As I said before, this past week was spent at Camp Nathanael near Hinkley, MN. It was amazing. I had a great time getting to know all the other counselors and workers there and the campers were awesome too. It was a lot more laid back than the Boy Scout camp that I went to as a kid. Not as much focus on “doing stuff” and getting badges and all that, more emphasis on relationships and “personal growth”. Less utility, more fun.
The rhythm went something like this:
- 7:15 – wake up
- 7:20 – hustle down to the gazebo by the lake for devotions (kind of like stretching in the morning but with prayer)
- 8ish – eat breakfast
- 10:30 – teach Woodsmanship with Luke, Jordan, and Zach Wormwood
- 11 – work with the grounds crew (clearing brush, shoveling horse poop, you know…)
- 1:30 – eat lunch
- 2:30 – teach sailing with Luke (Joe helped sometimes)
- 4:30 – free time till dinner
- 7 – dinner
- 8ish – a game or something, usually involves running through the woods
- 9ish – campfire includes songs, skits, and a story
And thats about the gist of it. I usually took a nap immediately following sailing which was bliss, and then read a book until dinner. I sat with some of the grounds crew guys for meals. There are 3 levels in the Camp Nathanael hierarchy. At the top is staff, then non-comms, and finally the Freshmen Work Crews (pronounced “fwocks”). Zach is staff, along with 6 other guys, and then all the cabin leaders and skill teachers are non-comms, usually 2nd or 3rd year fwocks, and fwocks do whatever anyone tells them, but mostly grounds keeping and things like that.
There were table games, deep conversations, philosophy, theology, jokes, NFRs, music, tons of guitars, an accordion, camp traditions, lots of songs, and great weather. I’m glad I got to see Zach before I leave and I’m glad I got to practice making new friends before I have to do it on a larger scale in Japan. It was an excellent week for personal reflection and struggles.
Also I got my hair cut. Many hairs in fact. I donated it.
Yep.
