Natalie Molstad: going on 10 years at Royal Family Kids Camp

This past week Natalie Molstad graduated with her Master's in Social Work. She's spent years dedicated towards completing this degree, years proceeded by a growing passion for helping some of the most vulnerable, including kids in the foster care system. Natalie first encountered this population 11 years ago when she went to Royal Family Kids Camp for the first time as teen staff, not even 15 years old. She'll be going again in a few weeks time.

The whole Molstad family has spent years committed towards the thriving of the community at Royal Family Kids Camp. Before she was even able to go to camp as staff, she spent her summers in anticipation of going. She watched her dad, Nate, go off to camp each year, and then watched her older sister go. They'd come back each time with stories of time in the woods and camp songs, some amazing kids and an exhausting week of pulling out all the stops to show them a good time. Finally, she was old enough to go and she's gone every year since.

They’ve returned year after year, as well as participated in mentorship programs that extend beyond the week of camp. Their return each year is just one signifier of the thriving community that they've contributed towards. A steady return to Royal Family Kids Camp has been seen over and over in both campers and counselors, with campers often even returning as teen staff when they’re 15.

Part of the reason for return is the joy and extravagant love campers experience each year. The whole intention of camp is to create a space for campers, who come from foster homes and have experienced relational trauma, to have a week full of joy and fun and choosing what they want for the week. Time is poured into welcoming kids by name into camp, setting up a big birthday party to acknowledge a new year for kids who don't receive one at home, and endless activities they wouldn't experience elsewhere.

Emotion welled up in Natalie as she shared about one girl she'd particularly connected with. In 2018, Natalie had a girl named *Erin in her pod. That summer, Erin was on medications that significantly drained her energy, making her dazed and sleepy. She'd be falling asleep everywhere they went and wasn't particularly interested in any of the activities. While they'd usually try to offer their campers a week filled to the brim with fun, that year Natalie was mostly just able to offer her steady, mellow presence. By the end of the week, she felt like she had tried her best but left unsure of how Erin had experienced the week.

The next year rolled around, and Natalie received the names of her two campers for the week, one of them was Erin. "I saw her name on the list, but I didn't recognize her last name, so I wasn't sure if she was the same person. I made the signs to welcome my kids off the bus and was holding it up, waiting." Erin was one of the first campers off the bus, and Natalie was amazed to find it was the same girl. Each summer there are about 60 girls at camp, and the odds of her being paired with the same girl were extremely slim. "So as soon as we made eye contact I realize she's the same girl– this is the same kid."

Erin came straight towards her, also remembering her from the previous summer. The two of them went to their room to drop off Erin's things and the first thing she did was pull her memory book out from the year before. She poured through the pages with Natalie, laughing and exclaiming about her last year at camp, pointing out all her favorite moments. As they came towards the end of the book, Erin pulled out a letter that she'd written for Natalie to keep in her book of memories. As Erin shared, Natalie was holding back waves of emotion– she had no idea how much Erin had taken away from camp because she was so quiet– but she was reminded of her purpose. "I realized why I do this, why I come back. You have no clue what impact you have on these little kids who don't have people in their lives that love them. Being that for one week and showing them that love they don't get on a regular basis. It's something I will never forget, and neither will she."

Though the evidence of how kids have been impacted is not always present, over her years at Royal Family Kids Camp Natalie has been taught to trust– trust that yes, God is at work. And yes, God will use those moments even when you don't see the fruit. Each year as the Molstad's return, there is a reminder of what thriving looks like: kids becoming a part of a family that cares for them and experiencing an extravagant love.

If you would like to participate in the thriving of this community, you can come alongside Natalie and her family by giving towards camp this year!

*Name changed in accordance with policy.