“Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness”- Harold Kushner. It is true that those around us can and will impact our life for the better. I discovered this the summer of 2005 when I shared a bond with my Camp director Marietta.
Marietta is by far one of the tallest individuals I have laid eyes on, 5’10 to be exact. Her skin seems to radiate a light from God and her shimmering hazel green eyes tell the story of her life. Her white curly hair catches my eye along with her straight, almost perfect white teeth that speak of God’s word.

She has passion for everyone, especially if they are in a tattered situation. For example Marietta mentored a close friend of mine named Meghan while she was going through a hard time. We were at a Christian camp together in the summer, and when all the girls would receive letters and she did not, her eyes would begin to fill with tears. Meghan would tell me, "I am afraid that my parents are fighting and yelling at my older brother!" Marietta wrapped her arms around her and gently said, "I will always be there for you!" As I stood there and watched Marietta it made me realize that everyone goes through struggles but it is people like Marietta who make those trials bearable. After seeing the way Marietta acted toward Meghan, this event made me want to be more like her as person and a strong Christian. This opportunity came a couple days later when Marietta called the girls in my cabin to gather one morning. I still remember the very moment, the smell of the room, the feel of the environment and the sound of her voice. “You are taking the steps to becoming a closer woman of God and making one of the greatest decisions you will at your age." My heart stopped beating, a sense of love and spirit hung about me and I knew know my life would change and my thoughts would deepen in their meaning. I had now committed myself to Christ and had determined a little touch of the path he had in mind for me.

On a sunny Sunday morning, all the summer campers of 2008 sat in baseline of Camp Balcones Springs, all dressed in white, eyes wide open and anticipating our guest speaker. I heard the speaker say, “You will be alright, you will survive.” These were the words of the one and only Gilbert Tatabanya author of the book This Voice In My Heart. Marietta brought this man to my attention the summer of 2008 and I am truly glad she did. He, with the help of Marietta, made me also develop and strengthen one of my core beliefs: through Christ all things are possible. Gilbert was burned in his village during a fire from head to toe but God was speaking to him during this tragedy whispering in his ear. "You will make it out alive, you will survive."Marietta spoke to me through this speaker greatly by encouraging me to run to God when I need something because he is my source of everything in life.
Until I met Marietta, I never realized that people and their stories could have such a great impact on us and our struggles. I thank God everyday for Marietta and her kind actions towards me as a Christian. This woman makes up a large part of who I am today as a woman of God and I am truly grateful to her, the impact she made on me and her life- changing words.I learned from Marietta that we all strive to find what we feel we are missing in life but it takes a little bit of heart, pain, and suffering to figure out exactly what that something is. Most importantly I learned that those we meet have relationships with and come in contact with do make a great impact on our lives. This I truly believe.