Trailblazing Week

Trailblazing is an odd week of camp. There are not any campers, very few staff, and a whole lot of preparation for the summer to come. This past week I have spent the week with the rest of the “Base Camps A” leadership team and a returning counselor. We have done everything from load flatbed trucks with inflatables to plan out our skits. It is great to be back at camp. I got to see many long lost friends from summers past, and meet many new staffers that are full of excitement.

Every counselor at Pine Cove has a camp name. My camp name is Piggly Wiggly. In order to get this name, a staffer must endure the Name Game. This involves a staffer being called on stage, and they are asked questions by other staffers sitting in the crowd. Based on the answers to the questions and embarrassing stories that are told, a counselor is named. If a staffer in the crowd has a name they raise their hand and try to sell their name to the whole room. Based on the rooms support, communicated by standing up and cheering, the name is accepted or rejected. The Name Game may sound lame, but it really is a blast. I have named eight counselors so far, and I am in the naming zone! Some of my names include: “Sweet Potato Tries” “Road Spill” “Songitary Combfinement” and “Rangers are Red, Bananas are Yellow, No One is Looking For This Poor Fellow.” I know right? Where did this creativity come from?

I am enjoying this week, but there is also a lot of work getting done. We are fixing all the equipment that needs to be repaired, loading trailers, planning out daily program, going through driver and audiovisual training, and a lot of other miscellaneous work.

I am so excited for staff to get here next week and to get to know them. Counselors are the heart of what we do here at camp, and they get to be my focus this summer. I am looking forward to serving and teaching them. Please pray that I will always put them first and that patience, wisdom, and gentleness would always be on my heart.  

(This post was written on May 22, 2013 and posted nine days later due to lack of internet)