She Released Everything She Had Been Carrying

It’s a rare sight to see a teenager volunteer to lead us in prayer—actually, it hardly ever happens. But the week following camp, our teens returned with a renewed reverence, particularly noticeable in *Jessica. I had a chance to speak with her about her first trip away from her family. It was not only the first time she had slept away from her parents but also the first time she wasn’t responsible for looking after her siblings. This camp placed *Jessica in unfamiliar territory, allowing her to experience a week with an unusual sense of freedom.
She was invited into a space of vulnerability that allowed her to truly rest—a rest she hadn’t realized was necessary. *Jessica shared that she managed to keep her emotions in check throughout the week, but on the last day, she could no longer hold back. She released everything she had been carrying and simply cried. It was in that moment of release that she found her rest, no longer needing to carry the weight, just being a girl at camp. Stepping into the divine, showing up and unloading.
The following week at youth night, *Jessica volunteered to pray, stepping forward with a gentle courage shaped by her experiences at camp.

-Ester Ocampo