Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    My father raised money to send kids from our church to summer camp
    for many years. At peak I guess we were sending 60-70 kids for at
    least one week. Parents paid based on need and the extra funds my
    father raised, from what ever source he could find outside the church,
    paid the rest. For city kids (We used to call places like Boston the
    country) it was worth the effort just to get them into the mountains
    and woods of upstate New York.

    The camp we went to was called "Word of Life." Some of you may have
    heard of it. They had, perhaps still do, a world wide ministry. They
    had radio broadcasts, Bible study groups around the country, as well
    as camps and ministries in Germany and Brazil. It was at a Sunday
    morning meeting at Word of Life that I came to know Jesus as my Savior.

    I attended the camp, called "the Ranch" for a number of years. Later
    I worked there on staff for two summers. I've probably got enough
    stories to file a small book but I'm in the office to get some work
    done so I'll spare you for a while. But I'll be back. :-)

    			Alfred

Due to my physical limitations and my need for assistance, I never attended
church camp.

My younger brother did though.  He brought back from camp the filthiest jokes
and musical ditties.  In spite of this, I think I was a little envious of
him and his ability to become quite detached from our parents for a couple
of weeks each summer.

Peace,
Richard

    Camp was never a complete detachment for me. My brother was always
    there. We're 11 months a part so always wound up in the same groups.

    The best summer in camp was the last summer we worked there. My
    father, believing we needed some transportation, gave us a boat.
    We were too young to drive cars you see but everything we could 
    want was on the lake anyway. It wasn't much of a boat but it was
    enough to pull a water skier and get us around.

    Word of Life had three camps on the lake. The ranch for little kids
    up to about 14-15, the Inn for adults, and the Island for high school
    and college types. They all had a weekly concert of Christian music
    but the best one was on the Island. Now you have to understand a couple
    of things. First off the Island was an actual island and if you missed
    the last boat after to concert you were stuck there. Second, you have
    to understand that this was a very very strict place about s-e-x. A
    far more conservative place than I turned out to be. Thirdly, rules for
    staff were as strict if not stricter then for campers. Good example and
    all that.

    Well one night my brother and I with a friend went to the concert on
    the Island. Having our own boat this was easy. We didn't tell too many
    people though. Non counseling staff (us) and the counseling staff
    having a bit of a rivalry you understand. The rules didn't let
    counselor (who were generally older) have cars in the camp. So it was
    hard for them to get rides to the good concert and we didn't want to
    rub it in.

    In any case we pulled up and tied up the boat on the far side of the
    Island. After the concert my brother came over with two young ladies.
    Co workers at our camp they had, unfortunately, missed the last boat.
    I have not idea how but I tend to suspect that my brother had something
    to do with it. :-) In any case we agreed in short order to take them
    home with us. Now the trip to the Island took about 4 gallons of gas
    and we usually switched to a full 6 gallon tank before returning. This
    time we did not. :-) So at the widest part (about 1.5 miles) of the
    lake with a pitch dark sky we "ran out of gas."

    Panic, or enough distress for us to enjoy, over took the young ladies.
    Oh not their reputations were ruined they'd lose their jobs what could
    happen next. After a while we "found" some more gas and returned home
    before curfew.

    A side note. My brother, though younger, was the more physical and
    popular one. I was always in his shadow. However, for some reason he
    was not up to navigating the boat home after dark. It was not a
    particularly easy task and few wanted to do it. I did it pretty well
    all summer and it was the first "important" area at which I outdid
    my brother. It was a big deal at 15. 

    				Alfred

    .3  :-)
    
    Richard
    

There was one church camp that I remember fondly because of all the songs
we learned, and especially because of a girl there who taught me how to
play a few chords on the guitar (I was 16).  She was the daughter of a
Southern Baptist missionary, from Georgia I think, and we became good
friends over the next few months.  Unfortunately I had to leave the
country before I turned 17 in order to avoid the Rhodesian draft.  I guess
it wasn't meant to be...

				-- Bob

    Patch the Pirate's "Camp Kookawaka" :-)
    
    The camp cook is Hu flung Chow... :-)
    
    One of my favorites.
    
    I went to church camp in Jacksonville, Fla.. Bob Gray was the Pastor,
    can't remember the name of his youth camp... but it was big one and
    fun.  I dedicated my life to the Lord on the last day of camp and on
    the bus ride home to Tampa, I led my first person to the Lord.  Oscar
    Soliz, I'll never forget.. he didn't speak very good English, but he
    read John 3:16 on the bus, and bowed his head and prayed in front of
    all the other passengers... the funny part is.., I had prayed and asked
    if the Lord wanted me to speak to him, to have him re-board the bus and
    sit next to me at the next station stop... Oscar did... I was scared,
    but I showed him the plan of salvation inspite of my fears.
    
    Nancy

    I did church camp in Southern Ohio for one week in the summer for four
    years.  I always won the Bible Quiz contests and came back home with
    awards.  I loved the music programs and one year met this really huge
    guy nick-named "Frostie" who taught me this really cool set of
    ragtime/boogie piano riffs.
    
    The food was done by women volunteers from the various participating
    churches and it was *fabulous*!
    
    My favorite prank was when a bunch of the older boys threw my dad in
    the creek.  He was always so solemn and he actually started laughing.
    
    It was in a nature area that attracted some spectacular lunar moths and
    I always took my netting and went home with new specimens for my moth
    collection.
    
    Ruth

    Ahh...camp.  Just the word conjures up such happy memories...
    
    My first camp was Spofford in New Hampshire.  Swimming, boating, the
    greased watermelon hunt, kids with the dirtiest cabins getting thrown
    in the lake (Dad and I hunted my little brother down for trying to
    escape his due punishment).  Kumbayah and Pass it on being sung in the
    church.  Falling in the cesspool...a moment I'd rather forget.
    Going into Keene to by a stuff animal.  Ahh...Bliss ('cept for the
    cesspool part).
    
    I went to Word of Life too, but just once.  I'm trying to remember
    where it was.  I was real little.  I think I still have a picture of
    me and my little friends shivering wet on the beach with our folks.
    
    Then there was Camp Halawassa.  Paddle boating, the spooky train ride
    the last night when the counselors hiding along the tracks in the woods
    and tried to scare us out of our minds.  Rides on the Fire Engine and 
    dump truck (which they would actually tilt). Capture the flag in which 
    the boys cheated and dragged me onto their side to arrest me.
                      
    Winter camp here in Colorado at Lichen Ranch near Steamboat Springs.
    Some guy getting locked out of his room and knocking on our door by
    mistake only to have us laughing as he was standing there in his red
    long underwear.  Tubing.  Hmmm...the Barrington Bunny story.  And
    the camp near Estes Park and one near Silverthorne...all those crazy
    skits we did.  Not being in the car where everyone had the flu and
    was puking their guts out.  Praise God!!!!
    
    And just last Labor Day Weekend going to Glorieta, NM for the Singles
    Retreat.  Dusty cabins, fabulous seminars, uplifting music, playing
    pranks, good fellowship, and spiritual renewal.  Still brings a smile 
    to my face.
    
    You know...life is good.  I'm ready for my nice camp trip.
    
    Jill

    
    Hey Alfred...is that Word of Life in Schroon Lake, New York?
    
    Jill

    
    >    Hey Alfred...is that Word of Life in Schroon Lake, New York?
    
    Yes.
    
    			Alfred

    
    
    Such a small world!