Why We Love Camp

By Savana and Olivia Day

Going to camp is like packing your friends up on a bus and going on vacation—a rest for your body, mind, and soul. Our first memory of these vacations takes place at middle school Summer camp. As timid, young students, walking in and being surrounded by hundreds of others was intimidating. However, we were surprised by immediate feelings of inclusion, acceptance, and freedom.

We recall rushing into our dorms, throwing on our swimsuits, and following our friends to the beach. Another memory is of the buzzing excitement of waiting in line to face our fears on the zipline and racing our friends in the kayaks. This was exactly what we needed to melt away all the distractions of the world.

EXPERIENCING OUR OWN FAITH

While these activities were nice, they are not what keep us coming back year after year. What brings us back isn’t the yummy breakfast, beautiful scenery, or exhilarating ziplines—it is the intimate time with God that we just can’t seem to find at home. We had never seen such passion for worship before. All the hands in the air, praising the Lord, seemed unusual to us at the time. But in time, we found ourselves joining in; our hearts were beginning to fill with the desire to do more with our newfound relationship with the Lord. It was one of the first times we realized we could choose a relationship with Jesus for ourselves, rather than our parents deciding for us.

Being surrounded by others with the same beliefs gave us a certain freedom—a freedom to speak what was truly in our hearts. We spoke without fear of ridicule or questioning. With each endearing conversation with a stranger came a new friendship. We all left our insecurities and worries at home; this let everyone have a clean slate. While one of us had already made the decision, it was at camp that the other chose her own faith, abandoning her timidity as God gave her the confidence to go forward to be baptized.

RETURNING HOME

Having the time away from our parents allowed us to form and develop our own ideas, giving us confidence in ourselves that wasn’t there before. We were also blessed by the continued support of our parents. Some parents sent letters of encouragement, providing an unspoken invitation to share our feelings and ideas with them. Most of us knew that our parents would be ready and waiting for us at home. The freedom of sharing personal thoughts and feelings while away from home paved the way for us to do the same once we returned to our parents and friends. Our relationships back home grew stronger when we returned.

All in all, we were shaped by our camp experiences. We are the people we are today because of the close-knit relationship we have with our Lord. Despite growing older, the excitement and joy of going to camp never gets old.