L O V E never fails♡~~~ Art Camp 2014 reflections
For the past four Jerusalem Ministry art camps, until I look back, I could never realize the impact of how meaningful and significant just this short time could be. For two girls in particular from my children’s home, Ah-young and Sue-ah, it has been especially significant. These two girls were the hardest to “break the ice” with. Ah-young, I have mentioned before, was the girl who would never smile and it wasn’t until years later that I finally noticed a breakthrough in our relationship the moment she remarked to me “see you next time,” as I was leaving to go to the states one summer. It was then it struck me for the first time that Ah-young really meant and believed those words and trusted she would see me again. Then, there is Sue-ah, who also was very withdrawn and even seemed angry every time we would meet. With her, it hasn’t been easy to build a relationship, and until just this past year that I notice Sue-ah has finally been warming up to me and is beginning to open up more.
And I realize the beginning points of breakthrough with these girls has been our ministry’s annual art camps. Ah-young and Sue-ah both attended these camps, the first Ah-young attended was 2010, for Sue-ah in 2011. These camps provide a rare opportunity for the girls to experience an outpouring of love and one-on-one attention, something they rarely ever get to experience. Plus, for the full 3-days of camp, each teacher the girls are paired with, are speaking constant words of affirmation and encouragements over them. These are rarities for the girls to ever receive, living amongst 10-12 other girls in one room and usually only one caretaker. Most special for me perhaps, has been the time during throughout the camp to interact with my girls making their fun art projects, but especially, the time I got to share during the commuting time to and from camp each day. These were times we got to bond and connect in a special way, spending time together outside of the home, and even taking them out for a special dinner at their favorite restaurant on the last night of camp. And looking back, I realize that these camps were the beginning of any breakthrough in my relationships with the girls~~~very significant indeed!
As I reflect on yet another year of art camp… it was nothing less than more spectacular than the rest, and a time when God’s love and joy and confidence and smiles were more apparent than ever!!!! Even Sue-ah, a girl who rarely smiled in past years, couldn’t help but release a few sweet smiles this camp,… evidence of all the love poured into her over the years. ♡ Its at times like these that I get to see a greater revelation of how deep the Father’s love is~~~a LOVE that always ALWAYs wins out in the end without fail, no matter how hardened and detached these girls seem at the start.
Ah-young when she first attended art camp in 2010, and today! =D
Sue-ah the first time she attended art camp and today! =D
There have been many sweet moments spent with the Ah-young, Sue-ah and the other children just like this. Even if it is just down time and not doing anything much in particular with the children, but just sitting and talking laughing with one another… it can be something so simple yet so sweet and enjoyable!! just to see how comfortable the children and I are with one other is a huge breakthrough =) Just the other day, Ah-young and I were reminiscing about the time when we first met and during those early days when she would never talk to me and do anything to try and avoid me. We both had a good laugh about that. Today, we laugh together A LOT at each other.. she has a sweet smile and a very funny sense of humor!
More pictures of all the love flowing in the girls throughout the days of art camp~~~ ❤
Mirim with her custom-designed hoodie and bunny hand-paint (top) and showing off her butterfly-painted treasure box
Hae-mi with her beautifully painted treasure box
Ga-young making her neat gingerbread house (top) and her beautiful treasure box (bottom)
Dong-ju and her cool gingerbread house (top), hoodie and treasure box (bottom) with her volunteer Kristen =D
Sung-ju with her teacher volunteer, Dabin and her painted treasure box (top) and her cutie pose (bottom)
Sae-ra showing off her treasure/jewelry box~ =)
Gayoung and Mirin having a good laugh~~enjoying a good meal with the girls on our last day of camp(dalk-galbi) =)
got a picture in with Sue-ah on the last day~~~ all smiles!!! =D =) 😉
