Right before our family left for Ecuador, we had the last week at Camp David of the Ozarks, where I’ve been spending a large amount of my summer. We had 2 “senior” weeks, with campers age 13-16, and 4 “junior” weeks, for kids 8-12 years old. I never really had much interaction with any of the kids – looking at 500+ pictures of them each week doesn’t count. Even so, it was an
incredible experience. There were days that were long, and hard, and even stressful, but I’d do it all over again in an instant.
Probably my favorite part was the relationships I made – new relationships, outside my “usual” group, that I wouldn’t have otherwise been a part of. Earlier, I already mentioned Sissy, the camp nurse. She was always such fun to have around, especially since in past years, she did a lot of what I did this year. We always enjoyed comparing notes.
Of course, Grace and Ben were just fantastic. Grace especially, as the one I answered to, really helped me to gain a new, fresh perspective on life. One of the things I heard her saying over and over again was, “It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity.” While there were times when she wasn’t sure how things would work out, I never saw her anxious or unsettled – regardless of the chaos around her, she never lost her peace, and her giggle was always to be heard.
Another person I got to know well this summer, especially during the boys’ weeks, was Danielle Foley, my twin. She got to be office help, and do all the boring, and/or really awful jobs that I didn’t want to do. Apparently, we look alike. . . neither of us can really see it, but several people told us so. Anyways, she was always tons of fun to have around, especially when she played the weird African music on the computer, and made horse sounds when she was frustrated. Love you, Dani!
Linda, the horse director, was also a sweetie. Although her job mainly consisted of outdoor activities, and mine consisted of entirely inside activities, her encouragement and friendly conversation were there anytime we came into contact. She always made me feel so important, and valued, and was a really good role model for the campers and wranglers.
Lydia and Zach were two people who, although I didn’t get to know them too well, always helped bring a smile to my face. Without fail, I would embarrass myself in front of Zach whenever he was in the office. He never said anything about it. . . but I’m not sure he knew what to think of me. Lydia, on the other hand, is one of those people who, after having only one conversation with, you feel like you’ve known a lifetime. She was so very sweet, and so good to me. I loved the few conversations I had with her, and wish that time and space would allow us to become even closer. 
Lastly, I just loved it when my friends came out to be counselors. I think I already mentioned Andy coming out in an earlier post. The week after he came, my dear friend Ashley was a counselor, and then several weeks later, Carl and Zephan were there. It’s always neat to get to see them interacting with the kids, having a great time. 
So there you have it – that’s what I’ve been doing with my life most of this summer! It’s been a truly growing experience, and I can’t wait to see if I get to keep being involved in this ministry in years to come.
