The light shimmers off the rocky mountains and the air is arid and dry. My 17th summer is a wild one. My third trip this summer isn’t even the most exciting one to come. My first step out of the van that day opens up to a wonderfully shaded park. The leaves soften the atmosphere around me and the area fills me with delight. Kids swing, run around, and laugh in joy as they play in the area. My pastor grabs our attention.

“Ok guys, let's go meet the kiddos!” He says. 

We start walking down the road a short way. This week I am helping with respite care. Respite care’s job is to help parents with kids that may have disabilities to take them on fun trips around the local area during the summer and give the parents a break. Today my youth group is traveling with the kiddos to the park and the aquatic center across the road. My job is to watch one of the kids in particular so that every kid has a teen to play with them.

The kids start filing off the bus slowly one by one, and the 2 adults from respite care are calling out names and assigning kiddos to people in our group. Almost all the kids are out of the bus by the time I am assigned one of the children. She is about 9 years old and I will always remember her smile as the most vibrant one I have ever seen. Seeing the joy on her face will always remind us how even the smallest most significant things that make us happy can be one of the best times in our life.