Cincinnati, OH — As I watched the other campers step over the line, it became clear that the differences so prevalent in my head were not just unique to me. They were shared. Learning that my emotions and experiences were part of something bigger than myself brought insight into many viewpoints I had as a camper and counselor. For three years, I have been part of a non-profit, interfaith organization called Friends for Good. Its mission is to help kids and young adults from diverse backgrounds connect with others through kindness, empathy, and dialogue. I started attending this camp as a naive freshman who had been part of the same group of friends for most of my life. We all grew up in similar neighborhoods, attended the same churches, and, for the most part, had the same skin color.
The summer my parents introduced the camp to me, I was hesitant at first, but eventually agreed to attend. On my first day, the only person I knew was my sister. It was daunting to introduce myself to kids I had never met. We all attended different schools, had unique interests, and came from entirely different religious backgrounds. After a period of awkward silence between campers, a girl named Marya approached me. She introduced herself and immediately hooked me with her sense of humor. After that, Marya and I spent every day laughing and swapping stories about our schools, friends, and parents’ struggles. As camp continued, we learned more about each other’s cultural and religious backgrounds, which unified our bond. She learned about what it’s like to be Episcopalian, and I learned about Islamic rituals, beliefs, and practices. The counselors also filled the camp with numerous activities like games, crafts, and discussion circles.
After a few days, they placed a strip of tape on the ground and told us to stand behind the line. We were told to close our eyes and cross the line when something resonated with our experiences. They started with easier questions, eventually building up to more uncomfortable prompts. I remember one came up that instructed us to step over the line if we had ever hidden a piece of ourselves to fit in. Along the line were kids of different religious backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and abilities. However, almost every camper took that step.
Looking back on this formative experience reminds me of why I decided to major in international business. I want to continue learning about different cultures and religions to promote peace and ultimately contribute to the mission of international non-profits or NGOs with corresponding missions. This impactful experience has prepared me to follow my passion of international business at The University of Oklahoma. Overall, my experience with Friends for Good has strengthened my desire to pursue a career fueled by understanding and empathy. Stepping over that line revealed to me that our differences are most powerful when we let them unify us.
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Interfaith Harmony Camp is happening again this year from July 27-31st. If you’d like to learn more about Interfaith Harmony Camp or register a young person you know, please visit Friends for Good’s website.