When I was a little kid I had so many ideas of the things I would do and the places I would go. I knew I wanted to be in nature, go on hikes, ride a bike, spend time around water and all of that cool stuff, but I also knew I wanted to do something that would impact a lot of people in a positive way. Somehow I seemed to always separate the going and the doing in my mind, never thinking that a job could bring both my connection to nature and people together. Even worse I always limited myself to thinking about doing all of these things after college. This was the way I thought and processed everything about my future and what I would do in college until a childhood dream was realized as an actual possibility. This is what led me to apply at Woodland Christian Camp.
When I was a kid, I attended a few 4-H camps and I always looked up to the camp counselors. I thought about how cool they were. I mean, 15 or 20 college kids who do cool activities all summer for different kids every week, how cool is that? I always imagined what kind of fun they had when they weren’t working, and I always thought they were lucky because they got to stay at the places I loved all summer long. Seeing them having a good time led me to dream of working at a camp because camp counselors were the coolest role models a kid could have. I knew it was something I wanted to do so as soon as I heard about camp Woodland in my freshman year of college I applied for a Summer Staff position. Little did I know that it would be one of the best decisions I have ever made.
As a summer staffer at a Christian Summer camp, I was given the opportunity to do all of the things I dreamed of doing as a camp counselor and more.
I had the pleasure of working with 13 other college students who believed in spreading the gospel. We moved into the camp mid-May, had two full weeks of lifeguard, kitchen, cleaning and other types of training, and to top it all off we got to shovel a literal ton of mulch together (measurements may be exaggerated). We bonded like family for two weeks when in reality we had ten more weeks to grow even closer. On the occasional Friday night some of us would go to the local Mexican restaurant and sing karaoke, while other weekends we would see a movie in the next town over or go hike Stone Mountain. The possibilities were endless! To add to the bonding we would divide up on certain nights every week and the girls would have a girl’s night and the guys would have a guy’s night. We read together, served together, lifeguarded together (we were in the business of saving lives), we did nearly everything together and as a result we knew each other and had each other’s backs when the heat and frustration got to us. Even when we were sick of seeing each other we could always count on a kind word from others and very quick forgiveness. As great as being with the other staff members was it was only one of the things that made camp so enjoyable.
As I previously said, I always dreamed of doing something that allows me to be in nature and positively impact others and working at a camp as a summer staffer certainly allows for both. Working at camp means working with campers and believe me when I tell you that they can be a handful! At Woodland we have campers from the ages of five to eighteen who come from all kinds of different places to spend a week with us. While at camp the campers enjoy a week filled with delicious camp food (seriously delicious), canoeing, kayaking, archery, mountain biking, climbing rock walls, riding the zip line, swimming, and tons of other fun camp activities. It is my job as a summer staffer to facilitate these activities for campers so that camp is a fun and safe environment for them to be in while their leaders and counselors lead them in worship services and bible studies. By facilitating meals and activities I get to spend hours every week working with and encouraging campers which is one of the reasons I desired to work at a summer camp in the first place. Working with the campers has certainly been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I look forward to working with them again as they arrive at camp this summer.
Despite the blistering heat, extremely long days, and huge spiders in the showers I love my camp and the opportunities it has given me to meet people and grow closer to God in my Christian walk. It is my home away from home and one of the most comfortable places to sit down alone to read or be in a group and laugh. I am thankful to call camp home for three months every summer and only look forward to what the future holds there.
