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Volunteering at Camp Kawartha
By Bruce Lindsay
This week I took a few days off work to travel with Emma’s class to Camp Kawartha, on Clear Lake. I was given charge of 5 rambunctious 10-year old boys in a cabin. Only one of whom I had known previously. (Joey played on Emma’s football team).
We had a ball! We had fun, playing native Indian games, singing around a campfire, great food, ghost stories, starting fires by rubbing sticks together and with flint and steel, building shelters in the forest, taking samples of all the creatures in the wetlands and a survivor game to name just a few things. We also had a small prayer meeting, and that’s what I want to share.
The first night, all the boys wanted to tell ghost stories instead of going to sleep. We all took turns telling a story. I told a story called the Pirate’s ring. It’s about a man who finds a ring on the beach and a ghost warns him not to keep it because it belongs to a pirate and the pirate will come back and take it. Not too scary, but weird. That’s what boys like.
I’m a pretty good story teller so they wanted me to tell another one. I like finding out who is least afraid and having fun with that guy. One boy named Reese said he’s not afraid of anything. I said, “This is the story where Reese dies.” Everybody laughed! I told a funny story about a witch who lived on a farm and grew enormous pumpkins. In the story Reese and one other boy Matthew tried to steal one of them for Halloween. In the process they met the witch and she turned Reese into a pumpkin head. His head continued to grow and soon he became part of the pumpkin patch. Matthew ran away home.
During this story, Joey went from his top-bunk and into a bottom-bunk where a friend was already sleeping. I asked him what he’s doing. He answered, “I’m scared.”
Later I told a funny kids story about a princess and her magic horse. I didn’t want to have anybody actually having bad dreams or something. But after the story, Joey was crying. He told me, “I wasn’t really scared, but I’m homesick. I just said I was scared because I’m embarrassed about being homesick. I want to go home. I miss my mom and dad.”
This brought me back to my childhood. I was just like Joey. I was sent to summer camp at 7 years old and not ready to stay away from home that long. I remember lying in my sleeping bag with tears rolling down my cheeks onto the pillow. I didn’t say anything because I was too shy. The nights were hard. I missed my mom praying with me.
I knelt beside him and tried to comfort him. I told him that, ‘I was just like that as a boy’. I told him, ‘You can make it, it’s just 2 nights. You have lots of friends here.’ I told him that all those thoughts make his mind like a dark scary room where you are all alone. I told him that I believe in God, and when we invite God into the dark room, He comes in like a bright light and all the darkness is gone and it’s not scary anymore.
Then an amazing thing happened. Joey said, “I believe in God.” Matthew said, “I believe in God.” Kyle said. “I believe in God.” Reese said, “I believe in God too! That’s why I never swear or anything.” (The 5th boy was asleep – snoring away). I prayed with Joey, I prayed for all the boys and I felt a warm and loving presence of God in that cabin. Joey stayed in the lower bunk with his friend, but he went to sleep. We all did.
The next night Joey slept in his top-bunk and was much better. He knew he’d be OK. I asked the boys to think about one thing they will remember forever about Camp Kawartha. One boy said, “Starting a fire with flint and steel.” Another said, “The campfire songs.” Another said, “The Food!” Another said, “Catching the leeches in the wetlands!”
10-year old boys....
I will remember that God put me in a cabin with 5 boys who needed me. Our cabin was a fun place, where we could tell stories, pray without being shy and share God’s love.
Bruce Lindsay
P.S. The camp wasn’t all fun and games. On Wednesday, during the ‘Survival Game’ – Emma tripped on a rock, fell hard and broke her wrist in 2 places. Please pray for Emma with me for a quick & full recovery.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Thanks Bruce… a wonderful story…
This is a very short report and congratulations to Seung Hun Jung and his wife Eunice. Yesterday he graduated with his Master of Divinity Degree in Counseling.I will report more on this great event tomorrow. We are so proud of Seung and Eunice. Congratulations!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
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