year olds to beautiful, confident, amazing 17 year olds! The hard part is knowing I will never see them again, unless I randomly run into them in at the mall or something.

As I watched the bus drive up the driveway this morning, I could only hope that the next year holds wonderful things for these awesome kids. I hope that the girl with the heavy class load does well and doesn't burn out, so that her dream of going to a top private college may be realized. I hope that the girl I've seen go from a shy, socially immature girl continues to shine. I hope that the beautiful girl who is still bald from the chemo continues to do well after her bone marrow transplant. I hope the sweet girl whose days on this earth are numbered continues to live each day she has left to the fullest. I hope that the sweetness and sparkle all of these kids have continues to touch others and make them shine.