CampHOPEfor Kids

          I'd heard all the stories--"It's awesome;" "It changed my life;" "I met all my best friends there;" "I never want to miss another summer there for the rest of my life."  These quotes are mostly from our grandkids, but everyone we've ever talked to who has been here has voiced equivalent praise.

          I thought, "That's nice."  Then I came.  This is the end of my 4th full day here and I have no words to express how it has affected me--but I'll try.    

     --BEAUTIFUL.  As we pulled into the camp in a rural area of Philadelphia it felt like we were a million miles from nowhere.  Lush sylvan beauty enveloped us.  It is pretty easy to feel close to the
Creator when you are standing in awe of His creation.  I could see immediately that praying, singing and reading my Bible in some forested nook every morning was going to be a rich spiritual experience--and that was before I'd hiked down to the creek or crossed the footbridge in hearing of the waterfall, or seen the deer or the funny camo-clad frog on the forest floor. 
    
     --INSPIRING.  There are about 75+ kids here (some of them would be offended to be called "kids"--whatever!  I'm elderly and they are kids to me).  This is the week the Americorp and Youthcorp prepares the camp for the onslaught of young campers.  There are cobwebs to remove, toilets to clean, raking and weeding, moping and scrubbing, gathering and hauling.  None of it is eaasy.
          The quality of character, heart, service, joy, respect, diligence....I could go on.  I have not seen one complainer.  What I have seen is very, very hard work, sweet spirits and stellar leadership among them.  And the thing is, any of them could lead, but there is not an evident ego in the bunch.  They are eager and cooperative at a level I think I've never seen.  they stand fully behind anyone who is in charge of any given task no matter the task.
          Let me give you an example.  As a joke, the camp director (who is maybe 22 yrs. old) told the assembled group that they would be dredging the lake the following day.  He gave strict instructions about the dangers of infection because of the obvious polution.  It has a certain beauty, but no one would want to go in.
          The plan was for outraged complaints to ensue before the volunteers were told they didn't really have to jump in the lake.  The prank failed because there was not a negative word.  Every one of these kids willlingly offered themselves.  (Willingly, not necessarily enthusiastically).

          I have a few more words I need to offer you to give you a fuller picture of what I am experiencing, but that will be in my next post.  Stand by--I'm trying to find the words.