Hope in humanity

Working in the horse industry, in one of the most expensive areas of the country, campers and their parents come from situations I can't even imagine.  And although I have met many well off, kind and generous people, for most of the summer I work with spoiled rich kids and their demanding parents.  The condescending attitudes, sense of entitlement, sheer waste, expecting everything to be done for them and money can buy anything approach on life starts to wear me down.
This week was an exception that renewed my hope in humanity.  For starters my 14 year old counselor assistant stepped up in a chaotic, yellow jacket swarm, emergency situation.  She put aside her own physical pain and without any instruction was helping the 8-12 year old campers screaming and crying in pain and panic as they were jumping off their horses also being stung and panicking.  She gathered them, swatting off the bees and picking them out of hair and instructing campers to tuck in their shirts to avoid more.  She comforted and supported the campers the long hike toward home as we waited for the rangers to come rescue us.  I didn't know until we were all back safe and sound, stingers removed and ice packs in place that she had been stung on her head, neck, hip and leg.  She was in a lot of pain.  She's my hero.
And not just her, but the rest of my campers.  Two of the campers were from Japan and didn't really speak English.  That didn't stop the other six campers from befriending them, and not only did they befriend they found ways to communicate horse care instructions, and asked them questions about what they wanted.  I hadn't told them anything about helping out extra the two girls.  On their own through hand motions, pointing, simple words and leading by the hand they communicated throughout the week.  The last day of camp, after the yellow jacket incident, we didn't know if the two Japanese girls were coming back for the last day when they did not arrive at the usual time.  One of my campers said to me "Do you know what would make this the best day?" I asked what? and she replied "If the Japanese girls came back."
And they did come back. And it was a great day.  These kids give me hope for our future generations.