Determination & Spunk

I see the biggest smile I have EVER seen, plastered on a wet face, blonde hair spiking up, eyelashes dripping with water, eyes emitting such excitement and happiness that I wonder if I’ll ever see anything that will compare with this pure display of joy. The organized chaos happening all around him does not register for Camper Keith. Splash! A football skids in front of this beaming face, and immediately, his hand pushes up from the blue water. Instead of his wrist displaying a bright red badge, it instead reveals a simple blue band, which is the origin of Keith’s jubilance.

It’s Day 2 of camp. Keith has never been a swimmer and tells me, Counselor Dan, that he is scared to take the swim test. But it is clear to me that he sure wants to. I take him and the other campers to the pool. As the other boys take and pass their swim tests, they are “awarded” their hard-earned blue swim bands and promptly begin splashing about, grabbing fun pool toys to play with.

Keith looks downcast. I begin talking to him, telling him that he needs to persevere. “What’s that mean?” Keith asks. I answer, “That means that you continue to try to do something until you can do it. And if you can’t do it the first time, you keep trying and practicing, no matter how hard it seems. You can pass the swim test, Keith. I know you can. You just gotta persevere. Here, I’ll help you practice for it.”

I tell him he needs to be able to kick and paddle. I then demonstrate both to him in the shallow end of the pool. Holding onto the side of the pool, he kicks his legs out. Kick, kick, kick. He then turns and paddles a short distance to me. “You’re doing it, buddy! You got this.”

Keith tells me he needs to practice. I stay nearby while he kicks and paddles for 45 minutes. This kid’s got heart, I think. Finally, Keith tells me he is ready to take the swim test. He goes to one side of the pool, sizes up the path of his swim journey, and plunges into the water, kicking and paddling furiously. He doesn’t stop until he reaches the other side.

“You did it, Keith! You passed the swim test!” I shout to him. “Way to go!”

He is breathing heavily when I reach him, to award his blue banner of determination and spunk. “Are you thirsty? Need some water?” I ask him. “Nah,” he says. “I drank half the water in the pool during my swim test.”

Off he paddles, grinning ear-to-ear. I watch as another camper swims up to Keith. He tells Keith he has been trying to learn to do a somersault in the water and can’t. Keith tells him, “You just gotta persevere.” “What’s that mean?” asks the other camper.

I smile, because I know Keith will, without fail, tell him the definition.

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Royal Family Kid’s Camps is an international non-profit organization that provides the foundation for creating week-long camps for campers age 6-11. To learn more about Royal Family Kids corporate, visit them online.

Onward & Upward is our weekend-long retreats for 13-15 year olds. The retreats use a curriculum focusing on character traits of godly men and women. We began this semi-annual program in 2004 with 39 teenagers and 46 volunteers.

SUMMIT is our weekend-long retreats for 16-18 year olds. The curriculum focuses on skills that will help them function better as adults. Examples include managing bank accounts, completing job applications, & mock interviews. We began this semi-annual program in 2007 with 12 teens and 16 volunteers.

RISE is a weekend-long retreat offered in April for teen boys and November for teen girls, ages 12-18. OFC will continue to use a 2:1 teen to counselor ratio at RISE, and the curriculum and activities are designed to help teens build self-esteem and navigate gender-specific issues.

Our Father's Children exists to provide HOPE to children of abuse and neglect in Texas, ages 6-18, in week-long camp settings and weekend retreats. We recruit volunteers from a variety of cities, churches and organizations who have a heart for offering these kids hope in Jesus Christ. Whether as a volunteer or donor (or both), we would love to have you join us in providing hope to these kids!

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6250 N.E. Loop 820, NRH, TX 76180

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817.788.2360

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