When I was 13, I went on my first mission trip to Passport Missions in Florida. This trip
absolutely changed my life. Before this trip, I knew God, but at Passport, it finally felt like God knew me. God spoke to me that summer, telling me that Passport was where I was meant to be. It became my most constant and fervent prayer that I would be able to work at Passport one day. I was devastated when camp was cancelled for the summer of 2020, but I prayed for guidance and decided to apply again for the summer of 2021.
I can confidently say that the summer of 2021 has been the best summer of my life.
I was blessed to be given the opportunity to be a Bible Study Leader which meant I had a
new group of bright faced campers every week ready to have an incredible time. My campers
quickly became my favorite people as we got to laugh, smile, and pray together throughout the week. As their leader, I got to watch them grow in their confidence, their friendships, and most importantly, their faith. My job was to lead them in Bible Study every morning as well as their rotation for the day. My favorite part of rotations was hearing my campers share about their lives during Cultural Self-Portraits. During this time, things often took a more serious turn, but every week my campers stayed with me. They responded positively to tough conversations and were open to share and listen with each other. I was regularly brought to tears watching the way that God worked through them and our staff.
But what is being on staff like?
Working on staff is dancing to the same songs with newfound energy every single
morning. It’s building friendships solely centered on our love for Christ. It’s smiling until your cheeks hurt, laughing until your stomach hurts, and being filled with so much love you just might burst.
I will not lie, it’s hard work. You have to constantly adapt to new circumstances and
situations. You have a lot of important responsibilities that are vital to the amazing week of camp we provide for every camper. You have to understand that this summer is not for you, it is for your campers. But if you give all of yourself to this camp and the campers, it is the most rewarding and enlightening experience you could ever have.
Working Passport has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. It has changed my
faith and my life for the better. I have a greater understanding of friendship, discipleship, and who God wants me to be. My summer with Passport was better than I could have dreamed and exactly for which I prayed.