“God, thank you for using me!” is all Noah Kwizera could say as this summer came to a close. He’d prayed often that God would find a way to bless others through him. In his role as worship leader on Youthfront Camp West’s Summer (college) Staff, he says God answered that prayer.
Kwizera was born and raised in Rwanda, Africa, and came to the U.S. on a student visa to attend college. “I go to college in Vermont, but was looking for an internship this summer. Somehow, I came across Youthfront. I had never been to Kansas, and didn’t know a single thing about Youthfront besides the photos online. But I agreed, and I came!”
Kwizera’s primary role at Camp West was to lead the worship band and provide campers a chance to sing and worship during gatherings twice each day.
“At the beginning, I thought this was going to be a normal job. But this [place] is very different. It’s amazing. I’ve never worked in a place where I’ve felt this kind of love. The best part of being on Summer Staff is that I just get to be me. I get to tell my friends, ‘Hey, this is how I’m really doing.’ And they love me and accept me and ask, ‘How can we support you?’
The community at Youthfront has been one of Kwizera’s favorite parts about the job. “I’ve really enjoyed being around these people. They’re friends that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”
Another takeaway from this summer was the fulfillment Kwizera experienced from leading worship. “The best part of being at this camp is being able to see people younger than me experience God,” Kwizera says. “I’ve had moments in my life where I’ve said, ‘God, am I ever going to be a blessing to anyone?’”
He explains how he became increasingly aware of the impact he was having on campers. Kids who came to camp were able to experience the Holy Spirit through music, dancing, and singing. “I see campers singing as loud as they can, some even raising up their hands. This has touched my heart so much. It’s been amazing.” He smiles and shakes his head as he ponders on his past worries – doubtful that God would ever use him – and says, “God proves you wrong.”
“Now, on all the nights I play [guitar], I try to back up from the mic, look at the campers and say, ‘God, thank you for using me. I’ve asked God for a long time ‘Use me to be a blessing in someone’s life!’ Sometimes I want to cry, because I realize – this is it. This is God’s promise coming to be true.”
On her path to a degree in early childhood education from Baylor University, Sierra Narvaez found a unique experience as a cabin leader at Youthfront Camp.
“Being here at Youthfront has allowed my faith to grow so much. This summer, the main thing I’ve learned is how children process their faith and their walk with God. It’s taught me how to break complex theological ideas down to middle school or elementary level of education. Being able to watch the children process [the Gospel] has been amazing.”
Narvaez found Youthfront online through Handshake when she was seeking a summer internship, and she traveled to serve the summer in Kansas from her hometown of Houston.
“Camp is amazing. The community is so tight knit, and now I have so many friends here in Kansas,” she said. “Being a cabin leader definitely has its challenges, but what really grounds me throughout the day is seeing my other cabin leaders. We check up on each other – not just on the surface level – but we ask how we really are doing, deep down inside. We really lean on each other for encouragement and anything else we might need.”
Not only did she love the community aspect of working at camp, she said she was so encouraged in her relationship with God. Narvaez says her faith has grown so much since coming to Youthfront and that ministering to youth has challenged her to understand the Gospel in a new way. One of her highlights was walking with a camper who was a new believer.
“She had so many questions from the gathering sermons. She asked questions about the Bible and about theology,” she said. “It was amazing to see the curiosity she had at such a young age. It just brought a lot of joy to see her focused, curious, and involved in the story of the Gospel. And it goes beyond her. There are hundreds of campers you meet each summer that have the same types of questions that you can help walk them through.”
One of her favorite parts of being a cabin leader was being a kid with her campers, too, she says.
“Getting to see their faces everyday and getting to spend time with them puts so much joy in my heart,”she says. “And as a Cabin Leader, you get to be a kid, too! The best part of being at camp is that you get to do everything the campers do. You get to blob, go down the water slide, eat all the ice-cream you want. You get to basically be campers with them.”
The summer after she graduated high school, Abbey Griffin heard from a friend that Youthfront Camp needed volunteers, so she served a week as a Volunteer Cabin Leader. After just a few days at camp, she says knew she wanted to come back. The following year, she applied to be a full-time Cabin Leader, and this summer she served all 10 weeks at Youthfront Camp West.
“Joining Summer Staff was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made – it’s truly something special. The community here has a way of making everyone feel comfortable from the moment they walk through the doors.” Griffin says. “My confidence has grown so much just because I have people surrounding me who make me feel like I don’t need to hide any aspect of me. I can truly be vulnerable. We also just get to laugh a lot and have so much fun. Even on our days off, we continue to hang out because we all love each other so much. We’ve come to see each other as friends and family – not just coworkers.”
One of the reasons the community at camp is able to thrive is because of the support from supervisors and Youthfront’s full time staff, Griffin says. “The camp management is so supportive, and we are constantly being poured into. They are always open to talk and are there for any questions or suggestions we have. They want to see us thrive in our positions, but also grow as human beings. They make me feel like a valued member in the Youthfront community.”
As Griffin headed back to being a student at Kansas State University, she encourages college students to apply for Summer Staff. “I would 100 percent recommend applying for Summer Staff. The community I got to experience at camp was life changing. It is truly an example of what Christ-like love looks like and how we should be living for each other in community. If I hadn’t applied for camp I would not have been able to meet some of my best friends. I truly had the best summer of my life.”
It’s hard not to have your role at camp shape your own faith journey. Jakob Kopaska, Day Camp leader this summer at Camp LaCygne, spent his weeks leading a small group of first through fifth graders through rotations of fun activities, games, and meals, then would meet up with the rest of the campers for large group worship time.
“I’ve found that Camp has been the biggest driving factor of my growth in my spirituality and faith. You just learn so many lessons here. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to live here for the summer every year and get to know God more. I get to know myself more because of it.”
“I love being a Day Camp leader because hanging out with that age group is so much fun,” he says. Not only that, but Kopaska shared he loves getting to talk about the Gospel with them, and hear their thoughts and answer their questions. “During small groups, we talk about God and discuss everything we learned in the large gathering that day.” Ultimately, Kopaska said he just loves getting to minister to these kids – making them feel seen, heard, and known. “I love hanging out with them all day. It’s a great time, and it teaches you a lot.”
The best thing, Kopaska says, is that he’s not alone in any of this as a Summer Staffer. There are Youthfront directors and supervisors who prioritize a good portion of their time to ministering, caring for, and providing support. “Youthfront’s got some great leadership here, and it’s awesome leaning on them for guidance, direction and support. You get lots of opportunities to consult with them about your faith, your life, what direction you’re going in. It’s amazing.”
One of the things that makes ministering to Kansas City’s youth such an amazing experience, he says, is the community each staff member gets to partake in. “The most rewarding thing about being on Summer Staff is the community. Getting to know all these new people every year and seeing familiar faces from previous years . . . It’s what keeps me coming back.”
