It’s 7 am and the lights were just turned on in the kitchen at Victory Valley Camp as sleepy-eyed youth volunteers scramble into the kitchen. I was selected from 200 cups the night before to be placed on the dining room table to serve the day camp staff. At 7:30 am, they scramble into the dining room and here I am ready to be poured into. Yes, water. Drink lots of water today day camp staff. It’s going to be a hot day and you are going to be walking throughout the campus serving young children for the Lord. Oh but first, I’ll listen to the staff pray for the days events and for the campers. They will learn about what their job will look like for the day and I’ll do my job by giving them cool refreshing drink before the camper arrival. Their breakfast and meeting quickly come to an end and I am removed from the table and placed on the countertop in the kitchen. This is where I’ll wait for a few minutes.
I watch as the kitchen staff speedily prepares breakfast for the overnight staff and campers. Wow, they are working so hard, they move like lightening to prepare the hot and cold breakfast items. Here I go, it’s my turn to be cleaned. The kitchen volunteer places me on a rack and sticks me inside the highspeed dishwasher affectionately named Pallo. Pallo is so hot and forceful, sometimes I get knocked over, but I get stood back up and placed back through Pallo for a second time. Wow, they really want to make sure I get squeaky clean. The second cycle is complete, and I am placed on the drying rack.
I stay on the drying rack till breakfast is finished, where my other cup friends are serving the day campers and staff. Wait, what is that noise. There is singing in the dining room. I can hear the voices of the staff and campers as they sing songs about Jesus. It sounds so beautiful. This is the time when hundreds of my fellow cups will help serve and give physical water to the children and staff. I have heard many conversations about spiritual water (John 4:14) that will not run dry. Jesus gives that water, it sounds amazing. I bet there are a lot less cups involved in that process.
Wait, what is that sound? The kids are banging on the table and saying that they want a staff break. Haha, this part is funny. That is when they pick cups up and bang on us with a spoon and walk around the dining room. But then the staff do the same to the campers. There is a lot of movement in the dining room and so many smiles. Everyone is having a great time. We cups are just so glad we get to do our part. Once I am dry, I can’t wait to be put out on the table again for lunch time. And maybe I’ll even make it out there for dinner too. It’s a lot of work being a cup, but I love getting to do my part. I get to serve so many staff and campers each day and that makes me so happy. The summer is my favorite time of the year and Victory Valley Camp keeps us busy.
By Tammy Kaczor, member of Graterford Bible Fellowship Church
