Shannyn Jones
Then: I served on the first ever Traveling Summer Staff 2010. We served at both RockyVine and New England.
Now: I am a sophomore at Ole Miss (University of Mississippi). I am majoring in Secondary Education—High School English, with a minor in Psychology. I am co-leading a Bible Study in my sorority, and am involved with our Catholic Campus Ministry. All while staying involved with my church at home (yay for email, Facebook, and cell phones!) and, going on Beach Retreat over Thanksgiving Break!
Was it worth it? Would I do it again? Being on Summer Staff was worth every minute of being in the van with 13 other people, the lack of sleep, and tears shed. Six weeks that will rock your world! I got way more out of being on staff than I ever expected to. It was an experience that has forever changed my life. It has honestly been one of the most rewarding things that I have had the opportunity to do. Not only are you given the opportunities to grow in your faith, but to teach and watch others grow as well. I would do it again if that is what God is calling me to do this summer. Right now, it looks like I will be chaperoning a week for my church and possibly a second, which is another blessing in itself to be able to go with the youth of your parish and watch them grow.
Do you keep in touch with your summer staff? Yes! I keep in touch with all of them. We were a small close knit family of 13 by the end of our journey, and I don’t know where I would be had I not met them this summer. Right now, we keep in touch mostly through Facebook and Skype, since we are literally all over the world.
Why should a college student apply to be a summer missionary at camp? A college student should apply because it gives you the chance to meet others that are in the same stage of life as you are. You are all in college and facing the trying times when most begin to question their faith. In college, it’s a time to discover who you really are and make the important decisions of what you want to do with your life. There is no better way to dig in deep, and discover who you are truly meant to be than to give over your life completely to God for those six weeks, and thereafter. It is a truly eye opening experience as to how you can live a life for you, and for others. I learned so much more about myself during those six weeks than I ever expected to. I now have a better idea of where God wants me, and what He wants me to do in life. It’s amazing what He can do when you really do give over everything to Him.
