I Would Rather Be a Toilet-Cleaner in the House of my God…
Danny Ibrahim
We’re always excited when someone shares their reflections about Beacon with us - it’s a beautiful reminder of the work that God is doing all over the world! In this case, we asked Danny “Chester” Ibrahim if we could share his writing with you!
Note: This summer, we’re giving our Summer Staff a temporary name change to “Camp Crew” - so understand that Chester is talking about the same thing.
Double Note: Sorry, Snappy, this was the only photo of a Summer Staff cleaning a toilet I could find.
For those of you who are critics of The Message Bible, you will likely find my loose paraphrase of Psalm 84:10 to be objectionable, but let me explain:
I was scrubbing toilets this morning; my headphones were in, music was playing, and I was singing along (badly, I am sure). I went through my standard procedure—I cleared off all the surfaces, sprayed everything, and moved methodically from the sink, to the toilet, to the shower. I even hung up my shower-mat. I finished with a quick sweep of the floor followed by a classic spray-rag-and-foot take of a mop-and-bucket. Somewhere between wiping the mirror and emptying the garbage, I found myself missing (like, really missing) the faint smell of peroxide and the presence of a milk-crate rag bin. You read that right, I was nostalgic for cleaning toilets. If you are not more confused than you already were, there is a very high possibility that you too were once “a Summer Staff”.
You see, the role of Summer Staff at Beacon Bible Camp has undergone some variation over the years. Now, most serve as lifeguards, a few devote their energy to assisting with maintenance, and some help with the many administrative functions needed to facilitate the running of a camp. All, however (to my knowledge), have had this in common—everyone cleans. Every washroom undergoes a thorough, daily cleaning while the entire camp (down to every bunk in every cabin) gets a scrub-down between each session (affectionately known as “change-over”). For those former Summer Staff who feel a little short-changed, it is also worth mentioning that there are lots of other parts of camp that get their daily clean as well. The point, however, is this: no matter how you slice it, being a Summer Staff by-and-large means scrubbing toilets. Here is the twist: it is one of the best parts of the job.
Okay, so if you have ever served with me at Beacon, you probably know that I am passionate about a clean camp, but I cannot be the only one that feels this way! There are a few factors to consider that might help you appreciate this perspective. First, there is an undeniably unique sense of comraderie that develops when dealing with the many creative ways that campers find to use the washroom. Believe me: you bond. Summer Staff is not just a job—it is a calling to participate in a ministry. As you scrub elbow-to-elbow with your fellow workers; as you chat, sing, and (occasionally) commiserate together, you begin to experience Christian fellowship in a way that many of us are so poorly positioned to in our comfortable, affluent, and separate lives. I could go on, and on about this, but for those of you who have had this joy, I do not think I need to go further; for those of you who have not, I do not think there is any way I could explain that would do it justice.
Summer Staff is not always fun. Some days you are tired, you have a headache, and the last thing you want to do is work. The second reason that cleaning toilets is so great is this: even on your worst days, completing this simple task means that you contributed meaningfully to the furtherance of the Gospel. You may not have it in you to build a deck, do a time-swim, or run around camp 400 times taking pictures all day, but if you clean a single washroom stall, you accomplish something necessary that, in its own way, enables everyone else to use their various gifts to effectively minister Christ to campers. This can often be the little push that you need to get through the rest of the day.
The final reason—and most significant—that scrubbing toilets is the quintessence of what it means to be a Summer Staff is the opportunity it provides. We are commanded to do everything “heartily, as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). I will be first to admit, however, that sometimes the things I do at camp are for me. In my human weakness, it can be all too easy to succumb to hubris if I receive praise for something that I feel took a lot of skill. Sometimes, sadly, the reason I do something to the best of my ability is not so that God will receive glory but so that I will. With toilets, however, there is not a whole lot of room for selfish pride—anyone can clean a toilet. Additionally, it is something that the whole team does, and so when we strive to do it well, we are shielded from the temptation to do it for our own gain.
Along these lines, I have also found that it is a good test of where my heart is. In the business of camp, one day of half-effort may go unnoticed. If I am really scrubbing “as for the Lord”, however, I recognize that my attitude does not really go unnoticed. In this simple task, there is an opportunity to put my ego into check and do my very best in something that (as I mentioned above) is for the Kingdom. Herein is the enjoyment—it is one of the few tasks in life that, if I am doing it with joy in my heart, I am doing it for the Master. Take it from anybody who has had the opportunity to clean at Beacon—there are some messes that can only be tackled for the sake of Christ. Talk about an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).
That is it. I genuinely miss cleaning toilets every day at camp. In fact, today, there is nothing I feel like doing more. While I may not have convinced most of you and while it may be the fact that regular camp sessions did not run this year talking, it has been one of my favourite ways to help-out at Beacon over the years. God is so good to us in providing easy, doable ways for us to serve the Lord Jesus. The challenge now is to take the lessons I have learned through cleaning at Beacon and find other ways in my daily life that I can apply them and serve.
I will admit that it is not just cleaning that I miss—this year has been challenging for me in respect to an inability to be at camp, as I am sure it has been for so many of you. To all of you campers and staff who may be reading this, I miss you all dearly and I look forward to, Lord willing, seeing you all as soon as possible. To any potential future Summer Staff applicants, I would encourage you to approach the prospect prayerfully, as a calling, and with a full understanding of what you are getting into. I leave you with this thought—it is absolutely worth it, toilets and all.
Yours in Christ,
Danny “Chester” Ibrahim