one year ago , i got a call from a camp director who asked me to come up to his camp and counsel that summer . little did i know that by agreeing and treking up to the tiny campsite, i would make friendships that were more meaningful than any i had ever experienced before . i didn't know that i would spend six weeks with this staff and then return five months later to spend a week with them . but that's exactly what happened .
in july, and again in january, these small towns in pennsylvania captured my heart. the community and the hearts of these places are beautiful . small towns have become some of my favorite places - the towns where everyone knows your name and exactly what you will buy from their family - owned grocery store . i love the places where every person was born there, raised there, and will stay there until they die . these little places, the ones you can't find unless you're looking for them, are so insanely beautiful . they have my heart now, but more than the places, these people have my heart . . .
specifically, these camp people have my heart . unless you've spent your summer at Camp Kanesatake where your goal is to become more like Christ [ and help the rest of the staff and your campers become more like Christ ], you can't understand that special bond . that goal of becoming Christlike is accomplished in ways you never thought possible .
your days at camp are spent waking up crazy early so that you have a few moments of peace before the beautiful chaos of the day begins . because once those crazies are awake, there's no stopping them and you won't have a chance to breathe between the singing of your good morning song first thing and the choosing between chocolate chip or peanut ' better ' cookies last thing. there are days when you remember why God called you there and you can see His hand, and there are days where the only reason you're still moving and walking and loving is because you have to-- and because you have a wonderful support team beside you every moment . and that is what made camp k so special . they are the reason that june 30 - august 6 are such beautiful memories .
i am so thankful for my time in pennsylvania, both this summer and this winter . God's grace blows me away . i don't deserve friends like these, but i'm so thankful that i do have them . june 2014 cannot come soon enough . and that day when i come back and am reunited with my camp family -- there will be much rejoicing .
