Girl's Camp

Last week I attended the Girl's Camp through our church. It was six days of roughing it: sleeping in a tent, cooking on a fire/Coleman stove, no showers, and only an outhouse for a bathroom. 60 girls between the ages of 12 and 18 came - that's 60 girls who went the week without electricity of any sort (although many still put on make up every day!)

I gave my first workshop ever - a 30 minute look at keeping high standards when watching/listening to different forms of media. I managed to keep most of the girls' attention most of the time - which is to be counted a success. It was exhilarating. I remember hearing different speakers give workshops when I was a youth, and although I don't remember them all, there are certainly bits and pieces that have stuck with me over the years. I'll probably never know for sure who I may have touched, but chances are good that a few of them were affected by the words I'd prepared.

The rest of the camp went off fairly well. We were rained out only one day - the first day of rain during Girl's Camp in nine years! The only unfortunate part of it was that two camp sites had decided not to put up shelters beforehand, and so we were left trying to do it in the pouring rain!

By Thursday (day 4) I was pretty exhausted and wasn't much help after dark. Missing my daily nap, plus rising early and getting to bed late had started to take it's toll on me. But I managed to push through, all the way to the final clean up on the last day.

Prank night was a blast - the tradition of the girls pranking the leaders continued, however we managed to get a few pranks in ourselves, foiling some of their ideas!

I missed my little family like crazy, and it took me a minute to recognize the silhouette of Colin when I walked in the door. He ran towards me and leaped into my arms - only to twist away and ask "out?" Apparently, he wanted to play outside and no one would take him out. Upon my explaining he couldn't go out right now, he promptly wiggled out of my arms and was off again. It was good to see a week of my being away didn't spoil his independent character!

All in all, the whole experience of being the Assistant Camp Director was fun and rewarding, but I sure am glad I'll have a six month old baby next year and won't be able to attend. They're looking for a new Director, and personally I think I need a few years to recuperate!